What are the responsibilities and job description for the Project Estimator position at Talently?
Job Title: Project Estimator
Location: Portland, Maine, United States
Hybrid: Onsite 2-3x/Month
Salary: $130,000-$150,000 Annual Bonus
About The Opportunity:
Join a respected leader in the real estate industry known for delivering successful retail, commercial, healthcare, and residential developments. This high-impact Project Estimator opportunity places you at the forefront of pre-construction strategy, giving you responsibility for shaping project budgets and guiding complex construction projects from concept to completion. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, influence project profitability, and help advance exciting real estate developments across multiple sectors.
Responsibilities:
- Perform accurate quantity takeoffs and develop detailed cost estimates for materials, labor, equipment, subcontractors, and general conditions across project phases.
- Analyze architectural and engineering drawings, specifications, and project requirements to determine scope, constructability, and cost drivers.
- Prepare and present conceptual, schematic, and hard-bid estimates to internal stakeholders and clients.
- Solicit, evaluate, and compare subcontractor and supplier bids to ensure comprehensive and competitive pricing.
- Lead value engineering sessions and identify cost-saving alternatives without sacrificing quality or design intent.
- Recognize and flag scope gaps, ambiguities, exclusions, and potential risks early in the estimating process.
- Manage project schedules, budgets, and documentation, coordinating activities from pre-construction through closeout.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, subcontractors, suppliers, and design professionals to support business development and project success.
Must-Have Skills:
- Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Quantity Surveying, or a related field.
- 5 years of progressive experience in construction estimating and/or project management, especially in retail, commercial, healthcare, or residential sectors.
- Proven ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, and contract documents.
- Deep knowledge of construction methods, materials, sequencing, and current market pricing.
- Proficiency with estimating software such as Bluebeam, PlanSwift, ProEst, HCSS, or similar, as well as Microsoft Office suite.
- Strong communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution abilities.
- Demonstrated experience managing multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Nice-to-Have Skills:
- Experience with both hard-bid and negotiated/design-build delivery methods.
- Familiarity with value engineering principles and life-cycle cost analysis.
- Background in retail rollout programs, tenant improvement buildouts, or multi-site project coordination.
- Understanding of residential building codes, HOA/community standards, and mixed-use development requirements.
- Experience with AI-powered estimating tools or machine learning-based cost modeling platforms.
- Established network of subcontractor and supplier relationships in the local market.
Salary : $130,000 - $150,000