Construction Estimator /Preconstruction Engineer

Construction Estimator /Preconstruction Engineer Commercial & Industrial Metal Products | Overseas / Remote About Us We are a growing U.S.-based manufacturer of commercial outdoor solutions with extensive in-house manufacturing capabilities, proudly designing, manufacturing, and installing custom products throughout the United States. Our operations include aluminum extrusion processing, laser cutting, Trumpf laser technology, Waterjet cutting, CNC routing, welding and fixture fabrication, powder coating, and other advanced metal fabrication processes. As part of our continued expansion, we are establishing a new Commercial & Industrial Metal Products Division focused on manufacturing products such as architectural awnings, canopies, railings, metal structures, and other custom-fabricated metal products for commercial and industrial construction projects. We are seeking an experienced, highly analytical Preconstruction & Estimating Engineer who can help us evaluate, estimate, bid, and develop commercial and industrial projects from construction plans through manufacturing. This is a key position in the development of our new division and offers an exceptional opportunity for an experienced professional to help establish estimating, engineering, and project-evaluation processes within a growing U.S. manufacturing company. Position Summary The Preconstruction & Estimating Engineer will be responsible for reviewing commercial and industrial construction documents, understanding project scope, performing detailed material and quantity takeoffs, developing accurate project estimates, evaluating manufacturing feasibility, and preparing competitive and profitable bids. The successful candidate will be able to look at a set of architectural, structural, and engineering drawings and determine: • What products and components need to be manufactured. • What materials and quantities are required. • How the products should be fabricated. • What labor, equipment, tooling, and processes will be required. • Whether the project can be manufactured using our existing capabilities. • Whether additional machinery, tooling, subcontractors, or production capacity will be required. • The project’s estimated total cost • What price and margin should be targeted when submitting a bid. This individual will serve as a critical link between construction plans, engineering, estimating, manufacturing, and project execution. Key Responsibilities Construction Plan & Specification Review • Review and interpret architectural, structural, engineering, and construction drawings. • Analyze project specifications, schedules, elevations, sections, details, and scope-of-work documents. • Identify all products, components, materials, finishes, hardware, and installation requirements applicable to our scope. • Identify project requirements, exclusions, assumptions, and potential risks. • Determine whether clarification or additional information is required before bidding. Quantity Takeoffs & Material Estimating • Perform detailed quantity takeoffs from construction documents. • Calculate linear footage, square footage, quantities, weights, and material requirements. • Determine aluminum, steel, sheet metal, extrusion, plate, tubing, hardware, fastener, and other material requirements. • Develop Bills of Materials (BOMs) and detailed material lists. • Account for waste, cutting allowances, fabrication requirements, finishing, packaging, transportation, and installation. Project Cost Estimating • Prepare detailed estimates for commercial and industrial metal fabrication projects. • Estimate material, labor, fabrication, welding, machining, finishing, equipment, transportation, installation, subcontracting, and other project costs. • Establish labor-hour requirements for fabrication and installation. • Develop project cost models and pricing recommendations. • Evaluate expected gross margins and overall project profitability. • Prepare professional bid proposals based on project scope and company requirements. • Maintain and improve estimating databases, cost histories, labor standards, and pricing information. Manufacturing Feasibility & Engineering Evaluation • Determine whether proposed products can be manufactured using the company's existing equipment, processes, personnel, and production capacity. • Evaluate manufacturing requirements for: o Aluminum extrusion o Laser cutting o Trumpf laser operations o Waterjet cutting o CNC routing o Welding o Fixture and tooling fabrication o Machining o Powder coating o Assembly • Identify manufacturing limitations, capacity constraints, or technical challenges before a project is accepted. • Determine whether new machinery, tooling, fixtures, technology, or outside services will be required. • Research and recommend additional equipment when necessary. • Evaluate the economic justification and potential return on investment of new manufacturing equipment. • Recommend alternative manufacturing methods when they can improve cost, quality, capacity, or production efficiency. Engineering & Product Development Support • Evaluate designs for manufacturability, structural requirements, cost, and production efficiency. • Review connection details, materials, dimensions, tolerances, fastening methods, and fabrication requirements. • Work with engineering and production personnel to develop practical manufacturing solutions. • Assist with developing shop drawings, fabrication drawings, BOMs, and production documentation. • Identify opportunities to simplify designs, reduce material usage, minimize labor, and improve production efficiency. • Support the development of new commercial and industrial product lines. Bid & Preconstruction Management • Analyze bid invitations and determine whether projects are appropriate for the company to pursue. • Participate in bid/no-bid evaluations. • Develop project scope summaries