Senior Preconstruction Engineer (Des Moines)

About Us

Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest quality solutions on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $8.1 billion in revenue for 2025, Clayco specializes in the art and science of building, providing fast track, efficient solutions for mission critical, industrial, life sciences, power & energy, aviation, commercial, institutional, residential and sports & entertainment related building projects.

The Role We Want You For

As a Senior Preconstruction Engineer, you will drive the bidding process for construction projects by crafting precise conceptual and hard dollar estimates, developing proposals, and managing subcontractor bids. You will ensure the accuracy and completeness of all project documents, perform quantity take-offs, conduct constructability reviews, and implement value engineering analyses. Your contributions will be crucial in shaping departmental strategies and fostering continuous improvement.

The Specifics of the Role

• Proposal Preparation: Collaborate with the Preconstruction team to deliver accurate proposals across various business units, including Commercial, Industrial, Institutional, and Residential sectors.
• Quantity Take-Offs: Perform detailed quantity take-offs for specific scopes of work to support accurate estimating.
• Subcontractor Management: Oversee the solicitation process for subcontractor bids, build and nurture relationships with subcontractors, and maintain a comprehensive master list of subcontractors/vendors.
• Bid Evaluation: Prepare and analyze Bid Evaluation sheets to ensure competitive and fair bidding processes.
• Schedule and Conditions Review: Evaluate project schedules, assist in drafting General Conditions, and contribute to the final assembly of estimates for presentation to owners.
• Handoff and Support: Facilitate a seamless transition of estimates, bid information, drawings, and specifications to Project Management, and assist Project Managers with contract negotiations, change orders, and other project needs.
• Historical Data Management: Develop and maintain historical data on unit prices to inform future estimating and bidding processes.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or a related field.
• Experience: 3-5 years of estimating experience in commercial construction, with a strong track record in project bidding and management.
• Technical Skills: Deep understanding of building construction, materials, systems, and market conditions. Proficiency in estimating and quantity takeoff software.
• Software Proficiency: Skilled in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Analytical Skills: Strong conceptual abilities with a knack for working with limited information, and proven technical skills in mathematical calculations.
• Meeting Experience: Experience participating in Preconstruction meetings and collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Some Things You Should Know

• No other builder can offer the collaborative design-build approach that Clayco does.
• We work on creative, complex, award-winning, high-profile jobs.
• The pace is fast!

Why Clayco?

• 2025 Best Places to Work – St. Louis Business Journal, Los Angeles Business Journal, and Phoenix Business Journal.
• 2025 ENR Top 400 – Top Data Center Contractor (Top 3).
• 2025 ENR Top 100 Design-Build Firms – Design-Build Contractor (Top 5).
• 2025 ENR Top 100 Green Contractors – Green Contractor (Top 3).

Benefits

• Discretionary Annual Bonus: Subject to company and individual performance.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package Including: Medical, dental and vision plans, 401k, generous PTO and paid company holidays, employee assistance program, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, disability coverage, learning & development programs and more!

Compensation

• The salary range for this position considers a wide range of factors in making compensation decisions including but not limited to: Education, qualifications, skills, training, experience, certifications, internal equity, and location. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.