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Job Description
Aerospace Estimation Engineer – Composite Structures & Honeycomb Products
Location: Pottsville, Pennsylvania, USA
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Aerospace Estimation Engineer with hands-on experience in composite structures, honeycomb core products, aerospace manufacturing processes, and cost estimation/quoting activities within commercial and defense aerospace sectors to support engineering estimating and quotation activities for a leading aerospace composites manufacturer based in Pottsville, PA. The role will support bidding, proposal development, cost estimation, and manufacturing assessments across a diverse portfolio including – Commercial, Defense and Emerging Aviation platforms
The successful candidate will work closely with the client's Engineering Manager and cross-functional manufacturing teams to develop accurate labor, material, tooling, and manufacturing cost estimates for composite and honeycomb-based products.
Industry Experience
- Minimum 5 years of experience in aerospace manufacturing, manufacturing engineering, cost estimation, bid engineering, or quotation development.
- Hands-on experience with aerospace composite structures, honeycomb core products, prepreg materials, or advanced manufacturing environments.
- Familiarity with commercial and defense aerospace program requirements, quality standards, and compliance expectations.
- Proven ability to develop estimates covering labor, materials, tooling, machine utilization, process time, and manufacturing overhead.
- Strong knowledge of composite manufacturing processes, including prepreg handling, layup, tooling, curing, trimming, machining, forming, and assembly.
- Experience assessing honeycomb core forming, shaping, machining, fabrication, and production routing methods.
Technical Skills:
- Strong understanding of composite structures, honeycomb core products, prepreg materials, and aerospace manufacturing processes.
- Proficiency in interpreting RFQs, engineering drawings, specifications, bills of material, and manufacturing requirements.
- Practical knowledge of core forming, layup, curing, machining, trimming, fabrication, assembly, and inspection processes.
- Experience developing labor, material, tooling, machine, and overhead cost estimates for aerospace products.
- Working familiarity with NC programming concepts, manufacturing routings, tooling, process planning, and resource loading.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify cost drivers, production risks, and manufacturability constraints.
- Effective communication and stakeholder collaboration skills across engineering, manufacturing, operations, supply chain, and business teams.
- Ability to standardize estimating assumptions, templates, methods, and lessons learned to improve quote quality and turnaround time.
Key Responsibilities: Summary of Responsibilities & Skills
- Analyze customer RFQs, engineering drawings, specifications, and technical requirements to develop accurate engineering quotations.
- Interpret technical requirements and manufacturing considerations for aerospace composites, honeycomb, commercial, defense, space, and emerging aviation programs.
- Review production methods, manufacturing routings, and process plans for composite and honeycomb structures.
- Assess fabrication, machining, core forming, trimming, assembly, and other manufacturing operations to identify key cost drivers and manufacturability considerations.
- Apply aerospace cost-estimation principles and manufacturing cost-modeling methodologies to quotation activities.
- Estimate labor requirements, process cycle times, tooling needs, machine utilization, and manufacturing resources required for production.
- Develop detailed cost models covering material, labor, tooling, machine utilization, and manufacturing overheads.
- Prepare cost estimates and engineering quotations for aerospace composite products and assemblies.
- Support proposal preparation, bid reviews, and quotation submissions for commercial and defense aerospace opportunities.
- Participate in technical reviews, customer proposal discussions, and cross-functional decision-making activities.
- Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, operations, and business teams to improve estimating accuracy, consistency, and responsiveness.
- Leverage knowledge of NC programming concepts, tooling, process planning, and aerospace manufacturing operations to enhance estimate quality and manufacturability assessments.
- Establish scalable estimating methodologies, standards, templates, and best practices to support future growth and operational efficiency.
Skills Required
- Minimum 5 years of experience in aerospace manufacturing, manufacturing engineering, cost estimation, bid engineering, or quotation development.
- Hands-on experience with aerospace composite structures, honeycomb core products, prepreg materials, or advanced manufacturing environments.
- Familiarity with commercial and defense aerospace program requirements, quality standards, and compliance expectations.
- Experience developing estimates covering labor, materials, tooling, machine utilization, process time, and manufacturing overhead.
- Strong knowledge of composite manufacturing processes, including prepreg handling, layup, tooling, curing, trimming, machining, forming, and assembly.
- Experience assessing honeycomb core forming, shaping, machining, fabrication, and production routing methods.
- Proficiency interpreting RFQs, engineering drawings, specifications, bills of material, and manufacturing requirements.
- Working familiarity with NC programming concepts, manufacturing routings, tooling, process planning, and resource loading.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder collaboration skills.
- Ability to standardize estimating assumptions, templates, methods, and lessons learned.
What We Do
When clients come to us for product design and development, they get a full range of technical expertise and laboratory resources, but they also get a team that’s relentless when it comes to solving problems and creating designs that are the ideal combination of function and form. What does that mean? We build tools that save lives. For surgeons, it means they have tools that not only address but anticipate their needs, which helps improve their patients’ outcomes. We create products that save money and ensure safety. For people juggling family, work, and other demands, it means they have products that provide real help in managing their everyday lives. And for businesses, it means their bottom line is supported with durable tools that improve efficiency and protect their teams. From concept to production plan, or at any phase in between, we are a partner that can extend your product development know-how or provide additional mindpower to free up in-house teams.