and detailed estimating worksheets. • Identify project risks, unusual requirements, long-lead materials, and potential cost exposures. • Prepare questions and requests for clarification when construction documents are incomplete or unclear. • Review subcontractor and supplier quotations. • Compare vendor pricing and identify the most cost-effective solutions. • Assist management in determining final bid pricing and profit margins. • Maintain organized records of estimates, bids, revisions, and historical project costs. Manufacturing & Production Coordination • Collaborate with manufacturing, welding, CNC, fabrication, purchasing, quality, and operations teams. • Translate construction requirements into practical manufacturing requirements. • Assist production personnel in understanding project-specific requirements. • Participate in prototype, first-article, and pre-production evaluations. • Identify production problems and recommend engineering or manufacturing solutions. • Support the transition of awarded projects from estimating into production. Continuous Improvement • Establish and improve estimating and preconstruction procedures for the new division. • Develop standardized estimating templates, cost databases, labor standards, and estimating methodologies. • Analyze completed projects against original estimates to identify variances. • Improve estimating accuracy based on historical production data. • Identify opportunities to improve manufacturing efficiency and profitability. • Help establish best practices for commercial and industrial project estimating and execution. Required Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related field preferred. • Significant professional experience in commercial construction estimating, architectural metals, structural metals, metal fabrication, manufacturing, or a closely related industry. • Strong ability to read and interpret architectural, structural, engineering, and construction drawings. • Demonstrated experience performing construction quantity takeoffs and project cost estimates. • Strong understanding of metal fabrication and manufacturing processes. • Experience estimating labor, materials, equipment, subcontractors, transportation, and installation. • Strong mathematical, analytical, and problem-solving skills. • Ability to evaluate manufacturing feasibility and production requirements. • Excellent attention to detail and accuracy. • Ability to work independently and make sound business and technical judgments. • Strong written and verbal communication skills in English. • Ability to communicate effectively with U.S.-based management and manufacturing teams. • Excellent verbal and written English communication skills are required Highly Preferred Experience The ideal candidate will have experience with one or more of the following: • Architectural metal fabrication • Commercial or industrial construction • Awnings and canopies • Railings and guardrails • Aluminum structures • Structural steel • Miscellaneous metals • Ornamental metals • Exterior architectural products • Aluminum extrusion • Welding and fabrication • CNC manufacturing • Laser cutting • Waterjet cutting • Powder coating • Manufacturing engineering • Design for Manufacturing (DFM) • Production planning • Equipment and capacity analysis Experience working directly with U.S. commercial construction projects and construction documentation is highly desirable. Technical Skills Strong proficiency with: • Microsoft Excel • AutoCAD and/or similar CAD software • Construction plan-reading and takeoff software • Estimating software Experience with the following is highly desirable: • SolidWorks • Bluebeam Revu • PlanSwift • On-Screen Takeoff • Revit • ERP/MRP or manufacturing management systems • CAD-based quantity takeoff • Cost estimating databases What We Are Looking For We want an experienced professional who can understand the entire project from the construction documents through manufacturing and ultimately determine whether the project makes technical and financial sense for the company. The ideal candidate is: • Analytical and highly detail oriented. • Comfortable working with complex construction drawings. • Experienced in commercial/industrial project estimating. • Knowledgeable about metal fabrication and manufacturing. • Able to understand both engineering requirements and manufacturing realities. • Comfortable communicating with engineers, architects, contractors, suppliers, and manufacturing personnel. • Capable of identifying problems before they become expensive production problems. • Commercially minded and able to understand project profitability. • Proactive, independent, and capable of building processes from the ground up. Position Type Full-Time | Overseas / Remote The successful candidate must be able to work effectively with a U.S.-based management and manufacturing team and maintain working hours that provide substantial overlap with U.S. Eastern Time. Application Requirements Qualified candidates should submit: • Resume/CV • Summary of relevant commercial or industrial estimating experience • Description of experience reading architectural/structural construction plans • Description of experience with metal fabrication and manufacturing • List of estimating, CAD, takeoff, and engineering software used • Examples of the types of projects previously estimated, where disclosure is permitted Please highlight projects involving architectural metals, awnings, canopies, railings, aluminum structures, structural steel, or other fabricated metal products. Important Candidates should demonstrate experience with commercial/industrial construction estimating and metal fabrication/manufacturing. Candidates whose experience is limited primarily to general civil engineering, residential construction, or architectural design without significant estimating and manufacturing experience may not be suitable for this position.