Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Piping Estimator based in India with 5-10 years of experience in piping construction, fabrication, material take-off (MTO), and cost estimation for petrochemical, refinery, chemical, oil & gas, and other process-industry projects.

This position will support a U.S.-based client and requires the successful candidate to work night-shift hours in India aligned with U.S. Central Time (CT) business hours. The estimator will work directly with the clients estimating, engineering, project management, and construction teams. Strong spoken and written English communication skills, professional client interaction, and the ability to work independently are essential.

The candidate should be capable of interpreting engineering drawings and specifications and converting technical scope into accurate quantities, labor-hour estimates, material costs, equipment requirements, indirect costs, and complete project estimates. Hands-on experience with estimating software/tools, Excel-based estimating models, piping material take-off tools, and recognized industry estimating methodologies is expected.

Key Responsibilities

- Review RFQs/RFPs, bid packages, scopes of work, specifications, drawings, and client requirements.
- Work directly with the U.S.-based client team to understand project scope, clarify technical requirements, resolve estimating questions, and develop estimates.
- Participate in client meetings, estimate reviews, bid reviews, and project discussions during U.S. Central Time business hours.
- Communicate estimate assumptions, clarifications, exclusions, risks, and recommendations clearly and professionally to the client.
- Perform detailed Material Take-Off (MTO) and quantity take-off from P&IDs;, piping isometrics, piping layouts, plot plans, equipment layouts, and other engineering drawings.
- Quantify pipe by size, schedule, material and specification; fittings; flanges; valves; gaskets; bolting; specialty components; pipe supports; and structural attachments.
- Identify and quantify shop and field welds by type, size, material and weld class, including weld-inch / diameter-inch calculations.
- Estimate insulation, painting/coating, heat tracing, testing, and related piping scope where applicable.
- Develop estimates for shop piping fabrication including cutting, fit-up, welding, NDE/NDT, PWHT, blasting/painting, testing, and spool handling.
- Develop estimates for field piping installation/erection including unloading, material handling, scaffolding/access, rigging, cranes, fit-up, welding, NDE, hydrotesting, reinstatement, and commissioning support.
- Estimate labor hours using historical data, company norms, industry productivity factors, and recognized estimating methodologies.
- Apply productivity adjustments for congestion, elevation, brownfield/operating-plant conditions, weather, overtime, shift work, access restrictions, and project-specific constraints.
- Develop estimates for direct labor, supervision, equipment, tools, consumables, subcontractors, indirect costs, and other construction costs.
- Obtain and analyze vendor and subcontractor quotations and incorporate commercial inputs into the estimate.
- Develop estimate assumptions, exclusions, qualifications, risks, escalation, and contingency recommendations.
- Prepare estimate summaries, Basis of Estimate (BOE), supporting calculations, and management-review packages.
- Compare estimated versus actual quantities, labor hours, productivity, and costs to improve future estimating accuracy.
- Maintain historical cost/productivity databases and support development of unit rates, norms, benchmarks, and estimating databases.

Required Experience & Qualifications
- 5-10 years of piping estimating, cost estimating,



quantity take-off, piping fabrication, or piping construction experience.
- Strong experience in petrochemical plants, refineries, chemical plants, LNG, terminals, or similar process facilities.
- Demonstrated experience performing detailed piping MTO / quantity take-offs.
- Ability to independently read and interpret P&IDs;, piping isometrics, plot plans, piping GA/layout drawings, equipment layouts, line lists, valve lists, piping material specifications/classes, equipment drawings, and support drawings.
- Strong understanding of carbon steel, stainless steel, alloy steel, and specialty piping systems.
- Good understanding of shop fabrication and field installation methods, welding processes, weld types, NDE/NDT, PWHT, hydrotesting, and related construction activities.
- Experience developing labor-hour, unit-rate, crew-based, and productivity-based estimates.
- Experience with greenfield and brownfield / operating-plant projects preferred.
- Experience supporting U.S.-based petrochemical, refinery, EPC, or industrial construction projects is strongly preferred.
- Familiarity with U.S. engineering, construction, estimating, and safety practices is desirable.

