Senior Estimator

• BSc QS, Civil Engineering (or equivalent )
• Full - Time
• Cape Town , RSA

Sevra Engineering & Project Management Consultants LLC (Sevra) is a specialist marine engineering consultancy with head offices in the United Arab Emirates and a branch office in Cape Town, South Africa. Established in 2025, Sevra was founded with the objective of building a technically rigorous, commercially astute consultancy focused exclusively on marine and coastal infrastructure. The company combines deep regional experience with efficient, high – qua lity delivery models to provide practical engineering solutions for complex maritime projects.

Sevra delivers services across the full project lifecycle, from early-stage master planning and feasibility through to detailed design and construction supervision. The firm’s core technical capabilities include coastal numerical modelling, coastal enginee ring, marine structural engineering, marine geotechnics, dredging and reclamation design, and construction – phase engineering support. Sevra’s work spans ports and terminals, waterfront developments, marinas, breakwaters, shoreline protection schemes, and specialist marine infrastructure.

Sevra operates with a lean front office in the UAE and a closely integrated technical back office Town , allowing senior staff to remain hands‑on while delivering cost‑effective outcomes for clients.

Engineers joining Sevra have the opportunity to work directly with experienced leadership, take ownership of technically challenging projects, and contribute meaningfully to the growth and direction of a specialist consultancy.

The Senior Estimator will play a key role in supporting marine works contractors in the preparation of design & build bids from Sevra’s Cape Town office. The role carries full responsibility for the development of robust, accurate, and commercially sound cost estimates for marine and coastal infrastructure projects, including dredging, reclamation, quay walls, breakwaters, and associated marine works.

The position requires a highly experienced estimator capable of working closely with planners and engineers to translate construction strategies into quantified scopes, production rates, resource requirements, and cost models. The Senior Estimator will take ownership of all cost‑related aspects of bids, ensuring that estimates are aligned with proposed methodologies, realistic in execution and competitive in the market.

This role is central to Sevra’s contractor support offering and requires strong commercial judgement, a deep understanding of marine construction, and the ability to challenge assumptions to de‑risk bids and optimise project outcomes.

• Take full responsibility for the preparation, accuracy, and completeness of cost estimates for marine works tenders.
• Develop detailed cost breakdown structures aligned with construction methodologies and project scope.
• Ensure all quantities, rates, and assumptions are clearly defined, traceable, and auditable.
• Maintain consistency between estimate, programme, and methodology.

Quantification & Scope Definition

• Measure and quantify works including dredging volumes, reclamation, rock works, concrete, piling, and marine structures.
• Interpret drawings, specifications, and technical data to develop accurate quantity take‑offs (with the support of digital terrain models prepared by support staff) and to identify onerous clauses, non‑standard requirements, or scope items that carry pricing risks.
• Identify scope gaps, ambiguities, and risks within tender documentation.
• Identify scope interfaces with other contractors, utilities or marine traffic that carry cost or programme risks, and ensure these are priced or qualified appropriately.
• Define allowances, exclusions, and assumptions in a structured and defensible manner.

Rate Build – Up & Cost Modelling

• Develop first‑principles rate build‑ups based on labour, plant, materials, and production outputs.
• Define production rates in collaboration with planners, operators and engineers.
• Price marine plant utilisation (e.g. dredgers, barges, cranes, piling equipment) including mobilisation, standby, and…