Job Description

Job Title: Estimating Engineer
Salary: Competitive and dependent on experience
Location: Manchester
Contract: Permanent / Contract

About IES

IES Utilities Group is a leading UK utility provider delivering end-to-end multi discipline solutions. Our teams operate across Power, Gas, Water, Telecoms, District Heating and Renewables, providing survey, design, construction, and maintenance services nationwide. With a commitment to innovation, safety, and sustainability, IES supports clients in building and maintaining resilient, future-ready infrastructure networks across the UK.

As our Gas Division continues to grow, we are seeking a committed on‑site Estimating Engineer to support long‑term maintenance and construction works within the division and in the wider business.

About the Role

The Estimating Engineer plays a key role in securing fabrication and utility piping projects by delivering accurate, commercially robust, and technically compliant cost estimates.

Operating within a specialist fabrication environment, the role supports tendering and project delivery by producing detailed material take-offs, labour estimates, and project cost models for utility piping systems, pipework fabrication, and structural steelwork.

Working to ISO 3834-2 and ISO 1090 requirements, the Estimating Engineer ensures all proposals reflect the necessary quality, welding, fabrication, and traceability standards. The role requires close collaboration with engineering, production, procurement, quality, and client stakeholders to develop competitive and deliverable proposals aligned with workshop capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

Estimating and Costing

• Prepare detailed and accurate cost estimates for utility piping systems, pipe spools, supports, and structural steelwork from client drawings and specifications.
• Produce comprehensive material take-offs covering pipe, fittings, flanges, valves, steel sections, plate, consumables, and coatings.
• Estimate fabrication, welding, assembly, inspection, treatment, and installation activities using standard productivity rates and historical data.

Technical & Compliance Review

• Review tender documentation to ensure full technical and commercial compliance.
• Identify risks, exclusions, assumptions, and gaps in scope.
• Ensure estimates account for ISO 3834-2 and ISO 1090 requirements, including welding procedures, qualifications, traceability, inspection, and documentation.

Supplier & Subcontractor Management

• Obtain, analyse, and consolidate quotations from suppliers and subcontractors.
• Assess costs for materials, specialist processes (e.g., NDT, coating, machining), transport, and outsourced fabrication.
• Evaluate commercial competitiveness and risks within the supply chain

Planning & Coordination

• Develop preliminary schedules and delivery programmes to support tender submissions and resource planning.
• Liaise with engineering, production, procurement, and quality teams to validate estimate assumptions.
• Engage with clients to clarify technical queries and align expectations

Bid Support & Handover

• Contribute to bid reviews and approval processes.
• Support smooth handover of awarded projects to delivery teams, ensuring clarity on estimating assumptions and scope.

Continuous Improvement

• Maintain and enhance estimating databases, cost models, and productivity benchmarks.
• Capture lessons learned from completed projects to improve future estimates.

Skills & Experience

• Strong knowledge of utility piping systems, pipe fabrication, and structural steel fabrication processes.
• Proven experience in preparing detailed cost estimates and material take-offs.
• Ability to interpret isometric drawings, P&IDs, fabrication drawings, and steelwork details.
• Good understanding of welding processes, fabrication sequences, and workshop operations.
• Familiarity with ISO 3834-2, ISO 1090, and associated quality and compliance requirements.
• Strong commercial awareness, including supplier evaluation and risk assessment.
• Planning and scheduling capability, including labour forecasting and programme development.
• Proficient in Excel and estimating software/tools.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• High attention to detail with a practical, solution-focused approach.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary / renumeration.
• Long term and stable work.
• Opportunity to support critical infrastructure projects within an expanding Gas Division.
• Supportive team environment committed to high safety & quality standards along with a self-delivery resourcing strategy.
• Career development opportunities within a growing energy services company.