Construction Estimator

About our clientOur client is a privately held North American manufacturer of structural steel warehouse storage systems, with more than 70 years in business and 10 plants across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. They don't just sell rack components. They design complete storage solutions that help customers use their warehouse space better and spend their budgets wisely.Their core markets are food, grocery, frozen food and beverage distribution, which stay strong even in economic downturns. They also design and build automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS), one of the fastest-growing areas in warehousing.The opportunityYou'll join the company's central estimating team, which prices its largest projects. These are typically valued at $1 million or more and are reviewed directly by senior leadership.This isn't a data-entry estimating job. When a customer sends over a parts list, your job is to figure out what they actually need. You might spot a problem in their layout, suggest a smaller footprint, or show how a different system design frees up floor space. You'll turn a busy stream of requests from the sales team into clear, complete proposals that win business.What you'll doBuild cost estimates and written proposals for warehouse storage systems, working from customer drawings, specifications and requests for quote.Review each request with a critical eye, flag issues, and offer alternative designs or options that save the customer money or space.Pull together the full cost of a project: manufactured steel, purchased components, installation labor and freight. Get quotes from outside vendors where needed.Coordinate delivery timing with the production schedule across the company's plant network.Serve as the main estimating contact for the sales team. Keep several active bids moving at once and adjust quickly as scope changes.Work closely with engineering, project management, scheduling, production and accounting, both before and after a sale.Talk with customers when needed to clarify scope or answer questions about a bid.Follow up on open proposals, track wins and losses, and report results to management.Keep proposal and project records organized and current.What you bringEducation and experienceA bachelor's degree in mechanical, civil or industrial engineering, with 0–5 years of experience. Recent graduates with the right drive and personality are welcome to apply.Or: a two-year engineering or engineering technology degree plus 5–10 years of relevant work experience.Experience in any part of the material handling world is a plus. That includes racking, forklifts, conveyors, HVAC, fire sprinklers and suppression, or industrial lighting.Comfort with Microsoft Excel, including building basic formulas. No specialized estimating software is required; you'll be trained on the company's own tools.Personal strengthsYou explain technical ideas clearly to people who aren't engineers.You're outgoing and easy to work with, and you build good relationships with a fast-moving sales team.You stay calm and thick-skinned under pressure, and you don't take tough feedback personally.You stay organized when priorities shift, and you can juggle several projects at once without losing track.You think fast, learn quickly and like a challenge. Many people who thrive here have a competitive, team-oriented background, such as athletics.Why you'll want to joinReal career paths. Estimating gives you exposure to every part of the business. Past estimators have moved into the ASRS automation group, sales, engineering, project management and even software development. Others have stayed in estimating and taken on their own regional territory.Profit sharing. This role is eligible for discretionary profit sharing, which is uncommon today.A big company that feels small. The company is growing but still runs like a family business. Leadership is visible and approachable, and good ideas get heard.Travel when you want it. If you'd like to visit warehouses and job sites, you can. If you'd rather stay in the office, that's fine too.