Lead Proposal Engineer-Defense/Aerospace (Secret Clearance)

Amro-A-Division-of-Karman-Space-; Huntington Beach (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Company-paid life and AD&D insurance

Disability insurance

Job summary

Karman Space & Defense is seeking a Lead Proposal Engineer in Huntington Beach, CA. You will lead cost estimating and technical analyses from customer requests through final submission, coordinating with Engineering, Operations, Finance, and Business Development to align capabilities with customer needs.

Responsibilities include evaluating RFQs, defining assumptions, estimating labor and material costs, and maintaining Excel-based cost models.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing Engineering or related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• 1+ years of engineering experience at Karman Space & Defense or 3+ years in space/defense industry.
• Experience interpreting drawings, specs, BOMs, SOWs, and other technical requirements.
• Knowledge of aerospace manufacturing processes and evaluating labor, material, tooling, and outside processing.
• Experience developing technical or manufacturing cost estimates including labor/material.
• Strong proficiency with Excel and developing cost/estimation workbooks.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; documenting risks and recommendations.
• DoD security clearance or ability to obtain one.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate customer requests for quotation, SOWs, drawings, specs, and BOMs.
• Identify materials, processes, tooling, outside services, and other cost elements beyond BOMs.
• Define proposal requirements, assumptions, risks, exclusions, and clarifications.
• Develop and review manufacturing processes, labor content, cycle times, production rates, and related assumptions.
• Estimate direct labor hours using manufacturing processes and data.
• Create and validate cost estimates for materials, labor, tooling, outside processing, and NRE.
• Prepare basis-of-estimate documentation for labor, material, tooling, and inputs.
• Support technical discussions with customers and align capabilities with needs.
• Maintain Excel cost/proposal workbooks with accurate formulas and pricing.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Operations, and Supply Chain to validate manufacturability and supplier pricing.

Skills

MS Excel proficiency

Communication skills

Security clearance eligibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Karman Space & Defense is seeking a Lead Proposal Engineer in Huntington Beach, CA. You will lead cost estimating and technical analyses from customer requests through final submission, coordinating with Engineering, Operations, Finance, and Business Development to align capabilities with customer needs.

Responsibilities include evaluating RFQs, defining assumptions, estimating labor and material costs, and maintaining Excel-based cost models.