Estimator

• 14 Oct 2026
• Perm
• Gloucester

Estimator

Location: Gloucestershire

Working Pattern: Hybrid working, with 4 days office-based and 1 day remote

Employment Type: Permanent

Salary: Competitive Salary + Benefits

ARCA Consulting is supporting a specialist engineering business in the appointment of an Estimator to join its Operations & Commercial team.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience in estimating, quantity surveying or commercial support who is looking to develop their career within the energy, utilities and infrastructure sectors, with the opportunity to progress towards a Senior Estimator role.

You’ll work closely with design, planning, procurement and delivery colleagues, supporting:

• Reviewing tender enquiries and contract documentation to identify scope, risks, exclusions and commercial requirements
• Preparing estimates and tender submissions for overhead line, substation, underground cable and civil engineering works
• Taking off quantities from drawings and specifications, and building up rates for labour, plant, materials, subcontractors and temporary works
• Obtaining, comparing and negotiating supplier and subcontractor quotations, and preparing tender comparisons
• Working with design and operations teams to confirm construction methods, programme assumptions, access requirements, outages and resourcing
• Preparing tender programmes, preliminaries, risk and opportunity registers, and basis-of-estimate documentation
• Supporting the pricing of variations, compensation events and change control during project delivery
• Maintaining estimating databases, rate libraries and cost benchmarks, using completed project costs to improve future estimates
• Supporting tender clarifications, commercial qualifications and client presentations
• Ensuring estimates reflect relevant health, safety, environmental and quality requirements, including CDM 2015 obligations

About You

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Experienced in estimating, quantity surveying or a similar commercial role, ideally with two to five years’ experience in construction, civil engineering, energy or utilities infrastructure
• Confident reading civil, structural and electrical drawings and carrying out quantity take-offs
• Knowledgeable about building up rates using labour, plant, materials, productivity and supply chain pricing
• Proficient in Excel, with familiarity with estimating or commercial software
• Organised, numerate and highly attentive to detail, with the ability to work to tight tender deadlines
• A clear communicator who can work collaboratively with technical, commercial and operational colleagues
• Educated to degree, HNC/HND or equivalent level in civil engineering, quantity surveying, construction management or a related discipline, or able to demonstrate equivalent practical experience
• In possession of a full UK driving licence and willing to undertake occasional site visits and travel

Experience in overhead line, substation, cable or civil engineering works for transmission or distribution clients would be advantageous but not essential, as would familiarity with NEC4 contracts, framework tendering, transmission owner (TO) or distribution network operator (DNO) standards, and procurement routes.

Knowledge of temporary works, outage constraints or working in live operational environments would also be beneficial. Progress towards a professional qualification or membership with RICS, ICE, CIOB or a similar professional body would be welcomed. Familiarity with programming tools such as Microsoft Project would be an advantage.

Why Apply?

• Competitive salary of £45,000–£60,000, depending on experience
• Opportunity to develop estimating expertise within a specialist engineering and infrastructure business
• Exposure to a varied portfolio of overhead line, substation, cable and civil engineering projects
• Close collaboration with experienced operations, design, procurement and commercial colleagues
• Opportunity to develop towards a Senior Estimator position
• Involvement in the full tender process, from initial enquiry and cost planning through to submission and commercial support during delivery
• Opportunity to strengthen technical, commercial and professional skills within a growing business

Development & Training

The business is committed to developing its commercial capability and supporting the professional growth of its team. This role offers the opportunity to build on existing estimating or quantity surveying experience, gain exposure to complex energy and utilities infrastructure projects, and develop the skills required to progress towards a Senior Estimator position.

You’ll gain practical experience across tender preparation, cost planning, supply chain procurement, risk assessment, commercial change control and project cost analysis, working alongside experienced colleagues across the business.

Next Steps

If you’re looking to develop your estimating career within a specialist engineering and infrastructure business, we’d love to hear from you.

Please apply via ARCA Resourcing for a confidential discussion.

Right to Work

Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this position, and applications from candidates requiring sponsorship or relying on the Graduate Visa route cannot be considered.