CAD/BIM Assistant Estimator - St. Paul, MN

Electrical CAD/Revit Technician / Assistant Estimator

Our Opportunity:

NEI Electric is an established electrical design-build contractor with offices in the Twin Cities and Western Wisconsin. Our employees are growth oriented, well trained, conscientious, community minded people and our Saint Paul office needs a quality individual to add to our staff.

Our Opportunity:

The primary functions of this role include, but not limited to: Operates computer aided drafting (CAD) system, building information modeling (BIM) system and peripheral equipment, also exercises considerable skill in the use of graphics commands and preprogrammed material to develop drawings.

Typical Duties:

·        Create quick actions utilizing the command language of the system to assist in drawing creation.

·        Utilize knowledge of mathematics in the preparation of drawings.

·        Perform routine to complex assignments requiring a thorough knowledge of CAD and BIM system standards, practices, and techniques.

·        Develop increased proficiency in system operation with a resulting increase in productivity, and learns how to use all software options.

·        Analyze sketches, notes, and other input material to determine best approach to complete drawings.

·        Apply judgment and makes decisions with respect to drawings and input interpretation.

·        Review work performed to determine accuracy with input from supervisor.

·        Perform additional assignments per supervisor’s direction.

Secondary Function:

Assist in gathering, calculating and compiling data for use in bid proposal estimates for one or more discipline areas.

Typical Duties:

·        Calculate various statistical data – quantity take-offs, material price lists, labor costs per man-hour, equipment, etc.

·        Research historical data (purchase orders, subcontracts, productivity analysis reports, etc.) and compile summary reports to develop guidelines and precedence for future estimates.

·        Participate in developing project update and bid package estimate documents.

·        Maintain files of working documents for back-up to estimating figures.

·        Assist in the monitoring of conceptual estimates with actual cost data.

Skills, Knowledge, Qualifications, & Experience:

·        Educational and experience requirements include: High school diploma/GED, at least two to three years experienced performing computer aided drafting (CAD) at the level I position. This level is also the entry position for incumbents with a degree in engineering or drafting technology and no experience. Position’s responsibilities can be learned through on-the-job training.

NEI Electric offers a highly competitive salary with bonus opportunities and an excellent benefit package that includes medical, dental, 401(k), flexible spending plan, and vacation time.

Email your Cover Letter and Resume to: customerservice@neielectric.com

NEI Electric's Current Project!

The Winfield Innovation Center is one of NEI Electric's current projects. This Article offers some some great background on the project. 

Steel Rising: WinField Innovation Center

In mid-2016, WinField, a leading provider of seed, crop protection products and agronomic expertise, announced a major expansion project in River Falls, Wisconsin.

A 52,000 square foot, multi-million dollar laboratory, greenhouse, and R&D center is under construction in Sterling Ponds Corporate Park, located along State Highway 35 on the city’s north side.

Following site preparation and foundation work, erecting the building’s steel frame is well underway.

WinField’s second project in River Falls is also under construction in Mann valley, adjacent to the lab farm operated by UW-River Falls. This will be used for product testing on WinField’s test plots on the lab farm.

Due to ongoing R&D, WinField says more than 25 proprietary products have been brought to market and additional products, ranging from fertilizers to adjuvants and herbicides are in the research pipeline.

WinField’s Spray Analysis System, already located in its Product Development Center in River Falls, is a key component to their research department. Experts have tested more than 30,000 adjuvant samples since opening in 2011.

The Spray Analysis System’s wind tunnel design was recognized in April 2014 by the U.S. Patent Office for its unique role in spray particle analysis. WinField’s design is one of five spray labs in the United States that contains an enclosed wind tunnel, allowing experts to test realistic tank mixtures—not just water.

About WinField
Winfield Solutions LLC (WinField), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, Inc. offers
top-performing seed and crop protection products. With unmatched agricultural expertise and
performance as core company values, WinField® brands match leading seed and crop
protection products to help farmers, retailers and other industry partners achieve high levels of
success.

WinField brands include CROPLAN® seed, crop protection products, plant nutrients and other
proprietary products. Backed with unrivaled technical services and knowledge, WinField®
products deliver outstanding solutions and value for the agricultural industry.

Learn more at www.winfield.com. Copyright © 2017 St. Croix Economic Development Corporation, All rights reserved.

Holiday Lights in the Park!

This is the last week to enjoy the amazing Holiday Lights in the Park! NEI is a proud sponsor of this wonderful event benefiting the St. Paul Police Foundation.

NEI would like to take the time to recognize dedicated employees like Cindy Pleau – Let me introduce you; 

Cindy Pleau is our St. Paul Office Administrative Assistant and her roles include maintaining daily office duties and making sure all aspects of NEI are running well. In her free time she enjoys reading murder mysteries (so watch out! her words) by MN authors. She also enjoys running, gardening and flowers. We asked Cindy why she enjoys working for NEI Electric and her response was “The variety of my work duties, keep my days busy and fulfilling. The staff & electricians are wonderful to work with.”

