Director of Engineering and Estimating

Steelcrest Precision; Toledo (OH); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Health benefits

Executive development opportunities

Job summary

Steelcrest Precision seeks a Director of Engineering & Estimating to transform and lead our engineering organization, spanning Manufacturing, Process, Program, and Estimating, driving profitability, accuracy, and customer satisfaction. This executive role reports to the President & CEO and shapes the technical roadmap for growth.

You will advance Industry 4.0, automate estimation, and manage NPI, while mentoring teams across multiple sites to deliver strategic programs with competitive pricing

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or Aerospace Engineering is required.
• 10+ years of progressive engineering leadership in aerospace precision machining or similarly regulated manufacturing.
• Experience leading multi-site engineering teams and driving operational transformation.
• Demonstrated leadership of engineering organizations supporting approximately $30M–$100M manufacturing operations.
• U.S. Person status as defined by ITAR.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the engineering and estimating strategy aligned with long-term growth objectives.
• Own engineering performance across manufacturing, including productivity, manufacturability, quality, cost, and delivery.
• Lead all manufacturing, process, tooling, CAM/CAD, and program engineering activities.
• Own the estimating function, including standardized cost models, should-cost analysis, pricing strategy, and quotation governance.
• Reduce quote turnaround time while improving estimating accuracy and gross margin performance.
• Drive Industry 4.0, automation, AI-enabled estimating, digital manufacturing, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead New Product Introduction (NPI), AS9102 First Article Inspection readiness, and engineering change management.
• Partner with Sales to win strategic programs through superior manufacturability and competitive pricing.
• Develop engineering talent, succession plans, and a culture of accountability, urgency, innovation, and technical excellence.
• Recommend capital investments and ensure measurable return on investment.
• Represent Engineering during customer, OEM, DCMA, AS9100, and regulatory audits.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Estimating

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

U.S. Person status ITAR

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Master's degree or MBA (preferred)

Tools

ERP/MRP

Paperless Parts

Global Shop

E2

JobBOSS

Job description

Reports Directly to the President & CEO

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Steelcrest Precision is a family own Tier II aerospace precision machining company serving leading OEM and defense customers across commercial aerospace, defense, and space markets. Operating under AS9100, ITAR, and CMMC readiness standards, Steelcrest is executing an ambitious strategy to become one of North America's premier precision machining companies through operational excellence, technology investment, and customer-focused growth.

POSITION MISSION

The Director of Engineering & Estimating is responsible for transforming Steelcrest's engineering organization into a world-class competitive advantage. This executive will lead Manufacturing Engineering, Process Engineering, Program Engineering, and Estimating while driving engineering excellence from quotation through production. The position is accountable for improving profitability, estimating accuracy, manufacturing efficiency, scalability, and customer satisfaction, while serving as a strategic advisor to the President & CEO.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and execute the company's engineering and estimating strategy aligned with long-term growth objectives.
• Own engineering performance across manufacturing, including productivity, manufacturability, quality, cost, and delivery.
• Lead all manufacturing, process, tooling, CAM/CAD, and program engineering activities.
• Own the estimating function, including standardized cost models, should-cost analysis, pricing strategy, and quotation governance.
• Reduce quote turnaround time while improving estimating accuracy and gross margin performance.
• Drive Industry 4.0, automation, AI-enabled estimating, digital manufacturing, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead New Product Introduction (NPI), AS9102 First Article Inspection readiness, and engineering change management.
• Partner with Sales to win strategic programs through superior manufacturability and competitive pricing.
• Develop engineering talent, succession plans, and a culture of accountability, urgency, innovation, and technical excellence.
• Recommend capital investments and ensure measurable return on investment.
• Represent Engineering during customer, OEM, DCMA, AS9100, and regulatory audits.

FIRST 12-MONTH SUCCESS METRICS

• Increase estimating accuracy to greater than 95%.
• Reduce quote turnaround time by at least 30%.
• Implement executive engineering KPI dashboards.
• Standardize estimating methodology across all business units.
• Develop a scalable engineering organization capable of supporting significant revenue growth.
• Become a trusted strategic advisor to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or Aerospace Engineering.
• 10+ years of progressive engineering leadership in aerospace precision machining or similarly regulated manufacturing.
• Demonstrated leadership of engineering organizations supporting approximately \$30M–\$100M manufacturing operations.
• Expert knowledge of CNC machining, GD&T, AS9102, AS9100, ITAR, and estimating methodologies.
• Experience leading multi-site engineering teams and driving operational transformation.
• U.S. Person status as defined by ITAR.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's degree or MBA.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher.
• Experience with ERP/MRP, Paperless Parts, Global Shop, E2, JobBOSS, or similar systems.
• Experience implementing automation, digital manufacturing, and AI-enabled engineering processes.

EXECUTIVE COMPETENCIES

• Strategic leadership
• Financial and business acumen
• Customer-facing leadership
• Operational excellence mindset

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Competitive executive compensation, annual performance incentive, comprehensive health benefits, 401(k) with company match, paid time off, and executive development opportunities.

This position requires access to export-controlled technical data. Candidates must qualify as a U.S. Person under 22 CFR 120.15 or otherwise be eligible for U.S. Government authorization.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Steelcrest Precision is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to attracting and developing exceptional talent.