Director of Engineering & Estimating

Steelcrest Precision; Wauseon (OH); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive compensation

Annual performance incentive

Health benefits

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Executive development opportunities

Job summary

Steelcrest Precision in Wauseon, Ohio, seeks a Director of Engineering & Estimating to transform the 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 role reports to the President & CEO and requires 10+ years of aerospace engineering leadership, with AS9102 First Article readiness, ITAR, and

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.
• Leadership of engineering organizations supporting roughly $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.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the engineering and estimating strategy aligned with long-term growth.
• Own engineering performance across manufacturing including productivity, quality, cost, and delivery.
• Lead all manufacturing, process, tooling, CAM/CAD, and program engineering activities.
• Own the estimating function with cost models, should-cost analyses, and pricing governance.
• Reduce quote turnaround time while improving estimating accuracy and margins.
• Drive Industry 4.0, automation, AI-enabled estimating, and digital manufacturing.
• Lead NPI, AS9102 readiness, and ECO management.
• Partner with Sales to win strategic programs with superior manufacturability and pricing.
• Develop engineering talent, succession plans, and a culture of accountability and excellence.
• Recommend capital investments and ensure ROI; represent Engineering in audits.

Skills

Bachelor's degree

Engineering leadership

Aerospace standards

ITAR compliance

CNC/GD&T

AS9102/AS9100

Estimating methodologies

Multi-site leadership

U.S. Person (ITAR)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Paperless Parts

Global Shop

E2

JobBOSS

Job description

Wauseon, Ohio | Aerospace Precision Machining | Full-Time | Executive Leadership Team
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.

Brief Description

STEELCREST PRECISION
DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING & ESTIMATING
Wauseon, Ohio | Aerospace Precision Machining | Full-Time | Executive Leadership Team
Reports Directly to the President & CEO

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
• Executive communication
• Customer-facing leadership
• Talent development
• Data-driven decision making
• Change management
• 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.

ITAR REQUIREMENT

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.