SENIOR ESTIMATOR, Material Handler General Contractor —

Public Works, Commercial & Residential Construction Company:

Gemstone Construction Position:

Senior Estimator Employment Type:

Full-Time Reports To:

CEO /

Executive Management Supervises:

Project Engineers / Estimating Team

POSITION OVERVIEW

Gemstone Construction is seeking an experienced Senior Estimator to lead our estimating department and oversee the estimating process from the initial project opportunity through contract award and turnover to the Project Management team. This is a senior-level position for an experienced construction professional who understands how to estimate and bid public works, commercial, and residential construction projects . The Senior Estimator will be responsible for identifying qualified projects, reviewing plans and specifications, attending project site walks, understanding the full scope of work, coordinating subcontractor and supplier pricing, completing accurate estimates, meeting bid deadlines, and ensuring every awarded project is properly handed off to the Project Manager. The Senior Estimator will also lead and manage the Project Engineer estimating team , ensuring project engineers are obtaining subcontractor and supplier pricing, completing their assigned scopes, maintaining accurate information, and meeting internal deadlines. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, technologically capable, and comfortable taking ownership of the entire estimating process. This person must be able to work independently while also managing and holding an estimating team accountable.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES1. PROJECT IDENTIFICATION & OPPORTUNITY MANAGEMENT

Monitor and identify new construction opportunities through: North Coast Builders Exchange Public works bid platforms Commercial bidding platforms Plan rooms Builder networks Other estimating and construction software systems Review potential projects and determine whether they are appropriate for Gemstone Construction. Evaluate project size, location, schedule, scope, client requirements, bonding requirements, insurance requirements, prevailing wage requirements, and overall profitability potential. Maintain an organized pipeline of potential projects. Prioritize projects based on company capacity, profitability, strategic value, and probability of winning. Communicate recommended projects to executive management for approval before significant estimating resources are committed. 2.

INITIAL CLIENT & PROJECT SITE MEETINGS

The Senior Estimator will be responsible for understanding the project before Gemstone commits to pricing it .

Responsibilities include:

Attend initial site walks and pre-bid meetings. Meet directly with clients, owners, architects, general contractors, public agencies, and other project representatives as required. Inspect existing conditions. Take detailed measurements, photographs, and videos. Identify existing conditions that could affect pricing, schedule, logistics, or constructability. Identify potential risks, exclusions, conflicts, and unknown conditions. Ask the questions necessary to fully understand the client's expectations. Review site access, staging, material storage, working hours, occupied areas, safety requirements, and logistical challenges. Clearly communicate site conditions and project requirements to the estimating and project engineering team. The Senior Estimator is expected to know what Gemstone is bidding before the estimate is built. 3.

PUBLIC WORKS & COMMERCIAL ESTIMATING

The Senior Estimator must have substantial experience with public works and commercial construction .

Responsibilities include:

Read and interpret plans, specifications, drawings, addenda, bid documents, and contract documents. Understand public works bidding procedures and requirements. Identify required bid forms and documentation. Understand prevailing wage requirements. Understand bonds, insurance requirements, certified payroll requirements, subcontractor requirements, and other public works compliance obligations. Identify mandatory pre-bid meetings and site walks. Track bid deadlines and submission requirements. Review project specifications for unusual requirements or potential cost exposures. Identify scope gaps and conflicts between plans and specifications. Prepare RFIs and clarification questions when necessary. Review addenda and incorporate changes into the estimate. Understand subcontractor and supplier requirements for public projects. Ensure all required documentation is submitted correctly and on time. Missing a bid deadline or failing to submit a required document is unacceptable. 4.

ESTIMATING

The Senior Estimator will have ultimate responsibility for producing accurate, complete, and competitive estimates.

Responsibilities include:

Develop detailed estimates from plans, specifications, drawings, site conditions, and client requirements. Perform quantity takeoffs. Review labor, material, equipment, subcontractor, and supplier costs. Obtain competitive subcontractor and supplier proposals. Compare multiple subcontractor proposals when appropriate. Identify exclusions, assumptions, allowances, and clarifications. Verify that all project scopes are covered. Identify potential change-order opportunities and project risks before bidding. Review estimates for accuracy and completeness. Maintain appropriate project margins and profitability. Ensure estimates reflect actual project conditions and realistic construction costs. Prepare final bid proposals for management review and submission. 5.

LEADERSHIP OF PROJECT ENGINEERS

The Senior Estimator will serve as the leader of the Project Engineer / Estimating Team .

The Senior Estimator will:

Assign estimating tasks and scopes to Project Engineers. Establish internal deadlines before the actual bid deadline. Ensure Project Engineers are obtaining subcontractor and supplier proposals. Review subcontractor coverage and identify missing scopes. Monitor the progress of each project being estimated. Hold Project Engineers accountable for their assigned responsibilities. Review pricing received from subcontractors and suppliers. Help Project Engineers resolve scope questions. Verify that quotes are comparable and include the required scope. Ensure all quotes are properly documented and entered into the estimating system. Train and mentor Project Engineers. Establish consistent estimating procedures throughout the department. Review the work of Project Engineers before the final estimate is submitted. The Senior Estimator is not simply another member of the estimating team. They are responsible for making sure the team performs. 6.

SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY

The Senior Estimator must be comfortable working with construction technology and willing to learn and utilize Gemstone's systems.

