Cost Engineer

Posted 3 Days Ago
Be an Early Applicant
Menlo Park, CA, USA
Hybrid
86K-115K Annually
Entry level
Energy
The Role
Supports supply chain cost analysis, BOM cost roll-ups, should-cost modeling, cost-down tracking, capacity planning, and reporting. Collaborates with procurement, engineering, commodity management, finance, and suppliers to validate cost and capacity data, identify savings opportunities, maintain dashboards, and track project progress. The role is designed for someone with 0–3 years of experience to develop cost engineering expertise in a hardware environment.
Summary Generated by Built In
About Mainspring

Mainspring Energy manufactures and delivers fuel-flexible, low-emissions local power solutions that rapidly add new capacity and deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable electric power. The company began commercial shipments of its Mainspring Linear Generators in 2020 and today has hundreds of megawatts in advanced development and field operations for leading Fortune 500 companies, data centers, and utilities. Mainspring also partners with global energy leaders including AEP, NextEra Energy Resources, Schneider Electric, and more.

The core values that ground our work, guide our decisions, and connect us together:

  • Pragmatic Optimism
  • Excellence without Ego
  • Proactive Collaboration

Job Overview

    We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Cost Engineer to join our SC PM & Cost Engineering team. This position provides an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience in supply chain cost analysis and optimization strategies, should-cost modeling, and capacity reporting inside a fast-moving hardware environment. You will work closely with the experienced team members to support BOM cost roll-ups, cost-down tracking, and capacity planning, while building the analytical and cross-functional skills to grow into more senior cost engineering ownership over time.

Key Responsibilities

    Cost Analysis & Should-Cost Support
  • Assist in conducting cost analysis across the supply chain — procurement, manufacturing, transportation, and distribution — in support of BOM cost roll-up and forecasting activities

  • Help build and maintain should-cost and cost models to evaluate the impact of different scenarios on overall BOM cost, working under the guidance of the Cost Engineering Program Manager

  • Research and track market trends for key cost drivers (raw material prices, labor costs, logistics rates) and summarize findings to support forecasting and cost planning

  • Capacity Planning & Reporting Support
  • Support the team’s capacity management process by helping compile and maintain supply and production capacity data across commodities

  • Help develop and maintain a cost/capacity tracking database or dashboard (e.g., Smartsheet, Quickbase, Tableau, Power BI, or equivalent) to support cost reduction and capacity visibility efforts

  • Prepare clear, data-driven reports and visuals to communicate cost and capacity metrics and project progress to stakeholders

  • Cross-Functional Support & Project Execution
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams — procurement, engineering, commodity management, and finance — to collect and validate cost and capacity data

  • Support the tracking of cost-savings initiatives, providing status updates and reporting to the team as needed

  • Assist in maintaining project tracking so cost and capacity data stays current and accurate

  • Support supplier engagement efforts to understand cost structures, identify cost-saving opportunities, and maintain pricing transparency

  • Participate in ad-hoc projects and process-improvement initiatives as assigned

Qualifications & Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related field

  • 0–3 years of relevant experience (internships, co-ops, or full-time experience in cost analysis, supply chain, or a related analytical role)

  • Strong analytical skills with proficiency in spreadsheet-based data analysis (Excel, Google Sheets); comfort working with BOM or cost data

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams

  • Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously

  • Eagerness to learn, take feedback well, and take on new challenges in a fast-paced, evolving environment

Preferred Qualifications

  • Familiarity with ERP systems or supply chain planning software

  • Exposure to PLM systems (e.g., Enovia or equivalent) or willingness to learn one

  • Foundational understanding of supply chain principles — logistics, procurement, and inventory management

  • Prior internship or project experience in cost analysis, data analysis, capacity planning, or supply chain

  • Experience with dashboard or database tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Smartsheet, Quickbase) is a plus

  • Experience using AI-powered tools (e.g., Claude or similar large language model platforms) to speed up analysis or reporting is a plus

Does your experience not meet all of our posted requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to positions unless they meet every listed requirement. At Mainspring, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, flexible, and collaborative environment, so if you want to help us transition the world to clean and affordable electricity, and don’t meet all posted requirements for a particular role, we’d still love to hear from you. Mainspring can sometimes be flexible enough to shift responsibilities for the right person, or otherwise identify open or upcoming roles that may better fit your professional background.

In more traditional words, Mainspring Energy, Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

This compensation and benefits information is based on Mainspring Energy's estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future. We generally do not negotiate on salary once we have made an offer. The level of pay within the range will depend on a variety of job-related factors that may include location, relevant prior experience and/or education, or particular skills and expertise. New hires joining the company tend to be paid within the starting base pay range noted above, with opportunities to increase pay over time based on development of additional skills, competencies, and company-specific knowledge.

Skills Required

  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related field
  • 0–3 years of relevant experience in cost analysis, supply chain, or a related analytical role
  • Strong analytical skills with proficiency in spreadsheet-based data analysis
  • Comfort working with BOM or cost data
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to work effectively across teams
  • Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
  • Familiarity with ERP systems or supply chain planning software
  • Exposure to PLM systems such as Enovia or equivalent
  • Foundational understanding of logistics, procurement, and inventory management
  • Prior internship or project experience in cost analysis, data analysis, capacity planning, or supply chain
  • Experience with Tableau, Power BI, Smartsheet, Quickbase, or similar dashboard/database tools
  • Experience using AI-powered tools such as Claude or similar large language model platforms
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The Company
HQ: Menlo Park, CA
294 Employees
Year Founded: 2010

What We Do

Driven by our vision of the affordable, reliable, net-zero carbon grid of the future, Mainspring has developed a new category of power generation — the linear generator — that delivers onsite, fuel-flexible power to accelerate the transition to the future grid. To learn more visit www.mainspringenergy.com.

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