Senior Estimator & Team Lead – Underground Utilities

Essenti Talent; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company vehicle

Medical and dental plan options

Vision, life and AD&D

Aflac

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation, holidays and sick time

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Essenti Talent in East San Diego County, CA seeks a Senior Estimator to lead the estimating group for underground utilities and heavy civil projects. This on-site, direct-hire role requires managing a 3-5 person team and owning bid strategy from RFP analysis to final submission.

You will build production estimates, drive competitive bids for public agencies and major utility owners, and ensure alignment with project goals using historical data and pricing databases.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of progressive estimating experience in underground utility or heavy civil construction.
• Experience leading and developing a team of estimators.
• Proficiency with B2W, Accubid or HCSS (HCSS HeavyBid preferred).
• P6 and MS Project, plus strong Excel and the rest of MS Office.
• Sage 300/Timberline and/or Sage Paperless preferred.
• Strong skills in contract, cost and risk management, and clear written proposals.

Responsibilities

• Manage, mentor and review the work of a team of 3-5 estimators.
• Build production-based estimates for large-scale underground utility and civil projects.
• Prepare competitive hard bids for public agencies and major utility owners, and maintain blanket contract and unit-price estimates.
• Analyze RFPs, scopes of work, plans and specs; perform detailed take-offs and build bid schedules.
• Lead pre-bid meetings, bid strategy sessions and site visits.
• Define sub and supplier scopes, solicit and level pricing, and maintain the pricing database.
• Review final estimates with Operations, obtain internal approval and submit bid packages.
• Compare actual and budgeted costs and build cost models from historical data.
• Support project managers with hand-off, resource planning, scheduling and change orders.

Skills

Leadership

Bid estimation

Project management

Contract & risk management

Clear written proposals

Commute to East San Diego County

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Finance/Construction Management

Tools

B2W

Accubid

HCSS HeavyBid

Primavera P6

MS Project

Excel

Sage 300/Timberline

Job description

Essenti Talent in East San Diego County, CA seeks a Senior Estimator to lead the estimating group for underground utilities and heavy civil projects. This on-site, direct-hire role requires managing a 3-5 person team and owning bid strategy from RFP analysis to final submission.

You will build production estimates, drive competitive bids for public agencies and major utility owners, and ensure alignment with project goals using historical data and pricing databases.