U.S. Client Interface & Communication Requirements This is a client-facing position. The successful candidate will interact directly with U.S.-based personnel rather than working solely through an India-based project manager.
- Strong verbal and written English communication skills.
- Comfortable communicating directly with U.S. clients through Microsoft Teams, video calls, email, and other collaboration platforms.
- Ability to explain estimates, assumptions, quantities, labor norms, and cost drivers clearly during client reviews.
- Ability to ask appropriate technical questions and obtain clarification directly from client engineering and construction personnel.
- Ability to prepare professional emails, estimate summaries, clarifications, and technical documentation.
- Confidence and professionalism when participating in client meetings.
- Ability to work independently with limited supervision and take ownership of assigned estimates.
- Provide timely progress updates and proactively identify missing information, risks, and issues.
- Collaborate effectively with engineering, procurement, construction, project controls, and commercial personnel located in the United States.

Work Schedule Mandatory Requirement
- This position is based in India but supports a client located in the United States.
- The candidate must be willing and able to work a regular night shift in India.
- Working hours will be aligned primarily with U.S. Central Time (CT) business hours.
- The position requires substantial working-hour overlap with the U.S. client team for meetings, collaboration, and real-time communication.
- The night-shift requirement is a regular condition of employment, not an occasional project requirement.
- Candidates who are unable to regularly work U.S. Central Time-aligned hours should not apply.

Estimating Tools & Technology Practical experience with one or more professional estimating, take-off, design review, or cost-engineering tools is expected. Relevant tools include:
- Aspen Capital Cost Estimator (ACCE)
- Cleopatra Enterprise
- CostOS
- InEight Estimate
- Sage Estimating
- Trimble estimating / take-off solutions
- Bluebeam Revu
- Navisworks




- AutoCAD and/or 3D model-based quantity extraction
- Advanced Microsoft Excel estimating models
- Power BI or similar reporting/analytics tools
- SAP, Oracle, Primavera P6, or similar ERP/project-control systems

Candidates do not need experience with every tool listed above; however, strong proficiency with at least one professional estimating platform and advanced Microsoft Excel capability is preferred. Standards & Methodologies

Piping & Engineering Standards

- ASME B31.3 Process Piping; familiarity with other ASME B31 codes as applicable.
- ASME Section IX – Welding and Brazing Qualifications.
- ASME B16 series applicable to piping components, flanges, fittings, and valves.
- ASTM material specifications applicable to piping materials.
- API standards applicable to refinery and petrochemical facilities.
- MSS standards applicable to valves, fittings, and pipe supports.
- Client/company piping material specifications, piping classes, engineering standards, and construction specifications.

Welding, Fabrication & Inspection Methodologies
- Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS), Procedure Qualification Records (PQR), and welder performance qualifications.
- Shop versus field weld classification; butt welds, socket welds, branch connections, and specialty welds.
- Weld-inch / diameter-inch estimating methodologies.
- NDE/NDT requirements including RT, UT, MT, PT, and Positive Material Identification (PMI).
- Post Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT), hydrostatic testing, pneumatic testing, flushing, and reinstatement requirements.

Cost Estimating Methodologies
- AACE International Recommended Practices and estimate classification concepts.
- Quantity-based and bottom-up estimating.
- Unit-rate and crew-based estimating.
- Labor-hour / work-hour and productivity-based estimating.
- Parametric and factored estimating where appropriate.
- Historical cost benchmarking and estimate reconciliation.
- Vendor/subcontractor quotation-based estimating.
- Direct and indirect cost development.
- Escalation, contingency, risk, and uncertainty assessment.
- Basis of Estimate (BOE) development and documentation.

Construction Productivity Methodologies The candidate should understand how base labor norms and unit rates are adjusted for:
- Greenfield versus brownfield construction and operating-plant restrictions.
- Congestion, work at elevation, scaffolding/access, crane and rigging requirements.
- Hot-work and permit restrictions, shift work, overtime, and weather conditions.
- Material availability, crew efficiency, rework, project location, and construction sequencing.

Knowledge of Richardson Process Plant Construction Estimating Standards, Page & Nation labor/productivity norms, or equivalent industry estimating databases is desirable.

Education

- Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering, Piping Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
- Skilled certifications in cost engineering, estimating, project controls, or piping are an advantage.

Candidate Profile The successful candidate will be a hands-on, client-facing estimator, not simply a cost-reporting professional. The individual should be capable of receiving a piping bid package, understanding the technical scope, developing the MTO, identifying fabrication and installation activities, estimating labor hours and costs, documenting assumptions and risks, and developing a complete estimate suitable for commercial proposal preparation. The candidate must also be comfortable working directly with the U.S. client, taking ownership of assigned work, communicating professionally in English, and working night-shift hours in India aligned with U.S. Central Time business hours.

📌 Piping Estimator Petrochemical / Refinery Projects (Mumbai)
🏢 Pennpetchem
📍 Mumbai