Project Estimator

Is AMERICAN the right fit for you?

AMERICAN Pipe & Vessel is hiring for a Project Estimator at our facility in Crosby, TX. At AMERICAN, we believe in doing things THE RIGHT WAY. That's why our employees earn competitive pay, receive excellent benefits and have opportunities to grow. All this while making products the world needs.

As a Project Estimator, you will be responsible for analyzing customer sales orders, blueprints, drawings, specifications, and project requirements to develop accurate cost estimates for fabrication projects. This position evaluates material requirements, labor hours, equipment utilization, subcontracted services, and manufacturing processes to determine total project costs. The Project Estimator works closely with Sales, Engineering, Project Management, Purchasing, Production Planning, and Operations to ensure estimates are competitive, accurate, and aligned with manufacturing capabilities while supporting profitable business growth.

Responsibilities include:

Project Estimating

• Review customer sales orders, blueprints, drawings, specifications, and project requirements.
• Perform detailed material takeoffs and quantity calculations.
• Develop accurate cost estimates for raw materials, labor, equipment, subcontractors, shipping, and miscellaneous project expenses.
• Analyze project scope and determine manufacturing methods required to produce finished goods.
• Estimate fabrication, welding, machining, coating, assembly, inspection, and testing labor requirements.
• Determine production cycle times and labor-hour requirements for all phases of manufacturing.

Cost Analysis & Pricing

• Develop comprehensive project cost models and pricing recommendations.
• Evaluate raw material pricing and obtain quotations from suppliers when required.
• Monitor historical manufacturing costs and productivity metrics to improve estimating accuracy.
• Analyze project risks and identify potential cost impacts.
• Participate in bid reviews and pricing strategy discussions.

Technical Review

• Interpret engineering drawings, specifications, contracts, and customer requirements.
• Identify missing information, scope gaps, inconsistencies, or technical concerns prior to bid submission.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Operations to determine manufacturing feasibility.
• Review design changes and assess impact on project costs.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Sales to clarify project requirements and proposal strategies.
• Coordinate with Purchasing to obtain vendor pricing and lead-time information.
• Collaborate with Production, Planning, Engineering, and Project Management to validate labor standards and manufacturing assumptions.
• Support project handoff processes following contract award.

Continuous Improvement

• Maintain estimating databases, labor standards, and costing information.
• Support the development and improvement of estimating procedures and best practices.
• Participate in post-project reviews to compare estimated versus actual costs and identify improvement opportunities.
• Promote safety, quality, and operational excellence in all estimating activities.

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ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS

1. The employee is regularly required to sit, use hands and fingers to operate a computer and office equipment, and communicate verbally and in writing.
2. The employee is occasionally be required to walk throughout manufacturing facilities and construction or fabrication areas.
3. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, climb stairs or ladder, balance, reach overhead.
4. The employee must occasionally lift, carry, and/or push/pull up to 10 pounds.
5. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision and ability to adjust focus when reviewing technical drawings, specifications, and computer screens.
6. Occasional exposure to manufacturing environments requires the use of personal protective equipment.

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WORK ENVIRONMENT 

This position operates primarily in an office environment with frequent interaction across manufacturing and fabrication facilities. The employee may occasionally be exposed to moving mechanical parts, welding operations, overhead cranes, forklifts, noise, heat, dust, and other industrial manufacturing conditions when conducting project reviews, gathering field information, or validating production assumptions.

The successful candidate must be able to balance multiple priorities while working in a deadline-driven environment with frequent schedule changes and customer requirements.

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