Business Development Engineer

Rock West Composites; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% Employer Paid Medical and Dental

Annual Bonus

401K - 5% match

Employee Stocks Option Program

9/80 work schedule

8- paid Holidays

PTO: Max. 4-weeks after 5 years of em­

$2,500 tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Rock West Composites, Inc. is seeking a Business Development Engineer in San Diego, CA, reporting to the VP of Space Structures.

You will support new business growth through technical proposal development, cost estimation oversight, and cross-functional collaboration. The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or related field, and 2–3 years in engineering, estimating, manufacturing, or business development support.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or related field.
• 2-3 years of experience in engineering, estimating, manufacturing, or business development support.
• Strong understanding of cost estimating and manufacturing processes.
• Experience working in a cross-functional manufacturing environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Review and validate cost estimates, ensuring alignment with manufacturing methods and pricing strategy.
• Ensure cost build-ups include materials, tooling, labor, and project complexity.
• Translate project scope and engineering requirements into cost and schedule estimates.
• Support estimators in obtaining supplier quotations and lead times for materials and tooling.
• Develop and maintain cost and schedule models, including cost curve analysis.
• Establish and support cost tracking processes to monitor project profitability.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or related field

Job description

Rock West Composites, Inc. has an exciting opportunity for a Business Development Engineer.

Rock West Composites, Inc. is an engineering and manufacturing company dedicated to providing innovative solutions for commercial and government customers. This position is located in San Diego, Ca and reports to our VP of Space Structures.

Position Summary:

The Business Development Engineer supports new business growth through technical proposal development, cost estimation oversight, and cross-functional collaboration.

Essential Functions:

• Review and validate cost estimates, ensuring alignment with manufacturing methods and pricing strategy
• Ensure cost build-ups include all key inputs such as materials, tooling, labor, and project complexity
• Translate project scope and engineering requirements into accurate cost and schedule estimates, including capital expenditures as needed
• Support estimators in obtaining supplier quotations and lead times for materials, tooling, and components
• Develop and maintain cost and schedule models, including cost curve analysis based on historical data
• Establish and support cost tracking processes to monitor project profitability and improve pricing strategies

Proposal & Business Development Support:

• Support RFQ/RFP responses and proposal development activities
• Maintain accurate tracking and reporting of customer opportunities and proposals
• Assist with opportunity qualification, planning, scheduling, and budgeting
• Follow up on inbound leads and support early-stage customer engagement

Cross-Functional Coordination:

• Collaborate with Engineering, Program Management, Operations, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to develop competitive and executable proposals
• Coordinate with suppliers to obtain pricing, lead times, and technical input
• Act as a liaison between internal teams to ensure alignment on scope, cost, and delivery expectations

Customer & Market Support:

• Support development of relationships with customers, prospects, and suppliers
• Participate in customer meetings, site visits, and trade shows as needed
• Provide internal feedback on customer requirements, market trends, and competitive insights
• Support the transition of opportunities from concept through production readiness

Non-Essential Functions:

Other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or related field
• 2-3 years of experience in engineering, estimating, manufacturing, or business development support
• Strong understanding of cost estimating and manufacturing processes
• Experience working in a cross-functional manufacturing environment
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Perks and Benefits:

• 100% Employer Paid Medical and Dental
• Annual Bonus
• 401K - 5% match
• Employee Stocks Option Program
• 9/80 work schedule
• 8- paid Holidays
• PTO: Max. 4-weeks after 5 years of employment
• $2,500 tuition reimbursement

Compensation:

The compensation range for this position falls within $75,000 and $100,000. The final compensation will be determined based on experience, skillset, and other factors permitted by law.

Why should you want to work with us?

Rock West Composites cares about our employees! Not only do we offer great benefits to our full-time employees (Medical & Dental 100% employer paid, Vision, Paid Time Off and 401K match), we offer a fun and friendly working environment!

Rock West Composites is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the company to provide equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status or any other basis prohibited by state or federal law. Due to nature of defense contracts, US Citizenship is a requirement. As part of our Drug and Alcohol Policy, upon acceptance of any offer of employment, employment will be conditional of passing a required drug test.

If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are limited in the ability or unable to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact 858-537-6260.