Proposal and Estimation Engineer

Job Description:

Summary

The Estimation & Proposal Engineer in a pharmaceutical consultancy will be responsible for developing accurate, competitive, and technically-sound cost estimates, proposals, and tender submissions for pharmaceutical projects (e.g. process design, utilities, cleanrooms, HVAC, validation, regulatory compliance, etc.). They collaborate with cross-functional teams (engineering, procurement, quality, regulatory, project management, sales) to ensure proposals satisfy client requirements, internal capability, cost constraints, and regulatory standards. Their work helps secure new business while ensuring project feasibility, profitability, and compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Review client enquiries, Request for Proposals (RFPs), Tender documents, specifications, process/utility diagrams, regulatory requirements (GMP, FDA, ISO, etc.) to understand scope and constraints.
• Prepare technical and commercial estimates: materials, equipment, civil/structural works, HVAC/clean utilities, process piping, instrumentation & control, electrical, validation, utilities (water / steam / HVAC), etc.
• Generate BOQs / MTOs (Material Take-Offs), quantity take-offs, cost breakdown (material, labor, overheads, margins).
• Evaluate supplier/vendor/manufacturer quotations; request and compare offers; negotiate technical and commercial terms.
• Value engineering: propose cost-saving alternatives or optimizations without compromising compliance, quality or regulatory adherence.
• Prepare and write the full proposal / tender: technical sections (process flow diagrams, layouts, utility drawings, clean-room layouts, equipment list), commercial sections (price, payment terms, delivery, warranty etc.), risk assessment, assumptions, schedule, compliance.
• Coordinate with internal teams (engineering design/concept/design verification, quality, regulatory affairs, validation, operations, safety) to ensure compliance (e.g., cGMP, aseptic standards, clean utilities, environmental regulations).
• Ensure proposals reflect costs for regulatory compliance, validation, documentation, qualification, etc.
• Manage and monitor timelines for proposals / tender submissions; ensure all deliverables (drawings, specs, compliance reports) are ready on time.
• Maintain proposal content, templates, vendor databases, historical cost data, benchmarking & lessons learned.
• Participate in client meetings, site visits / surveys as needed, clarifications and negotiations.
• Support contract review: terms & conditions, risk & liability, insurance, performance guarantees.
• Handover approved proposals / tender documents to project management and executing teams once contract is awarded.

Qualifications / Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Process, or related field). Graduate degree or specialization in pharmaceuticals / biotech / cleanroom processes is a plus.
• Typically,3-8 years’ experience in estimation/proposal preparation in pharmaceutical / biotech / clean utilities / clean room/ process industry / consultancy environment.
• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes, regulatory requirements (GMP, ISO, FDA, WHO, etc.), cleanroom design, utilities (WFI, Clean Steam, HVAC, Water treatment, sterilization etc.).
• Familiarity with process diagrams (PFD / P&ID), layouts (process / clean utilities / HVAC), clean air flow, etc.
• Experience in costing / estimation tools, software, spreadsheets; ability to do bottom-up estimates, labor/material/equipment/overhead cost estimation.
• Good knowledge of vendor quotation process, supply chain, equipment lead times, installation costs.
• Strong technical writing and presentation skills; able to clearly present proposals with clarity, logic, persuasiveness.
• Attention to detail; ability to manage multiple proposals / tenders in parallel under tight timelines.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). Familiarity with CAD tools (AutoCAD, etc.) to review or generate layouts is a plus.