Cost Estimating 4

Qarbon Aerospace Inc; Red Oak (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company paid benefits

Medical insurance

12 paid holidays

Flex time off

401(k) vesting

Tuition reimbursement

Work on aerospace programs

Collaborative team

Flexible work options

Long-term stability

Job summary

Qarbon Aerospace is seeking a Cost Estimator to develop, analyze, and maintain accurate labor cost estimates for composite fabrication and assembly. The role collaborates with engineering, operations, and program management to translate requirements into labor hours, staffing plans, and production rates.

The position requires aerospace knowledge, experience with labor modeling, and strong analytical skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in IE/Manufacturing or related field.
• Experience estimating labor hours, cycles, and capacity in aerospace.
• Ability to read drawings and manufacturing plans for labor content.

Responsibilities

• Develop detailed labor cost estimates for composite fabrication and assembly.
• Analyze models, routings, and production plans to determine labor hours and rates.
• Perform capacity analysis across manufacturing cells and equipment utilization.
• Support proposals and contract negotiations with defendable labor estimates.

Skills

Industrial Engineering background

Aerospace manufacturing understanding

Labor modeling & capacity analysis

Analytical & problem solving

Excellent communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

CATIA

SEER 3D

SAP

Apriso

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Regular Professional Red Oak, TX, US

4 days ago Requisition ID: 2055

Company Overview

Qarbon Aerospace is a premier manufacturer of advanced composite structures and assemblies supporting both commercial and defense aerospace programs. With more than 100 years of combined experience and a global footprint exceeding 1.6 million square feet of state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, we deliver high-quality, innovative solutions that enable the world’s most advanced aircraft.

The Cost Estimator will develop, analyze, and maintain accurate and defensible cost estimates, including capacity planning and capital equipment utilization analysis, for composite part fabrication and assembly. This role supports proposal development, contract negotiations, and program execution by translating engineering and manufacturing requirements into detailed labor hour models, staffing plans, production rates, and equipment loading assumptions. The position works closely with engineering, operations, manufacturing leadership, supply chain, and program management.

Key Responsibilities / Principle Accountabilities

• Develop detailed labor cost estimates for composite fabrication and assembly operations, including touch labor, indirect labor, and production support labor.
• Analyze engineering models, drawings, specifications, routings, and manufacturing plans to determine labor hours, skill mix, learning curves, and production rates.
• Perform capacity analysis to assess labor availability, shift structures, takt times, bottlenecks, and throughput constraints across manufacturing cells.
• Conduct capital equipment utilization analysis, including machine loading, cycle times, utilization rates, and required capital investments to support projected production volumes.
• Translate production scenarios into staffing plans and labor curves to support make/buy decisions, rate readiness, and long-range planning.
• Collaborate with operations, industrial engineering, and program management to validate assumptions related to labor standards, yields, rework, and efficiency factors.
• Create, maintain, and continuously improve labor estimating models, capacity tools, and historical labor databases.
• Identify labor cost drivers, schedule risks, and opportunities for productivity improvement or cost reduction.
• Support proposal development and contract negotiations with well-documented, defendable labor estimates and capacity assumptions.

Skills and Qualifications

• Industrial Engineering or Manufacturing Engineering background strongly preferred, with experience in time studies, process/methods analysis, work measurement, line balancing, or production system optimization.
• Strong understanding of aerospace manufacturing, preferably within composite fabrication and assembly environments.
• Hands-on experience or working knowledge of composite materials, manufacturing processes is preferred.
• Working knowledge of capacity planning, production flow analysis, and capital equipment utilization.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and manufacturing plans to assess labor content and production impacts.
• Ability to interrogate 3D CAD models using CATIA to extract labor-driving features such as part complexity, ply counts, geometry, tooling interfaces, and assembly sequences.
• Experience using SEER 3D as a labor estimating tool, including model setup, assumption validation, and output interpretation is preferred.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and time-management skills; able to work under changing priorities and tight deadlines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (labor modeling, capacity analysis, scenario modeling); proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Familiarity with enterprise manufacturing or planning systems (e.g., SAP, Apriso, or similar) is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable working independently and collaboratively.

Experience and Education Requisites

• Must be a U.S. person per ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) guidelines.
• This position is not eligible for Visa sponsorship or a foreign person per ITAR.
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, or business field preferred (or equivalent experience); candidates with an Industrial Engineering or Manufacturing Engineering background are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Typically 10+ years of related cost estimating or aerospace manufacturing experience for senior-level consideration.
• An active clearance is highly preferred. Candidates without an active clearance may still be considered but must be eligible to obtain and maintain one.

What does Qarbon Aerospace have to offer?

• Company Paid Benefits available immediately upon employment
  • Basic Life Insurance
  • Short-Term Disability (STD) & Long-Term Disability (LTD)
  • 12 Paid Holidays
  • Flex Time Off
• Medical/Prescription Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance / Hospital Indemnity Insurance / Accident Insurance
• Life Insurance and AD&D Insurance
• Savings and Spending Accounts
  • Health Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • Dependent Care FSA
  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Immediate vesting on 401(k) Plans
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge commercial and defense aerospace programs
• Collaborative, growth-oriented team environment
• Flexible work options
• Long-term stability with a proven industry leader