Senior Estimator & Team Lead - Underground Utilities

CareerNerds, LLC; 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 coverage

Aflac

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation, holiday and sick time

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Confidential Search in East San Diego County seeks a Senior Estimator to run its estimating group for underground utilities and heavy civil projects. You will manage 3–5 estimators, own the numbers and bid strategies, and lead pre-bid activities.

The role focuses on producing competitive estimates for major utility owners, analyzing RFPs, and ensuring accurate cost controls with strong data from historical projects. On-site office-based position.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of progressive estimating experience in underground utility or heavy civil construction.
• Proven experience estimating large-scale utility infrastructure projects and bidding public works and utility-owner work, including prevailing wage and DIR compliance.
• 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.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Finance or Construction Management preferred, or equivalent experience.

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

Estimating leadership

Bid strategy & takeoffs

Contract cost risk management

Excel & MS Office proficiency

Team development

Written proposals

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Finance or Construction Management

Equivalent experience

Tools

B2W

Accubid

HCSS HeavyBid

Primavera P6

MS Project

MS Excel / MS Office

Sage 300 / Timberline

Sage Paperless

MS Office Suite

Job description

Confidential Search in East San Diego County seeks a Senior Estimator to run its estimating group for underground utilities and heavy civil projects. You will manage 3–5 estimators, own the numbers and bid strategies, and lead pre-bid activities.

The role focuses on producing competitive estimates for major utility owners, analyzing RFPs, and ensuring accurate cost controls with strong data from historical projects. On-site office-based position.