Substation Estimator

Matrix Service - Somerset, NJ

- Mid Level

Somerset, NJ

Warehousing and Storage

About the position

The Electrical Substation Estimator is responsible for leading the development of cost estimates for complete bid-build electrical projects which includes Contractor of Choice (COC) utility, EPC and other heavy industry customers and presenting them for review and approval. This will require a thorough knowledge of the project work being performed including multiple union trades (primarily electrical), the ability to do quantity take-offs from the available documents and industry knowledge and provide guidance to enter those into a standardized estimating database. The estimate will need to be organized to meet the company and client expected structures. This is a Hybrid schedule opportunity.

Responsibilities

• Actively supports the Company's commitment to safety and its 'Core Values.'
• Represents the Company at all times with high moral standards while adhering to the Company's 'Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.'
• Be familiar with HV/MV electrical substation construction work and terminology.
• Attend pre-bid meetings and site visits or obtain pictures and notes from others attending to ensure complete understanding of scope and site conditions and constraints.
• Review, analyze and identify deficiencies in the drawings and understand the need for scope clarifications, draft scope clarifications as needed.
• Able to take-off elements of the work accurately and assign them to the appropriate items in the estimating database, make recommendations about how to change the standard items to reflect field conditions more closely.
• Must have a strong attention to detail.
• Work with our Procurement Group to solicit subcontract and vendor pricing utilizing uniform corporate structure and evaluate returned bids for completeness.
• Ability to collaborate with operations, safety, procurement and proposal teams as well as various customer representatives.
• Develop quantity-based estimates from partial information.
• Develop EPC estimates based on partial information, including generating pipe takeoffs from Plot plans and P&ID.
• Ensure that estimates are generated in a way that allows takeoffs and pricing to be traced directly back to a defining document.
• Develop required bid clarifications and exclusions to complement estimate and address identified risk points and gaps in scope.
• Organize the estimate in a manner required to meet the needs of the project.
• Estimate the requirements for craft support labor, staff, equipment and facilities based on analyzing crew sizes for each direct craft.
• Develop bid risk analysis for elements of the project and utilize to assign applicable contingency.
• Develop preliminary lifting plans and select appropriate cranes and other equipment to perform the work.
• Collaborate with planning team in order to generate an appropriately detailed resource loaded schedule to include with bid submittals.
• Prepare bridging documents demonstrating an understanding of how historical estimated costs have changed from previous estimates.
• Participate in constructability reviews and cost saving enhancement discussions.
• Develop draft execution plans in collaboration with Operations to include with bid submittals.
• Monitor the scope of the project to ensure that all trades have been coordinated and a complete project is being offered.
• For awarded projects, organize and prepare the package of drawings, estimate and other supporting documents needed for handover to and review with operations for execution.
• Perform other duties as required or assigned.

Requirements

• 6+ years of relevant field and/or office experience including a minimum of 4 years' experience as an electrical substation estimator, or a field engineer involved with estimating or cost monitoring.
• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management / Engineering or related field or equivalent combination of education/experience if no degree.
• Understanding of HV/MV electrical Air Insulated Substations (AIS) and Gas Insulated Substations (GIS) is a plus.
• Firm knowledge of electrical industry productivity rates utilizing union workforce is a plus.
• Understanding of refinery, terminal, power plant, and other heavy industrial electrical facilities is a plus.
• Solid technical skills with an understanding of the various classifications of estimates and the purpose for which they are intended.
• Proficient computer skills including an operating knowledge of Accubid or equivalent estimating software, as well as Bluebeam and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Familiarity with project scheduling software such as Primavera and Microsoft Project is a plus.
• Ability to quickly visualize the finished product from the drawings and other documents provided.
• Ability to prioritize and work on multiple projects and capable of working independently.
• Good mathematical comprehension.
• Good oral, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Self-motivated enthusiastic team player willing to work/mentor with others and adopt new ideas and methods.
• Ability to make clear and concise presentations to company and customer management.
• Ability to travel for pre-bid meetings and site visits as required.
• This position may require occasional extended workdays.

Nice-to-haves

• Understanding of HV/MV electrical Air Insulated Substations (AIS) and Gas Insulated Substations (GIS).
• Firm knowledge of electrical industry productivity rates utilizing union workforce.
• Understanding of refinery, terminal, power plant, and other heavy industrial electrical facilities.
• Familiarity with project scheduling software such as Primavera and Microsoft Project.