Senior Estimator

Compu Dynamics•Chantilly, VA

30d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Compu Dynamics, we don’t just build infrastructure—we create the backbone of the digital future. As North America’s premier technology infrastructure design-build partner, we design, construct, and maintain mission-critical data centers for some of the world’s most innovative companies. With roots in one of the fastest-growing data center markets in the world, our growth is as intentional as our impact. Job Summary: The Sr. Estimator (SE) leads complex estimates; owns bid accuracy, risk planning & vendor negotiations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or related field and/or equivalent education and experience.
7+ years of electrical, mechanical, or infrastructure estimating experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting hyperscale or colocation data center clients.
Commercial general contracting experience, preferably in the data center or mission-critical space.

Responsibilities

Critically analyzes complex, multi-discipline drawing packages; identifies scope gaps, design conflicts, and coordination issues.
Leads RFP analysis for complex pursuits; ensures all scope deficiencies are identified and communicated to clients promptly.
Reviews for approval all scope qualifications in bid packages; ensures assumptions are clearly stated and defensible.
Negotiates scope and commercial terms with subcontractors and vendors; recommends the company's position on prime contract risk items to leadership.
Plans and leads site visits for complex projects; uses findings to resolve scope uncertainties and improve estimate accuracy.
Leads complex, multi-discipline cost estimates from kickoff through final submission; ensures accuracy, completeness, and market competitiveness.
Reviews all estimates for complete safety cost coverage; incorporates project-specific safety programs and ensures all compliance costs are accounted for.
Reviews and approves all BOMs before pricing release; verifies accuracy and alignment with project scope and drawings.
Maintains up-to-date internal cost databases, monitors market conditions and adjusts pricing benchmarks to keep estimates competitive.
Leads vendor and subcontractor selection for assigned projects; applies consistent scope, pricing, and qualification criteria.
Negotiates pricing, scope, and terms to achieve competitive and complete coverage.
Coordinates the full preparation and internal review of bid packages while ensuring proposals are complete, accurate, and submitted on time.
Leads quality checks and benchmarks pricing against historical project data and current market rates before final submission.
Leads estimate-to-field handoff meetings for awarded projects to ensure the PM and field operations team have full visibility into scope, unit costs, assumptions, and open items.
Leads risk identification across all assigned estimates and assesses the cost and schedule impact of each identified risk.
Owns project-level risk tracking, developing contingency strategies, and presenting risk positions with dollar exposure during bid review.
Leads pre-submission compliance reviews and ensures all pricing adheres to code requirements, specification mandates, and contract obligations.
Leads post-award benchmarking sessions by analyzing estimate-to-actual variances and applying root cause findings to future estimates.
Advanced proficiency across all estimating platforms; uses BIM/VDC tools for clash detection and scope validation on complex projects; identifies workflow improvements for the team.
Ensures consistent and accurate Procore & SharePoint use across the estimating team; audits project records for completeness and data integrity.
Oversees estimating tracker accuracy across all active bids; holds the team accountable for timely and complete updates.
Engages in bid/no-bid discussions and proactively notifies leadership regarding capacity constraints, risk concerns, and scope fit issues.
Contributes to design-build and alternative delivery proposals by developing competitive pricing strategies and scope narratives to support pursuit efforts.
Maintains the team's Hot-Sheets pricing database and tracks material and labor market trends to keep estimates competitive and current.
Manages day-to-day client relationships throughout the estimating process resolving open scope questions while keeping key contacts informed and confident.
Leads pre-bid meetings with clients and design teams while driving scope clarification and ensuring all questions are resolved before estimating begins.
Leads preconstruction and bid review meetings, presents estimate status and risks, defends pricing decisions, and drives cross-team alignment.
Provides direct, specific feedback to Estimators and Junior Estimators on scope and technical work while coaching team members on best practices while fostering a knowledge-sharing culture.
Assigns bid tasks and prioritizes team workload to guarantee on-time estimate submission.
Upholds and reinforces professional standards across the estimating team while directly and constructively addressing conduct issues.
Establishes high quality standards for the team, consistently exceeding the baseline and challenging others to improve.
Cultivates an inclusive team culture where people feel heard, valued, and comfortable sharing ideas or raising concerns.
Establishes trust with clients, vendors, and teammates by upholding commitments and maintaining communication, particularly when sharing difficult news.
Reinforces jobsite safety expectations with the team, ensuring safety requirements and associated costs are incorporated into all project estimates.