Location: Knoxville, TN
Title: Senior Estimator
Schedule (FT/PT): Regular Full Time
Travel Required: Yes (0-25%)
Government Clearance: Ability to Obtain
For over 25 years, North Wind Group (North Wind) and its subsidiary companies have been influencing the future of, and aiming to be the nationwide small business leader in, the engineering, environmental, construction, IT/cyber, facility operations, and professional service industries. North Wind allows its employees to develop creative and practical solutions to complex problems, while accomplishing its mission of delivering quality results safely, on time, and on budget, for every project. Our mission is accomplished through forward-thinking, advanced technology services, and our cultivation of a diverse and inclusive workplace.
North Wind recognizes our biggest asset is our employees. Our success is a direct result of the hard work, skills, expertise, and unique perspectives and talents that each of our employees bring to North Wind. We are looking for exceptionally talented, motivated, and dynamic individuals to join the North Wind team – not only to support our mission but be an integral part of our continued success.
POSITION PURPOSE:
The Senior Environmental Estimator collaborates with Company Presidents, PMO Directors, Program Managers, and technical leads to develop accurate, competitive, and risk-informed project estimates that support business growth objectives. This role leads estimate development activities, facilitates internal pricing reviews, and ensures pricing strategies align with Environmental Business Line capabilities, market conditions, and capture objectives.
Key responsibilities include conducting Request for Proposal (RFP) reviews, defining project scope, soliciting and evaluating subcontractor and vendor quotations, performing risk and opportunity assessments, developing cost estimates, and supporting estimate closeout and lessons learned activities. The Senior Environmental Estimator serves as a critical link between operations, technical teams, and business development to ensure high-quality, compliant, and executable proposals.
This position reports directly to the Environmental Business Line Project Management Office (PMO), providing alignment with business priorities, operational cadence, resource planning, and strategic objectives. The role also maintains a matrix reporting relationship with the Director of Estimating to receive estimating process guidance, tools and systems training, and to leverage enterprise-wide best practices, lessons learned, and continuous improvement initiatives.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Perform estimates on a wide variety of environmental work ranging from characterization, building demolition, soil remediation, final status survey (FSS), backfill, restoration, and other elements of work dependent on project scope.
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Analyze project scope, technical specifications, drawings, and environmental reports to prepare accurate labor, equipment, subcontractor, and material cost estimates.
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Partner with Project Managers and PMO leadership to support project budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activities.
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Work with Capture Managers and Subject Matter Experts to develop project staffing plans and indirect estimates.
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Work with Capture Managers and Subject Matter Experts to ensure bid strategy is in accordance with company mission and capabilities.
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Work with Capture Manager and Subject Matter Experts to develop Basis of Estimates (BOE) for a wide variety of work types.
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Lead the environmental estimating team and mentor other estimators within the department.
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Develop & maintain the document control process and be responsible for cataloging all bid documents, correspondence, assumptions and quotes.
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Work with Project Teams to ensure bidding strategy is practical, and also participate in project completion debriefs to incorporate best practices into future bidding strategies.
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Work with contracts department to maintain subcontractor database.
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Work with contracts to develop subcontractor solicitation process and lead that activity throughout the bidding process.
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Develop complete and comprehensive quote comparisons.
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Solicit and catalog material and equipment pricing.
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Participate in business development & networking activities.
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Track market conditions and incorporate that knowledge into the bidding and review process.
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Manage bidding scheduled to ensure milestones and deadlines are tracked and achieved.
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Lead bid reviews with company management.
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Develop meeting agendas and lead a variety of meetings pertaining to the estimating process.
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Travel to and attend meetings and site visits throughout the North Wind operational area.
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Collaborate with schedulers and technical leads to ensure accuracy of pre-bid schedules and alignment of duration-based estimates.
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Develop risk identification matrix's to identify mitigation measures and contingency development.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Education and Experience:
- 5+ Years of Senior Estimator Experience is required.
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Experience with preparing estimates based on project scope, technical specifications, drawings, and environmental reports.
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Experience with developing comprehensive scopes of work base on concept level bidding documents.
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Experience in working with subcontractors to ensure that undefined costs are accurately captured.
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Experience with Basis of Estimate (BOE) development and Level of Effort (LOE) estimating is preferred.
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Experience with Federal Government Contracting is required.
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Experience with reviewing project documents is required.
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Experience in developing complete project estimates and project resource libraries.
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Experience with subcontract solicitations and the quote comparison process.
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Experience with leading and directing a variety of meetings, both internal & external to North Wind.
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Experience and skills with computer applications, MS Office Suit, with MS Excel Experience is required.
Skills and Abilities:
- Excellent interpersonal skills; work effectively and cooperatively with all levels of management, staff, and client.
- Strong oral and written communication skills; ability to effectively present information and respond effectively and sensitively to questions from client, managers, staff and the general public.
- High degree of sensitivity regarding confidential client and employee information.
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Ability to advocate and enforce Company policies, procedures and employee programs.
- Ability to work independently, as well as part of a team, and make decisions, exercise good judgment, work under pressure, work with minimal supervision and prioritize workload.
Special Requirements:
Ability to obtain security clearance.
Employee must be able to pass security clearance required to access government installations throughout CONUS and OCONUS.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Ability to estimate a wide variety of self performed work will be given higher consideration.
4 Year Degree in Engineering or Construction Management is preferred.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be sitting for long periods of time in an office environment. Sedentary physical workload; must be able to exert up to a negligible amount of force constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body; required to have a close visual acuity to perform activities such as viewing a computer terminal and extensive reading; specific physical requirements include, but are not limited to, sitting, walking, talking, hearing and performing repetitive motions. The employee is often required to use hands or fingers to handle or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
Candidate must be able to physically attend construction site visits which could require climbing stairs, ladders & accessing tight spaces.
Candidate must be able to travel to locations throughout North Wind's operational area to attend site visits.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
The majority of the work is conducted indoors in a standard office environment. The employee may be exposed to moving mechanical parts. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate .
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION:
North Wind offers a competitive pay and benefits package to include health, life, and disability insurance benefits, 401(k) with company match, generous paid leave and tuition reimbursement for eligible employees. As a company, we are committed to employee wellness, professional development, and work-life balance. We value safety, reliability, and commitment to our people! For more information about our benefits or hiring philosophy, visit the North Wind Career Opportunities Page.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The nature of those accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are limited in the ability or unable to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact our Helpline +1.208.528.8718 or use the Request for Reasonable Accommodation (https://northwindgrp.com/careers/request-for-reasonable-accommodation-confidential/) form to get assistance.
North Wind is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic data, religion, or other legally protected status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
Proof of citizenship will be required as a condition of employment.
Candidates may be required to obtain and hold a Secret or Higher US Government Clearance.
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants privacy rights to all California residents. The law also entitles job applicants, employees, and non-employee workers to be notified of what personal information NW collects and for what purpose. The Employee Privacy Notice can be accessed here: https://northwindgrp.com/wp-com (https://northwindgrp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/HRP-5047-California-Privacy-Policy.pdf) .
