Were hiring an Estimator with level flexibility-Junior Estimator 0-3 years Estimator 3-8 years or Senior Estimator 9 years-depending on experience and capability. In this role youll prepare accurate competitive cost estimates and support proposal development for construction projects within the oil and gas industry. The work is fast-paced deadline-driven and requires professionalism discretion with confidential information and strong cross-functional collaboration.
What Youll Do
All Levels:
• Follow standardized estimating procedures, methods, and processes. • Review proposal documents, scope of work, drawings, specs, contracts to develop complete bid strategies and estimates. • Perform quantity takeoffs and build pricing to produce complete estimates. • Coordinate pricing inputs with subcontractors, vendors, and suppliers to ensure bids are complete and on time. • Track and respond to clientsubcontractor changes throughout the proposal window. • Develop technical proposal inputs, execution plans, schedules, inclusions, exclusions aligned to bid documents. • Partner with internal and external stakeholders to meetexceed client quality, safety, schedule, and specification requirements. • Identify key bid risks and communicate order-of-magnitude impacts. • Review final estimate packages with leadership prior to submission for accuracy and completeness. • Support handoff from estimate to project budgets and execution teams. • Leverage historical project data, costs, productivity, subcontractor pricing to improve accuracy. • Contribute ideas to improve estimating, scheduling, and budgeting processes.
Leveling Role Scaling
Junior Estimator 0-3 years
Scope: Learns systems and standards, produces takeoffs and estimate components with guidance. Impact: Completes takeoffs and estimate details under supervision, documents assumptions clearly. Supports subcontractorvendor solicitation and bid tabulation. Builds proposal sections as assigned and helps with schedule inputs. Participates in estimate reviews and incorporates feedback.
Estimator 3-8 years
Scope: Owns estimates or major bid sections, drives coordination and accuracy across inputs. Impact: Leads full estimates for small-to-medium complexity projects or major scopes on larger bids. Proactively manages bidder lists, clarifications, addenda, and version control. Develops and defends assumptions, inclusions, exclusions, and unit rates. Identifies and quantifies risks, proposes mitigations, and alternates. Helps improve templates, workflows, and historical cost models.
Senior Estimator 9 years
Scope: Leads pursuit strategy, mentors others, accountable for estimate quality and competitiveness. Impact: Leads large complex pursuits, end-to-end strategy, pricing approach, risk posture review cadence. Guides estimating standards, benchmarking, and governance for bid quality. Coachesmentors junior and mid-level estimators, sets expectations, and reviews practices. Partners with leadership on pursuit prioritization, go/no-go inputs, and commercial positioning. Drives continuous improvement across estimating tools, data, and processes.
Required Qualifications
All Levels:
• Strong organizational skills and high attention to detail. • Ability to recognize discrepancies. • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with deadlines. • High integrity and discretion with sensitive, confidential information. • Strong written and verbal communication skills, effective cross-functional collaboration. • Ability to work independently and as part of a team. • Ability to break down construction operations into logical activity sequences. • Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, etc.
Education Preferred
4-year degree in Engineering or Construction Management or equivalent combination of technical training and relevant experience.
Additional Preferred Qualifications
• Stronger Fit for Mid-Senior: Proficiency with scheduling tools, Primavera P6 preferred. • Experience with electronic bid software, B2W desired. • Experience estimating projects in the 5MM range, level-dependent.
Work Environment & Physical Requirements
Office-based work in a moderate-noise environment, hybrid option available with supervisor discretion. Primarily sedentary, routine computerphone use, occasional movement for filing, copying, occasional light lifting.
Companywide Expectations
• Commitment to safety, goal zero incidents, and regulatory compliance. • Ethical conduct and accountability, drug- and alcohol-free workplace. • Actively engaged, continuous learning mindset, willingness to mentorcoach others as level-appropriate. • Can-do" attitude and commitment to delivering on individual and departmental goals.
Benefits and Compensation
This role will be based out of either our Duluth, MN or Yorkville, IL office. The pay ranges are provided below for each level, depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
• Junior Estimator: $62,000 - $92,500 • Estimator: $97,000 - $146,000 • Senior Estimator: $140,100 - $210,200
This position is eligible for annual bonus and profit sharing based on company performance, in addition to other benefits that support the total well-being of you and your family. Comprehensive Insurance coverage, Medical, Dental, Vision, and more. Wellness Program, 401K with employer match, Discounted company stock, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Profit Sharing. Generous paid time off, Hybrid work environment, Growth opportunities through company-sponsored leadership development courses and training.
This position is not eligible for sponsorship. All offers of employment are expressly contingent upon the satisfactory completion in accordance with Company policy of a pre-employment drug screening and background check.
AI Use Disclosure Portions of this job posting may have been created or refined using AI-based tools. All content has been reviewed by the author for accuracy and intent.
United Piping Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of religion, disability, protected veteran status, age, sex, race, color, national origin, or any other characteristic protected by law. United Piping Inc. complies with federal and state disability laws and will make reasonable accommodations for applicants and qualified employees with disabilities. If you wish to request reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact Human Resources at 218-727-7676 or by email at