Composites Proposal & Estimating Engineer

ICOMAT; Gloucester; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private healthcare

Pension scheme

Stock options

Career growth opportunities

Innovation-focused culture

Global impact

Job summary

iCOMAT is seeking a Composites Proposal & Estimating Engineer to transform customer requirements into credible, competitive manufacturing proposals. You will assess materials, tooling, labour and processes to build credible cost estimates and clear quotations.

The role blends engineering insight with commercial sense, working across Engineering, Manufacturing and Supply Chain. This hybrid position requires hands-on understanding of composite manufacturing, with regular time at Gloucester/Swindon

Qualifications

• Good understanding of composite manufacturing processes.
• Experience with cost estimation for materials, labour and tooling.
• Ability to develop and present technical-commercial proposals.
• Familiarity with RFQs and customer requirements.

Responsibilities

• Review RFQs, drawings and customer requirements
• Develop manufacturing approaches for composite parts and assemblies
• Build estimates for material, labour, tooling, machining, assembly and bought-out items
• Develop NRE and recurring production costs
• Validate assumptions with Engineering, Manufacturing and Supply Chain
• Identify risks
• Prepare quotations and proposals
• Support customer discussions

Skills

Composites manufacturing

Cost estimation

Proposal development

RFQ review

Job description

Join ICOMAT – Revolutionising the Future of Lightweight Manufacturing!

iCOMAT is an advanced manufacturing company that invented Rapid Tow Shearing (RTS) - the only proven technology for producing defect‑free curved‑fiber composite parts at industrial scale. We deliver the lightest structures possible for aerospace, automotive, defense, and space, at a rate and cost efficiency that far exceeds existing composite production processes.

We build and operate automated factories for composite materials, delivering components to Tier 1 suppliers and OEMs. The business has three main divisions: development of automated production machines, development of software design and production tools, and operation of the factory. We work with 25+ customers and completed the largest ever Series A in composites manufacturing to fuel a significant scale-up, with growth plans that will see the business multiply in size over the next two to three years and expand operations into the UK, Europe and the US.

The business has currently more than 130,000 sqm of production capacity with manufacturing facilities in the UK (Gloucester and Swindon) and the US (Dayton, Ohio); a Hardware R&D Centre in Bristol, UK; and a Software R&D Centre in Athens, Greece.

The role

We’re looking for a Composites Proposal & Estimating Engineer to help turn customer requirements into credible, competitive manufacturing proposals.

This isn’t a traditional sales role.

We need someone who understands how composite parts are actually made and can use that knowledge to work out:

• How we would manufacture a part or assembly
• What materials, tooling, labour and processes are required
• What the job is likely to cost
• What assumptions and risks need to be considered
• How to turn that into a clear customer quotation or proposal

You won’t be expected to solve every technical problem yourself, but you should have enough composites manufacturing knowledge to develop a strong first-pass solution and know when specialist engineering input is needed.

What will you be doing?

• Reviewing RFQs, drawings and customer requirements
• Developing manufacturing approaches for composite parts and assemblies
• Building estimates for material, labour, tooling, machining, assembly and bought-out items
• Developing NRE and recurring production costs
• Working with Engineering, Manufacturing and Supply Chain to validate assumptions
• Identifying manufacturing, technical and commercial risks
• Preparing quotations and technical-commercial proposals
• Supporting customer discussions and clarifying requirements
• Improving our costing tools, estimating processes and proposal templates

What do we need from you?

The most important thing is a good understanding of composite manufacturing.

You May Already Be Working As a

Composites Manufacturing Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Production Engineer, Estimating Engineer, Project Engineer, NPI Engineer or experienced composites manufacturing professional.

Experience across some of the following would be particularly useful:

• Prepreg and/or dry-fibre composites
• Hand lay-up and laminating
• Autoclave or oven processing
• Composite tooling
• Bonding and assembly
• CNC trimming and machining
• Manufacturing routings and BoMs
• Labour and material estimating
• Low-rate or series production

Previous Business Development or proposal experience is useful, but it isn’t essential.

We’re more interested in someone with strong manufacturing judgement who can develop the commercial and proposal side of their career.

Working Conditions

This is a hybrid role, not a fully remote position.

Regular time at our Gloucester and Swindon facilities is important, as the role involves working closely with the teams actually developing and manufacturing the products we quote.

For someone coming from a manufacturing or engineering background, this is a great opportunity to move closer to customers, commercial decision‑making and business development while staying connected to the technical side of advanced composites.

Our Values: Uncompromising Excellence

• Discipline over excuses. We commit. We follow through. We hold ourselves and each other to the highest standard, especially when the pressure is on.
• Push the edge. iCOMAT was built on a refusal to accept that curved fiber could not be manufactured at scale. We innovate where others hesitate.
• Aligned and accountable. Everyone owns their lane, communicates openly, and delivers without being chased. No silos. No ambiguity.

Why iCOMAT?

• Competitive Salary & Benefits: We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including private healthcare, pension scheme.
• Stock Options: Equity options to give employees a stake in the company’s success
• Career Growth Opportunities: Join us at a pivotal time as we scale up, offering unmatched professional growth opportunities in the rapidly advancing field of composite materials.
• Innovation-Focused Culture: We pride ourselves on our inclusive, forward‑thinking work environment. Recognized by Bloomberg as a \"UK Startup to Watch\", iCOMAT celebrates diversity and encourages all applicants, regardless of background, to apply.
• Global Impact: Be a part of our mission to redefine lightweight structures for the automotive, aerospace, and space industries, working with some of the most influential companies worldwide.Ready to be part of something big?

iCOMAT is an Advanced Manufacturing business, which provides state‑of‑the‑art lightweighting solutions based on the Rapid Tow Shearing (RTS) process.

We are proud to collaborate with the world’s top OEMs and end‑users. Together we develop new frontiers in automated composites manufacturing which revolutionises the aerospace, automotive and space sectors.