Proposal & Estimating Engineer

About the role

As a Proposal & Estimating Engineer, you will support business growth by combining technical engineering expertise with commercial sales capabilities. In this role, you will develop accurate cost estimates, prepare technical and commercial proposals, support customer engagement activities, and collaborate with engineering, sales, and operations teams to deliver technically sound and commercially competitive solutions.

What’s in it For You

• Opportunity to work across engineering, sales, and operations functions
• Exposure to customer-facing technical sales and business development activities
• Ability to influence project success through accurate estimating and proposal development
• Opportunity to support business growth and customer satisfaction through technical expertise

What You Will Do

• Support business development and customer acquisition activities as a technical sales representative
• Engage with customers to understand technical requirements, specifications, and project scope
• Deliver technical presentations, product demonstrations, and solution recommendations
• Support pricing, terms, and commercial negotiations in coordination with management
• Build and maintain relationships with customers, consultants, and key stakeholders
• Prepare detailed cost estimates based on drawings, specifications, and customer requirements
• Analyze labor, material, equipment, subcontractor, and overhead costs
• Develop technical and commercial proposals, quotations, and bid documentation
• Review RFQs, tenders, and bid packages to ensure compliance and accuracy
• Review engineering drawings, specifications, and standards to assess technical feasibility
• Coordinate with engineering, procurement, and production teams to obtain technical inputs
• Support value engineering and cost optimization initiatives
• Assist with post-award handoff from sales to project execution teams
• Monitor market trends, competitor pricing, and customer requirements
• Support development of sales tools, costing templates, and standardized estimating processes
• Maintain costing databases, pricing models, and historical estimate records
• Assist management with sales forecasting and opportunity tracking

Position Details

• Reports to: Global Director, Business Development
• Occasional travel to customer sites, meetings, or project locations as required
• Onsite at Vancouver, WA office (hybrid on site)

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, or related field)
• Experience in project-based environments such as construction, industrial manufacturing, or engineering services
• Experience with ERP and CRM systems
• Minimum 5 years of experience in sales engineering, application engineering, estimating, technical sales, or related roles
• Strong understanding of engineering drawings, specifications, and technical documentation
• Experience with cost estimation, BOQ preparation, and pricing analysis

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and estimating tools
• Ability to interpret customer RFQs and tender documents
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Commercial awareness and negotiation skills
• Analytical mindset with strong attention to detail
• Ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams
• Customer-focused, results-driven, and proactive approach
• Ability to manage multiple bids and deadlines simultaneously

Annual or Hourly Compensation Range

$90,000 - $130,000 Many factors are taken into consideration when determining compensation, such as experience, education, training, geography, etc. We comply with all minimum wage and overtime laws.

Ecolab provides the following benefits

medical, dental, vision, life insurance, accident insurance, critical illness insurance, hospital indemnity insurance, auto insurance, home insurance, pet insurance, identity theft protection, short-term and long-term disability, 401k, pension plans, retirement health care benefits, short-term incentives, vacation (12 days), holidays, parental leave, employee stock purchase plans (Full-Time Associates), discount on day care services and caregiver services, adoption assistance, group legal services, employee assistance program, employee discount program, and education assistance program, on-Site childcare and fitness facilities may be available at select Ecolab locations.

Click here for additional benefits information. If you are viewing this posting on a site other than our Ecolab Career website, view our benefits at jobs.ecolab.com/working-here.

Potential Customer Requirements Notice

To meet customer requirements and comply with local or state regulations, applicants for certain customer-facing roles may need to:

• Undergo additional background screens and/or drug/alcohol testing for customer credentialing.