Primary systems may include:

JobTread North Coast Builders Exchange Estimating and plan-room software Construction management software Microsoft Excel Microsoft Word Microsoft Outlook PDF and document management systems Digital takeoff and estimating tools Other project management and estimating platforms The candidate must be highly proficient with Microsoft Excel and Word and comfortable learning new software systems. Strong computer skills are required. The Senior Estimator will be expected to maintain organized digital project files, estimates, proposals, subcontractor quotes, bid documents, and project correspondence. 7.

BID DEADLINES & ACCOUNTABILITY

The Senior Estimator owns the estimating schedule.

Responsibilities include:

Establish internal deadlines for each project. Track all bid deadlines. Ensure subcontractor and supplier pricing is received on time. Follow up aggressively on outstanding quotes. Ensure Project Engineers complete their assigned scopes. Complete estimates with sufficient time for management review. Submit bids before the required deadline. Maintain an accurate bid calendar. Communicate any potential problems or missed deadlines to executive management immediately. The Senior Estimator is accountable for ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. 8.

FINAL ESTIMATE REVIEW

Before a project is submitted, the Senior Estimator will conduct a final review to verify: Plans have been reviewed. Specifications have been reviewed. Addenda have been incorporated. All major scopes are covered. Subcontractor pricing is current. Material pricing is current. Labor requirements are accounted for. Equipment costs are accounted for. General conditions are included. Project-specific requirements are included. Insurance and bonding requirements are accounted for. Public works requirements are understood. Exclusions and assumptions are clearly identified. Appropriate overhead and profit are included. The project meets Gemstone's financial requirements. 9.

PROJECT AWARD & TURNOVER

Once a project is awarded, the Senior Estimator is responsible for a complete and organized handoff to the Project Manager .

The turnover should include:

Final estimate Approved proposal Plans and specifications Addenda Scope of work Subcontractor proposals Supplier quotes Takeoffs Estimate notes Assumptions and exclusions Client requirements Site photographs and videos Site conditions Schedule requirements Project-specific risks Outstanding questions Known change-order concerns Permit or agency requirements Bond and insurance requirements Any other information necessary for the Project Manager to successfully execute the project The Senior Estimator will participate in the turnover meeting with the Project Manager and answer questions regarding the estimate, scope, pricing, and assumptions. The project should not be handed to the Project Manager with unanswered questions or missing information whenever those items could have been identified during estimating. 10.

PROFITABILITY & RISK MANAGEMENT

The Senior Estimator is responsible for helping Gemstone bid work that is both competitive and profitable .

Responsibilities include:

Identify potential project risks before bidding. Identify incomplete plans and unclear scopes. Identify potential cost exposures. Avoid underestimating difficult or unusual conditions. Verify that all required scopes are included. Review subcontractor pricing for accuracy. Identify opportunities to improve project profitability. Understand the difference between being competitive and simply being the lowest bidder. Communicate significant financial risks to executive management before submitting a bid. The goal is not simply to win work. The goal is to win the right work at the right price.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

Minimum 5+ years of construction estimating experience , preferably with a General Contractor. Strong experience with public works construction . Experience with commercial construction. Residential construction experience is strongly preferred. Proven ability to read construction plans and specifications. Strong understanding of subcontractor and supplier bidding. Experience with public works bid requirements and documentation. Understanding of prevailing wage projects. Understanding of bonds, insurance, and public works requirements. Strong Microsoft Excel skills. Strong Microsoft Word skills. Strong organizational and communication skills. Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously. Ability to lead and hold a team accountable. Valid driver's license and ability to travel to project sites.

Preferred:

Experience with JobTread or similar construction management software. Experience with North Coast Builders Exchange or similar plan rooms. Experience estimating projects from conceptual through final bid. Experience with negotiated, hard-bid, design-bid-build, and public works projects. Experience managing Project Engineers or Junior Estimators. Construction management, engineering, or related education.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

The successful candidate will be: Accountable Organized Detail-oriented Proactive Deadline-driven Analytical A strong communicator Comfortable leading a team Comfortable working independently Technologically capable Financially minded A problem solver Willing to ask questions Not afraid to challenge incomplete or inaccurate information This position requires someone who takes ownership. We are looking for an estimator who will not simply say, "I didn't receive the quote," or "I thought someone else was handling it." We need someone who will find the answer, follow up, identify the problem, and make sure the job gets done.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

The Senior Estimator will be measured on: Accuracy of estimates Profitability of awarded projects Number and quality of qualified opportunities identified Meeting bid deadlines Completeness of bid submissions Subcontractor and supplier coverage Performance and accountability of the Project Engineer team Quality of project turnover Identification and management of estimating risks Organization and accuracy of estimating documentation Effective use of company software and technology Communication with executive management and Project Management

WHY THIS POSITION MATTERS

The Senior Estimator is one of the most important positions within the company. The Project Manager can only be as successful as the information they receive when a project is awarded. A good estimate creates a strong foundation for the entire project. A poor estimate can create problems that affect the company for months or years. The Senior Estimator is therefore responsible for making sure Gemstone understands what we are building, what it should cost, what the risks are, what we are committing to, and how the project needs to be executed before we ever sign the contract. This position is an opportunity for an experienced construction estimator to take ownership of an estimating department, lead a team, and play a major role in the growth and profitability of Gemstone Construction.

Pay:

From $35.00 per hour

Benefits:

401(k) matching Paid time off

Work Location:

Hybrid remote in Acampo, CA 95220