Estimator/Project Manager (Manufacturing)

Sterling Engineering; Crystal Lake (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling Engineering in Crystal Lake, IL is seeking an Estimator/Project Manager to oversee custom fabrication and tooling projects from inquiry through fabrication and delivery.

You will manage project timelines, coordinate cross-functional teams, and ensure customer requirements are translated accurately into production, while maintaining documentation and communication with clients and internal departments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Experience in manufacturing, tooling, machining, or fabrication.
• Ability to read blueprints and produce manufacturing drawings.
• Experience with CAD tools (Inventor, AutoCAD) is a plus.
• Strong cross-functional communication across departments.

Responsibilities

• Prepare quotes, estimates, and proposals from scratch.
• Develop project scopes from customer requirements aligned with capabilities.
• Coordinate tooling work orders and project docs.
• Collaborate with engineering, purchasing, production, and quality teams.
• Manage schedules and ensure on-time delivery.
• Serve as primary liaison between customers and internal teams.
• Review completed projects to drive continuous improvement.
• Maintain documentation, drawings, and specs throughout the lifecycle.

Skills

Project coordination

Communication

Manufacturing experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

CAD software (Inventor/AutoCAD)

Job description

No C2C or 3rd Party candidates will be considered.

A growing manufacturing organization is seeking an Estimator/Project Manager to oversee custom fabrication and tooling projects from initial customer inquiry through manufacturing and delivery. This role will be responsible for managing project timelines, coordinating cross-functional teams, and ensuring customer requirements are translated accurately into production.

Location: Crystal Lake, IL 60014

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare quotes, estimates, and proposals for customer inquiries, including material and labor cost evaluations from scratch.
• Review customer requirements and develop detailed project scopes to ensure solutions align with manufacturing capabilities.
• Generate and coordinate tooling work orders and project documentation for internal manufacturing teams.
• Work closely with engineering, purchasing, production, and quality teams to ensure projects move efficiently through the manufacturing process.
• Manage project schedules and ensure jobs are completed on time and within scope.
• Serve as the primary point of contact between internal departments and customers to confirm requirements and provide project updates.
• Review completed projects and gather feedback to support continuous improvement and future quoting accuracy.
• Ensure all documentation, drawings, and specifications are maintained accurately throughout the project lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical field preferred.
• Experience working in a manufacturing, tooling, machining, or fabrication environment.
• Strong ability to interpret blueprints and create technical drawings and manufacturing documentation.
• Experience working with CAD software such as Inventor, AutoCAD, or similar tools is a plus.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to coordinate across multiple departments.