Job Description

Number Two from Tucci: Construction Leader Seeks Senior Heavy Civil Estimator

Hello again, my friends. As you may recall, I recently poked my summer-sunbaked head back into the executive world to let you know about a fantastic regional company – the Tacoma-based construction firm Tucci & Sons.

On that occasion, Tucci was seeking a new president. Now I have another terrific opening of theirs to share with you – this time, for the position of senior heavy civil estimator.

As those of you with backgrounds in the industry might already know, this is a crucially important role for heavy civil-construction firms like Tucci, which live or die based on their ability to bid successfully for big-ticket projects like highways, bridges, and utility infrastructure.

In this context, a skilled senior estimator makes the difference between a successful bid and a near-miss – and the near-misses don’t pay the bills.

To put it simply, this position is responsible for masterminding the bid. This includes building solid estimates that take account of every conceivable factor: the cost of labor, equipment, and materials; site-specific risks like weather and terrain; regulatory issues; and anything else that could generate potential costs or opportunities. 

This requires, of course, a sharp eye for detail, but also an awareness for creative opportunities – such as a chance to propose an alternate design or an innovative way to cut costs without cutting corners.

For this opening, Tucci is looking for a seasoned estimator with at least a decade of experience in heavy civil construction, preferably in the private sector. A degree in civil engineering or construction management is ideal, but field expertise is clearly the top criterion here. Fluency with HCSS Heavy Bid or similar tech stacks is highly desirable.

A very important additional attribute for this role is an ability to establish and maintain successful relationships with various internal and external parties, including field teams, engineers, subcontractors, suppliers, clients, and regulators. In many respects, this is a public-facing position, and the company is looking for someone who can be comfortable and credible in that role.

If, in your estimation, this is a good role for you or someone you know, you know what to do – get in touch!

PS From PSP: Well, speaking of issues of weather and terrain, here’s an unsettling story about the prospect of megafires in Western Washington. Sure, this is by far the wetter part of our gorgeous state, but that doesn’t mean the potential for huge blazes doesn’t exist – and the timing of such disasters may be changing along with the climate.

For a long time, many saw our region – not unreasonably – as a relative haven from the worst impacts of climate change. The 2021 heat dome shook that certainty for a lot of people; the outbreak of large-scale wildfires could do so as well. It just goes to show, once again, that no place is totally immune to the impacts of what is truly a global challenge.

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