Civil Lead Estimator - Industrial

Position Overview

The Industrial Lead Civil estimator will be responsible for taking client requested scopes and incorporating solutions from the engineering, procurement, and construction groups to produce an estimate. As a Lead Estimator, you will be responsible for reviewing, analyzing and interpreting contract documents (specifications, drawings, and reference information) to develop detailed, comprehensive cost estimates for various projects throughout Kiewit's industrial market.  

Kiewit Industrial projects have a variety of execution strategies and Engineering partners.  Most projects have engineering done by partners upstream of estimating, but occasionally engineering is completed within this group.  Design Engineering background is needed for these types of estimates, but each candidate for this position does not need a design engineering background.

District Overview

Kiewit Engineering Group, Inc is a full-service consulting and engineering firm serving the infrastructure and engineering markets. Our combined staff of more than 2,000 engineers and design professionals have expertise that spans all major engineering disciplines to serve transportation, power, water/wastewater, mining, building, and oil, gas & chemical markets. Backed by 130 years of construction experience, our construction-driven engineering focuses on constructability and safety in the earliest phases of projects to ensure on-time and on-budget project delivery.

Our rapidly growing Industrial and Water Engineering Group, which includes mechanical, process, electrical, controls, structural, architectural, geotechnical, and civil disciplines, is a multi-faceted and leading-edge division of Kiewit with best-in-class technical expertise focused on EPC and design-build delivery of industrial projects in markets such as Data Centers, Food & Beverage, Consumer Products, Heavy Manufacturing, Industrial Buildings, Industrial Water and Utilities.

Location

This position is based in our Lenexa, KS office.  There is flexibility for remote employees with the appropriate background. 

Responsibilities

•    Review client RFPs, specifications, drawings, contracts, and reference materials to ensure estimates comply with all technical and contractual requirements.\

•    Oversee and utilize Civil3D or similar design tools to generate surface models, evaluate site layouts, and extract quantities for estimating purposes.
•    Conduct and train others on detailed quantity takeoffs for earthwork, site surfacing, underground piping, drainage, foundations, and structural components.
•    Develop and assemble subcontractor and material bid packages in coordination with procurement; answer bidder questions and support bid evaluations.
•    Identify, document, and communicate estimating risks, assumptions, clarifications, and qualifications to ensure transparency and alignment with company standards.
•    Coordinate closely with civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and construction teams to ensure that all project elements are incorporated into design assumptions and estimates.
•    Compare self perform estimates against subcontractor proposals or secondary team estimates and reconcile differences for accuracy.
•    Support proposal development by preparing civil- and structural-specific estimating content for moderate to large EPC pursuits.
•    Utilize estimating software, CAD tools, and engineering design platforms to develop accurate quantities, pricing, and cost modeling.
•    Maintain close collaboration with construction partners to incorporate field conditions, constructability considerations, and installation methods into pricing and assumptions.
•    Prepare schedules, staffing assessments, and budget inputs for engineering and estimating deliverables to support project planning and execution.
•    Participate in estimate review meetings with estimating leadership and executive management to present, justify, and refine the civil and structural estimate.
•    Maintain strong documentation practices ensuring all estimate bases, calculations, and assumptions are well organized and aligned with organizational quality standards.
•    Attend technical meetings to coordinate design and estimating issues and support multidisciplinary engineering teams in resolving conflicts or gaps.
•    Support permitting, third party coordination, and design compliance requirements as they relate to estimating and project development strategies.
•    Lead or support onboarding, mentoring, and development of entry level estimators and junior technical staff on estimating best practices.

For Estimate lead design efforts:

•    Review, interpret, apply engineering techniques, calculations, and design standards to develop accurate civil and structural estimates for power generation, carbon capture and EPC projects.
•    Analyze and develop site designs, including grading, earthwork, hydrology/hydraulics, roadway layout, and overall site development, to establish quantity takeoffs and cost inputs.
•    Prepare preliminary design concepts and engineering alternatives to support estimating efforts, constructability reviews, and project feasibility evaluations.

Qualifications

•    Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a closely related field required. 
•    Minimum of 4 years of experience in construction estimating and at least 3 years of civil/structural engineering design experience in relevant industries (power, infrastructure, industrial, EPC, etc.). 
•    Strong proficiency with spreadsheets, databases, and estimating/scheduling software used for civil and structural cost development. 
•    Proven ability to multitask and manage competing deadlines while maintaining accuracy and meeting project expectations. 
•    Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts to diverse stakeholders. 
•    Strong team orientation, collaboration, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively across engineering, construction, procurement, and proposal teams. 
•    Demonstrated ability to serve as a point of contact for both internal and external clients, providing technical clarity and support during estimating and development phases. 
•    High degree of self motivation, initiative, and problem solving capability in fast paced, deadline driven environments. 
•    Ability to support proposal teams by preparing civil-specific estimating content and working positively to achieve shared project goals. #LI-KS23