Chambers Welding & Fabrication is seeking an experienced Structural Steel Estimator / Project Manager with a proven background in steel fabrication, field installation, and project estimating.
This is not an entry-level estimating position. Applicants must have prior steel estimating experience and a strong understanding of how work moves through a fabrication shop—from reviewing drawings and completing material takeoffs to fabrication, scheduling, delivery, and installation.
The ideal candidate combines technical estimating knowledge with excellent customer service, relationship-building, sales, and project-management skills. This person will be responsible for helping turn customer opportunities into accurately priced, well-organized, profitable projects.
Required Experience
Applicants must have professional experience in:
- Structural steel and miscellaneous metals estimating
- Working in or directly supporting a steel fabrication shop
- Reading structural, architectural, fabrication, and erection drawings
- Performing material and labor takeoffs
- Estimating fabrication, welding, finishing, delivery, equipment, and installation costs
- Managing multiple projects from initial inquiry through completion
- Communicating with general contractors, commercial customers, vendors, engineers, and field personnel
- Building long-term customer relationships
- Preparing professional proposals, scopes of work, and change orders
Applicants without previous steel estimating experience will not be considered.
Primary Responsibilities
- Review bid invitations, customer requests, blueprints, specifications, addenda, and project requirements.
- Determine whether projects are a good fit for the company’s capabilities, schedule, and resources.
- Complete accurate material, labor, equipment, and subcontractor takeoffs.
- Estimate structural steel, stairs, handrails, platforms, framing, supports, repairs, and miscellaneous metal projects.
- Calculate shop fabrication hours, field installation hours, welding time, material quantities, equipment needs, coatings, freight, and travel expenses.
- Identify missing information, drawing conflicts, unusual conditions, and potential project risks before submitting a proposal.
- Request clarification, submit RFIs, and document assumptions and exclusions.
- Obtain and compare material, equipment, coating, and subcontractor pricing.
- Prepare detailed, professional proposals with clearly defined scopes of work.
- Follow up on submitted estimates and maintain consistent communication with prospective customers.
- Build strong relationships with general contractors, commercial customers, vendors, engineers, and repeat clients.
- Negotiate pricing and scope while protecting company profitability.
- Attend pre-bid meetings, site visits, project meetings, and customer consultations as required.
- Create project budgets, schedules, material lists, and internal job handoff information.
- Coordinate approved projects with shop supervisors, field crews, draftsmen, vendors, customers, and company ownership.
- Track project progress, labor hours, material costs, deadlines, and changes in scope.
- Prepare change-order pricing and obtain customer approval before additional work begins.
- Communicate schedule changes, material delays, drawing issues, and project concerns promptly.
- Maintain complete and organized project records.
- Review completed projects to compare estimated costs against actual costs and improve future estimates.
- Support customer service after project completion and help develop repeat business.
Software and Technical Skills
Applicants must be comfortable using:
- Bluebeam Revu
- SolidWorks
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word and Outlook
- Digital takeoff and estimating tools
- Project-management and scheduling systems
Experience with AutoCAD, Jobber, Xero, or similar business-management software is preferred.
Knowledge Requirements
The successful candidate should understand:
- Structural steel and miscellaneous metal fabrication
- Steel erection and field installation
- Welding and fitting processes
- Shop labor and production requirements
- Material types, sizes, weights, and pricing
- Structural shapes, plate, tubing, pipe, bar, grating, and sheet metal
- Bolted and welded connections
- Shop drawings, erection drawings, and welding symbols
- Equipment, rigging, access, and installation requirements
- Coatings, galvanizing, painting, and finishing
- Freight, delivery, travel, and mobilization expenses
- Construction sequencing and project schedules
- Change orders, RFIs, submittals, and scope management
Customer Service and Relationship Expectations
This position represents Chambers Welding & Fabrication throughout the estimating and project-management process. The successful candidate must be able to:
- Communicate professionally and confidently with customers.
- Listen carefully and understand what the customer is requesting.
- Ask the right technical and budget-related questions.
- Explain pricing, scheduling, fabrication, and installation requirements clearly.
- Follow up consistently without allowing opportunities to go unanswered.
- Handle customer concerns calmly and professionally.
- Develop trust with contractors, vendors, and commercial customers.
- Maintain relationships that generate repeat work and referrals.
- Balance customer satisfaction with company policies, capabilities, and profitability.
Minimum Qualifications
- Proven structural steel or miscellaneous metals estimating experience.
- Previous experience working in or closely with a steel fabrication shop.
- Significant construction or fabrication project-management experience.
- Strong blueprint, specification, and welding-symbol reading skills.
- Experience using Bluebeam for digital takeoffs.
- Working knowledge of SolidWorks or similar drawing and modeling software.
- Strong mathematical, measurement, and cost-analysis skills.
- Ability to estimate both shop fabrication and field installation.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong customer service, sales follow-up, and relationship-building abilities.
- Ability to manage several active estimates and projects simultaneously.
- Strong organization, documentation, and time-management skills.
- Ability to work independently and make sound decisions.
- Reliable attendance and dependable follow-through.
- Valid driver’s license and ability to attend site visits and project meetings.
Preferred Qualifications
- Five or more years of steel estimating or related industry experience.
- Experience estimating structural steel, stairs, handrails, platforms, repairs, and custom fabrication.
- Experience managing commercial, industrial, bridge, or government projects.
- Knowledge of AWS D1.1 and D1.5 requirements.
- Experience with fabrication drawings and 3D models.
- Established relationships with general contractors, suppliers, and commercial customers.
- Experience reviewing job costing and estimated-versus-actual project performance.
Performance Expectations
Success in this position will be measured by:
- Accuracy and completeness of estimates
- Profitability of awarded projects
- Timeliness of proposals and customer follow-up
- Bid conversion and awarded work
- Quality of customer relationships
- Effectiveness of project planning and communication
- Control of project costs, schedules, and changes in scope
- Accuracy of project handoffs to the shop and field teams
- Ability to develop repeat customers and long-term business opportunities
This position requires someone who understands steel, understands the fabrication process, and knows how to manage customers and projects from the first conversation through final completion.
Chambers Welding & Fabrication, Corp. is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants may be required to complete a blueprint-reading, takeoff, estimating, and software-proficiency assessment.
Pay: $25.00 - $33.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- AD&D insurance
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
