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ABOUT THE COMPANY
Our client is a commercial builder operating across Sydney and Newcastle, NSW. They tender and deliver a wide range of commercial projects including fit-out, education, and childcare facilities. The estimating team runs a structured, deadline-driven tendering operation, handling everything from initial quantities through to full tender submission. They already have one offshore team member in the Philippines and are committed to building out that capacity.
ABOUT THE ROLE
This is a quantity surveying role sitting within the estimating team, reporting to the Estimating Manager. The primary need is someone who can own the takeoff and measurement work across commercial projects, freeing the senior estimators to focus on pricing and analysis. If you can also rate and price, that's a genuine bonus, but QS capability is what this hire is built around.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Perform detailed quantity takeoffs across all non-services trades (structure, concrete, steel, reinforcement, fit-out, finishes, etc.) from architectural and structural drawings
- Produce accurate bills of quantities for commercial construction projects within tight tender timeframes, typically 4 to 5 weeks
- Work through full drawing sets independently, identifying scope inclusions, gaps, and ambiguities
- Input quantities into Cubit or Costx and maintain structured, reviewable workbooks
- Liaise with the Estimating Manager and senior estimators to clarify scope and flag potential risks or documentation issues
- Support multiple concurrent tenders, managing your own workload against submission deadlines
- Over time, build familiarity with our standard rates and pricing methodology to progress toward full estimation capability
ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
- Demonstrated experience performing quantity takeoffs on commercial construction projects
- Ability to read and interpret architectural and structural drawings independently
- Experience quantifying structural trades (concrete, steel, reinforcement, framing, cladding, finishes)
- Strong attention to detail with the ability to self-check work before handover
- Clear written and verbal communication in English
- Experience working to fixed deadlines in a tendering environment
NICE-TO-HAVE SKILLS
- Full end-to-end estimating capability (takeoff through to rated tender price)
- Experience using other takeoff or estimating software (e.g., Bluebeam, PlanSwift, Buildsoft, etc.) with willingness to learn new systems
- Experience with estimating tools such as Cubit or CostX
- Familiarity with Australian, New Zealand, or UK construction standards and specifications
- Experience working with or within a commercial head contractor, not just subcontractor or fit-out roles
- Understanding of construction methodology and its impact on cost
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Minimum 4 to 5 years in a QS or estimating role within commercial construction. Fit-out-only experience will be considered if the candidate can also demonstrate structural takeoff competency. Australian construction experience is preferred; candidates with NZ or UK experience will be seriously considered. Candidates whose experience is limited to Indian construction standards are unlikely to be shortlisted without strong compensating factors.
TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY
- Cubit (primary takeoff tool)
- Costx (being adopted; experience here is acceptable in lieu of Cubit)
- Microsoft Office Suite (intermediate to advanced)
- Google Workspace (Sheets and Drive used internally)
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