"Safety is about Kim" - Story about Construction Safety

This is a story about construction that hits home for everyone that works in the construction industry. The elements of NEI Electrics safety program include: planning, training, evaluation, inspection and investigation. 

“Safety is about Kim” 

My wife grew up in a small town in northwest Wisconsin called Deer Park, she had two older brothers but no sisters.  One of Tammy’s parent’s friends had a single child, a girl named Kim about Tammy’s age.  Kim and Tammy became best friends growing up and still are today.  As with all of us, we move around a little bit and meet new people but Kim and Tammy still are great friends, sisters basically.  Kim was living in the Twin Cities when she met Tom and they started dating. Tom was a good guy, worked hard, tried a couple different jobs as he was getting established and finally settled on a career as an electrician with a union contractor in the cities.  They kept dating, got more serious and eventually got married at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas, lots of fun, some gambling, shows, staying out too late… the kind of good time any of us would want with some of our friends.  A couple years go by, Kim and Tom have their first child, a petite little girl named Marlena; about a year and a half later they had their second child, a son named Vincent, a headstrong little guy, born within two months of my oldest boy.  Life was pretty good, we’d all get together, let the kids play and have some beers.  Kim and Tom started building a big, beautiful, new home in River Falls; that Tom and his brother were basically building themselves.  Christ, the future was bright for them! 

Tom was a good guy and always a hard worker.  He was just about finished with his electrical apprenticeship and was working at Washington County Courthouse, on a large expansion project where he was being given more and more responsibility.  One day, while working under the direction of a journeymen, they began working on an electrical busway, live.  No one took the time to perform any lock out tag outs, shut the power off, put on arc flash gear or anything to protect themselves.  On October 25th of 2007, Tom was reaching into the panel, his screwdriver arced across another terminal and there was an explosion.  Tom was blown back from the panel and started on fire; he had 3rd degree burns over 60% of his body. The journeyman he was working with was also burned but not as severely.   He had many burns on his hands from trying to put the fire on Tom out.  Tom was transported to Regions Hospital in St Paul where he was admitted into the burn ward.  Most of Tom’s body was bandaged due to the extensive burns.  He really couldn’t move or talk from the bandages and could only see out of one eye when he wasn’t heavily sedated.  Over the next two weeks in the Regions Burn Unit, Tom went through five separate surgeries to try to repair internal damage. I’ve never had an experience like this but I’ve heard the treatment and cleaning or removal of the burnt skin is one of the most painful things someone could endure, the kind of thing that makes you want to die… but Tom wanted to live.  

Kim, Marlena and Vinny would be by the bedside, just to be with him for days and days, hoping and praying for him.  Occasionally, Tom would gain consciousness and see them there, out of his eye and then sob and cry uncontrollably. I can’t imagine what my friend was feeling, maybe something like 
“How did I let this happen?  What will happen to my family?  What will happen to me?  Will I see them grow up?  Will I ever hold my wife in my arms again and tell her I love her?  Will I see my kids graduate?  Go to their weddings?  Hold my grandchildren?  What did I do?”  After 14 days in the burn unit, Tom’s body couldn’t fight any longer; on November 7th he passed away.  The electricity that hit his body caused internal organ damage that they couldn’t get under control or heal in time. 

I promise you, Tom is in heaven blaming himself for everything that wasn’t done that day, looking down on his wife who just had her husband stolen away from her, that couldn’t eat or sleep or not cry at everything that reminded her of him and his children that would have to grow up without him as their father and struggle to understand why he won’t ever come home and why the other kids have a dad.  This is something a 4 and 3 year old shouldn’t have to do. 

Do you know what?  This was all preventable!  Rushing to get something done and taking shortcuts to do it, made Kim lose her husband and Marlena and Vinny lose their father.  I can’t imagine what this did to Kim and her children but I’ve seen her and her kids in pain and it’s not fair to any of them.  I spoke to Kim and had her look at this before sending it out to make sure it was OK.  She agreed to it, because if her story makes a difference to one person, it’s worth telling.  If it makes one person think twice before not wearing PPE, tying off or making sure something is locked out, it’ll be worth it. 

Please don’t ever think something like this can’t happen to you.  I’m sure Tom thought this would never happen and believe me, he was a good guy that you would have all liked but it only takes a split second for something to happen that can change or end your life, the life of someone around you or the life of those you love.   

Safety isn’t about the fancy abbreviated terms and metrics we track, it’s about Kim. 

Design Build Project - Children's Administration Building

Check out the impressive lighting at the new Children's Administration Building! NEI Electric was the proud Design Build Electrical Contractor. The project included; service upgrades, new energy efficient LED lighting, voice evacuation fire alarm system, and new UPS power distribution for critical network systems.

Estimator - St. Paul, MN Location!

Join the NEI Electric Team! We are looking for an Electrical Estimator to join our St. Paul, MN office.  Estimator experience preferred.  We offer competitive wages, and a full benefit package.  NEI is a 60 + year old electrical contractor that performs electrical construction and electrical service work in the greater Minnesota and Wisconsin area.   Join our fun and friendly work environment.

Send resumes to customerservice@neielectric.com no phone inquiries please.