Senior Estimator – Heavy Civil

Location: Riverside, CA (Southern California region) |
Schedule: Full-time, on-site with regional travel for pre-bid meetings and site visits |
Compensation: $150,000–$200,000+ base, depending on experience

A self-performing heavy civil construction contractor serving Southern California is seeking a Senior Estimator – Heavy Civil to lead the development of accurate, competitive estimates for complex infrastructure projects. This hands-on role is critical to the company's ability to win and successfully deliver work across underground utilities, earthwork, grading, asphalt paving, structural concrete, railroad, and public works construction, and involves close collaboration with operations and executive leadership to evaluate opportunities, shape bid strategy, and transition awarded projects into execution.

• Lead preparation of detailed estimates and competitive bids for heavy civil infrastructure projects
• Review plans, specifications, geotechnical reports, contracts, addenda, and other bid documents to determine complete project scope
• Perform and review detailed quantity takeoffs for self-performed and subcontracted scopes
• Develop accurate labor, equipment, material, subcontractor, and indirect costs
• Build detailed crew-based production estimates based on construction means and methods
• Develop and validate production rates, crew compositions, equipment requirements, and unit costs
• Lead estimating efforts for self-performed work including underground utilities, water/sewer/storm drain, earthwork and mass grading, excavation, asphalt paving, structural concrete, railroad infrastructure, and public works
• Solicit, review, level, and negotiate subcontractor and supplier proposals
• Identify scope gaps and ensure complete bid coverage
• Develop bid strategies with operations and executive leadership
• Analyze project risks, opportunities, site constraints, logistics, and constructability
• Evaluate alternative construction methods and value engineering opportunities to improve bid competitiveness
• Attend pre-bid meetings and conduct project site visits
• Coordinate with Project Managers and Superintendents to validate construction approach, production assumptions, equipment needs, and schedules
• Develop preliminary construction schedules and sequencing to support estimates
• Participate in estimate reviews and final bid-day pricing decisions
• Prepare bid proposals, qualifications, clarifications, and supporting documentation
• Support owner negotiations and post-bid interviews when required
• Lead project handoff meetings following successful awards to ensure estimating assumptions are effectively communicated to operations
• Maintain and analyze historical cost and production data to continuously improve estimating accuracy
• Monitor labor, equipment, fuel, concrete, asphalt, aggregate, pipe, and other material pricing
• Mentor and develop junior estimators and estimating staff
• Build and maintain relationships with subcontractors, suppliers, owners, engineers, and industry partners

• 10+ years of heavy civil construction estimating experience
• Strong background estimating for a self-performing heavy civil contractor
• Demonstrated estimating experience across multiple scopes including utilities, earthwork, grading, asphalt, and concrete
• Strong knowledge of the Southern California heavy civil construction market
• Experience bidding public works, municipal, transportation, railroad, or utility-owner projects
• Advanced understanding of heavy civil construction means and methods
• Strong knowledge of labor and equipment production rates
• Ability to read and interpret complex civil plans, specifications, geotechnical reports, and contract documents
• Experience developing complete estimates from initial quantity…