​Prospect Construction is currently seeking a Chief Heavy Civil Estimator to join our team in our Missoula, Montana office-This is a full-time, ongoing position.

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Building with Purpose. Delivering with Expertise.

Prospect Construction is a leading Heavy Civil Contractor specializing in complex water and wastewater treatment facilities and large-scale civil infrastructure. With decades of self-perform capability and deep technical experience, we approach every project with precision, integrity, and a commitment to true partnership. Founded in 1998 in Puyallup, Washington, Prospect has grown from its roots as a General Contractor into one of the West’s premier treatment plant and civil infrastructure builders. Our success is driven by disciplined execution, problem-solving expertise, and a team united by our Core values—Passion, Courage, Team, and Stewardship.

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Why do we exist? Prospect Construction seeks to glorify God by providing opportunities for our employees to utilize their unique gifts through construction to benefit and serve our families, stakeholders, and community. What do we do? We construct unique, complex, and challenging projects for our clients throughout the west.

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ROLE: Chief Heavy Civil Estimator

The Heavy Civil Estimator leads the development and execution of heavy civil estimates across all company offices, serving as the primary technical expert in this discipline from a centralized estimating location, supporting competitive bids for projects throughout the company's footprint.

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This position plays a critical role in advancing the company's heavy civil capabilities across new and existing markets including dams and water resource infrastructure, mass grading, mining support infrastructure, underground utilities, pipelines, and large-scale site development while contributing to repeatable estimating processes that support profitable growth.

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coordinate estimating workloads and bid schedules for heavy civil pursuits across all offices.

• Perform detailed quantity takeoffs, pricing, labor and equipment productions, and bid-leveling; ensure estimates carry complete scope coverage, clear assumptions, and appropriate risk allocation.

• Develop pricing strategies and collaborate with leadership on bid markups, general conditions, contingency, and schedule impacts.

• Coordinate bid reviews and support executive-level presentations prior to submission; ensure bids comply with owner requirements, bid forms, and proposal instructions.

• Identify project risks and opportunities including logistics, access, production constraints, seasonal impacts, and design ambiguities.

• Solicit and evaluate subcontractor pricing for specialty work (dewatering, drilling, blasting, shoring, etc.), managing bid leveling and scope alignment.

• Maintain and improve a heavy civil cost database (labor, equipment, materials, trucking, and subcontractor benchmarks); track estimate performance and capture lessons learned from job cost results and field feedback.

• Develop and refine estimating processes, standards, and deliverable templates to improve consistency and efficiency.

• Coordinate with operations, project management, and field leadership to validate production assumptions; participate in turnover meetings and support the bid-to-execution transition.

• Assist operations in early project planning, budgeting, and buyout strategy as needed.

• Mentor and share estimating best practices with colleagues to support team-wide development.

• Other duties as assigned

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Market & Capability Expansion

• Support company growth into new heavy civil markets and project types, including dams/levees/water infrastructure, mass grading/earthwork, mining infrastructure, wet and dry utilities, water/sewer/oil/gas pipeline, and large developments.

• Build estimating models, means-and-methods assumptions, and productivity benchmarks for emerging work types.

• Assist in developing strategic partnerships for emerging markets and scopes.

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Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience as a Civil Construction Estimator, with a proven record leading estimating efforts on complex heavy civil projects.

• Experience guiding bid teams; mentorship of junior estimators preferred.

• Deep working knowledge of heavy civil means and methods, equipment spreads and production rates, scheduling impacts, and labor/trucking/material pricing models.

• Sound judgment in risk management and bid strategy.

• Ability to interpret civil plans, specifications, geotechnical reports, contract terms, and design documents.

• Proficiency with civil estimating software; experience with HCSS and Timberline strongly preferred.

• Highly organized and deadline-driven, capable of managing multiple concurrent pursuits; a critical thinker and effective problem-solver.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Construction Science, or a related field preferred.

 

​​​Prospect Construction has a comprehensive benefits package:

• Company Provided Medical Insurance: HSA Medical Plan with 100% premium coverage for Employee + Family- OR Optional PPO buy up plan (cost shared premium.)

• Bonus Plan

• Retirement: 401(k) and Profit-Sharing Plan

• Accrued PTO

• 1 Week of Accrued Sick Leave

• 7 Paid Holidays

• Training and Development Plans

Prospect Construction, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, race, color, creed, marital status, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including, but not limited to employment, advancement, assignment, and training. This commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity is made equally as a social responsibility and as an economic and business necessity.

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Apply now!

Email your resume to [email protected] 

Call us at (253) 446-1600 .

 

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