Demo

Senior Estimator

Gilbane Building Company
Detroit, MI Full Time
POSTED ON 3/13/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 3/12/2026

Overview

Are you looking for a highly rewarding opportunity that provides extensive career growth opportunity? Gilbane is seeking a Senior Estimator to serve as lead estimator for an entire project in coordination with the Estimating Manager. Acts as subject matter expert on large complex projects.

 

Who are we?  

As a Top-10 ENR Contractor, Gilbane is a family-owned business with 45 offices that has been shaping communities since 1870. Consistently recognized as one of the most reputable construction management firms in the country, Gilbane is committed to delivering projects safely and on-time. You will have the opportunity to build schools, labs, hospitals, corporate offices, sports arenas and more! 

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

 

Who are you? 

You are someone who acts inclusively, showing empathy and treating others with respect and dignity in order to uphold Gilbane’s core value of Caring and “People First” workplace culture. You seek to listen in order to understand and can convey information clearly. You’re a strong problem solver who can identify, prioritize, and implement alternatives for solutions, and you demonstrate adaptability by collaborating with others and supporting team members to achieve excellence. A self-starter who shows passion, commitment, and ownership all while delivering on business outcomes and driving results. You’re someone who identifies opportunities for new and improved ways of doing things that result in value-add solutions.  

Your core values match Gilbane’s: Integrity, Caring, Teamwork, Toughmindedness, Dedication to Excellence, Discipline, Loyalty, and Entrepreneurship. 

 

What’s in it for you? 

As a Senior Estimator, you will supervise a team of Estimators in an effort to price and bid multiple projects. You will work under an experienced professional that will provide you with opportunity to learn the department’s standard operating procedures and build strong relationships with the Preconstruction team. You will have a heavy hand in the coordination and supervision of other Estimators and will price/bid projects that shape your community. Additionally, Gilbane offers employees multi-dimensional training opportunities through several resources for those that are early in their career. Our award-winning Learning & Development department, Gilbane University, offers a variety of in-person and webinar-based trainings to help you excel in your career.

Responsibilities

  • Leads the estimating deliverable for an entire project coordinated with the Senior Estimating Manager, preconstruction lead, operations team, and Business Development (BD) staff (projects ranging in size and complexity as assigned by Senior Estimating Manager)
  • Coordinates the development of the Site Services general costs with the operations team, Senior Estimating Manager, and preconstruction lead to align with contract requirements and trade costs
  • Develops self by training under Senior Estimating Manager/Estimating Manager for conceptual cost estimates and budgets on limited information while providing adequate written clarifications of the costing assumptions
  • Reviews and understands all project plans, requirements, and specifications
  • Coaches and mentors a team of estimators to develop large, multi-disciplinary estimates
  • Develops and recommends appropriate contingency and allowance values with each estimating deliverable
  • Determines labor and equipment costs
  • Reviews and understands all bid documents while assessing project risks
  • Understands project logistics and project schedule for complete alignment with the estimate and estimating deliverable
  • Assists the operations team in the development of bid packages; assists in the analysis of competitive subcontract and supplier bids
  • Attends scope review meetings as required to assist the operations and purchasing teams in the preparation of bid recommendations
  • Connects with clients, ensuring customer satisfaction
  • Develops accurate cost models within Gilbane’s costing software
  • Tracks and reports on current material and labor prices, including escalation
  • Determines lead times for equipment and materials; communicates with the entire project team to capture the information within the project schedule
  • Develops meaningful Value Management contributions to reduce price and increase value
  • Collaborates with the Owner and design team to reconcile cost estimates
  • Identifies escalation factors in marketplace for specific materials and labor rates
  • Develops sound conceptual pricing assumptions with sound documentation for the basis of the estimate
  • Substantiates all aspects of final estimates
  • Engages and participates in external communication including interviews and presentation of estimating deliverables
  • Coaches and mentors less experienced team members
  • Supports a positive and inclusive work environment
  • May be required to assist with tasks typically assigned to more junior positions

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION

  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Construction Management
  • 5-10 years relevant estimating experience
  • Or equivalent combination of education and experience

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

  • Ability to lead the estimating process and deliverable for projects throughout the design phase
  • Extensive knowledge of On-Screen Take-off, Destini, and Site work software tools for take-offs
  • Ability to present estimating deliverables (internally and externally) and participates in interviews during the pursuit phase
  • Ability to conceptually estimate projects with limited information
  • Ability to estimate multiple facility types such as residential high rise, healthcare, interiors and institutional
  • Ability to estimate within multiple delivery methods
  • Ability to maintain healthy working relationships with industry partners (Owners, designers, subcontractors, etc.) for the development of estimating deliverables

 

Gilbane offers an excellent total compensation package which includes competitive health and welfare benefits and a generous profit-sharing/401k plan. We invest in our employees’ education and have built Gilbane University into a top training organization in the construction industry. Qualified applicants who are offered a position must pass a pre-employment substance abuse test.

Gilbane is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or disability status.

 

Note to Recruiters, Placement Agencies, and Similar Organizations: Gilbane does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. Please do not forward unsolicited agency resumes to our jobs alias, website, or to any Gilbane employee. Gilbane will not pay fees to any third party agency or firm and will not be responsible for any agency fees associated with unsolicited resumes. Unsolicited resumes received will be considered property of Gilbane and will be processed accordingly. 

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