Cost & Estimating Engineer – Custom Machinery

Connect-Force; Commerce (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Connect Force is partnering with an established machinery manufacturer seeking a mechanically minded Cost & Estimating Engineer who can turn customer requirements, engineering concepts, and manufacturing details into accurate estimates and compelling proposals.

This on-site role offers involvement from initial concept to a finished machine, with collaboration across engineering and manufacturing teams to influence project scope and pricing.

Qualifications

• Experience in cost engineering, estimating, proposal engineering, applications engineering, or technical quoting within custom machinery, machine tools, automation, tooling, or industrial equipment.
• Strong mechanical understanding of how equipment is designed, manufactured, and assembled.
• Experience preparing estimates, quotations, or technical proposals.
• Ability to interpret mechanical drawings, bills of materials, and customer specifications.
• Strong Excel skills and an organized approach to detailed work.
• Confidence communicating with engineers, suppliers, and manufacturing personnel.
• Judgment to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and identify missing information in an estimate.
• Experience with machine building, machining, tooling, precision manufacturing, or hands‑on mechanical design; engineering degree is helpful.

Responsibilities

• Develop cost estimates and quotations for custom machinery, tooling, equipment modifications, and related manufacturing projects.
• Review customer RFQs, specifications, engineering drawings, and project requirements to define scope and identify cost drivers.
• Estimate materials, purchased components, machining, fabrication, assembly, engineering hours, and outside services.
• Collaborate with mechanical engineering, controls, purchasing, production, and service teams to build complete, practical estimates.
• Obtain and evaluate supplier quotations, lead times, and technical information.
• Prepare clear proposals outlining pricing, scope, assumptions, and exclusions.
• Identify missing information, technical risks, and opportunities to improve cost or manufacturability.
• Support the transition from quotation to project execution so teams understand what was included.
• Compare estimated costs with actual project information to improve future quoting accuracy.

Skills

Cost engineering

Estimating

Proposal engineering

Technical quoting

Reading drawings

Excel

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Engineering or technical degree

Job description

Connect Force is partnering with an established machinery manufacturer seeking a mechanically minded Cost & Estimating Engineer who can turn customer requirements, engineering concepts, and manufacturing details into accurate estimates and compelling proposals.

This on-site role offers involvement from initial concept to a finished machine, with collaboration across engineering and manufacturing teams to influence project scope and pricing.