Proposal and Process Engineer

Colonial Group; Lake Orion (MI); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

PTO

401k Match

Job summary

Ascent Aerospace seeks a Proposals & Process Engineer to lead the technical development and proposal process for aerospace tooling, automation, and production-system opportunities. You will collaborate with Sales and Account Management to translate customer requirements into executable, competitive solutions.

This role coordinates Engineering, Estimating, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Program Management to define scope, tooling concepts, and schedules, while improving standards and

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of proven application engineering or proposal development experience.
• Experience interfacing with customers and internal teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical development and proposal process for aerospace tooling and production systems.
• Coordinate Engineering, Estimating, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality and PM to define scope and schedules.
• Improve proposals through standards, templates, gates, and lessons learned.
• Translate customer requirements and drawings into executable solutions.

Skills

Proposal development

Customer interaction

Engineering communication

Analytical thinking

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or engineering technology

Job description

Ascent Aerospace – Inspiring the next generation of flight!

Ascent Aerospace is a world-renowned, single-source provider of production and automated assembly systems for the aerospace and defense industry. We provide high-precision advanced automated equipment as well as a full suite of both mold and assembly tooling required for the aerospace manufacturing market, including the largest Invar molds ever made— making us the largest tooling group in the industry. We work with our customers to develop their project and see it through, from process engineering to build and installation, to ensure it is an efficient and cost-effective solution. As a true, single-source integrator, we have proven tools to surpass our customer expectations. We have greater control of timing and schedules, which allows for 100% accountability, and avoids costly mark-ups, ultimately saving our customers money. The result: a group of businesses, each an industry leader within their own discipline, now acting as one truly integrated supply base.

Summary of Position

The Proposals & Process Engineer leads the technical development and proposal process for aerospace tooling, automation, and production-system opportunities. Partnering with Sales and Account Management, this role translates customer requirements, drawings, and manufacturing objectives into well-defined, executable, and commercially competitive solutions.

This position coordinates Engineering, Estimating, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Program Management to develop the technical scope, manufacturing approach, tooling and automation concepts, assumptions, risk assessments, schedules, and proposal documentation required to support a winning offer. The Proposals & Process Engineer also improves the systems, standards, templates, review gates, and lessons-learned practices that increase proposal quality, speed, estimating accuracy, and execution readiness.

Essential Functions

• Working alongside the Account Manager, serve as the technical customer-facing representative, working collaboratively with the customer to develop and define the deliverables for the proposal.
• Act as an extension of the customer's manufacturing engineering team, ensuring seamless communication and understanding of customer needs.
• Constructively challenge the customer to evaluate and select the optimal assembly process solutions.
• Provide clear, detailed, and timely communication between the customer and Ascent team, ensuring alignment on project scope, deliverables, and timelines.
• Possess a comprehensive understanding of assembly processes in a manufacturing environment, ensuring efficient and effective solution development.
• Analyze product and assembly engineering drawings to identify and recommend the optimal assembly approach.
• Sequence parts and processes effectively to meet customer requirements, optimizing for efficiency, quality, and cost.
• Develop and implement a cohesive tooling methodology that ensures commonality of parts and operations across the solution.
• Identify and document tooling needs, compiling a comprehensive tool list that ensures adherence to product specifications and quality standards.
• Understand and apply tolerances, tolerance stack-ups, GD&T, and other critical design considerations in the manufacturing process.
• Develop assembly processes, including tooling and automation, from limited customer inputs, requirements, and drawings.
• Efficiently gather necessary information from customers and lead the generation of clear ground rules and assumptions where information is incomplete.
• Facilitate collaborative "whiteboard" sessions with both customer and Ascent teams to brainstorm, evaluate, and refine potential solutions to manufacturing challenges.
• Communicate abstract ideas and conceptual solutions to both internal and external stakeholders, ensuring clarity and understanding.
• Leverage internal expertise and resources to refine and enhance the conceptual designs, ensuring manufacturability and feasibility.
• Collaborate with the Ascent team to create and refine the technical offer to the customer, ensuring alignment with customer expectations and Ascent’s capabilities.
• Align customer pricing expectations with the cost of conceptual models, providing realistic and competitive pricing structures.
• Provide accurate industry-standard lead times for manufacturing tooling and processes.
• Contribute to the creation of the technical documentation required for the proposal, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
• Demonstrate creativity and innovation in developing manufacturing solutions that solve customer challenges, particularly when limited information is available.
• Continuously seek opportunities for improvement, both in processes and in the solutions provided to customers, driving efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction.

Required Skills, Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or engineering technology, or an equivalent of work history.
• Minimum of 10 years of proven application engineering or proposal development with a demonstrated competence in aerospace, tooling, and/or automated solutions.
• Demonstrated experience with customer interaction and interface
• Strong communication skills and ability to communicate technical information
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

No

Travel

Travel is expected to interface directly with the customers at their manufacturing sites. Both domestic and potential international travel could be required. Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid passport. The ability to travel up to 40% throughout the calendar year is anticipated to support customer pursuits onsite.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Working conditions described here are representative of those that may be experienced by an employee on a daily basis while performing the functions of this job.

• Typically sits for extended periods at a computer workstation
• May access and work in the manufacturing plant
• While performing the duties of this job, employee may be exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes and airborne particles
• The employee may be exposed to vibration
• The employee is occasionally exposed to caustic chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate
• May be required to travel to other site locations during the work day
• May be required to work weekends to meet department and business demands
• Work with safe manufacturing processes and understand that eyewear is mandatory in the manufacturing area.
• Knows that safety shoes are recommended in the manufacturing area

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

• Must be able to sit, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
• Must be able to see, talk, hear, touch, feel and reach with hands and arms.
• Must be able to frequently walk and stand for short periods of time
• Must be able to lift and move up to 35lbs, occasionally lift and move objects up to 50lbs.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Employment is contingent upon successfully passing an employee reference check, criminal background check, and drug screening.

This position requires use of information that is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a U.S. person as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder').

BENEFITS

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• AD&D Insurance
• PTO
• 401k Match

No Unauthorized Referrals from Recruiters & Vendors

Please note that Ascent Aerospace does not seek or accept unsolicited resumes or offers from third party recruiters or staffing agencies associated with any published or unpublished employment opportunities. Any unsolicited information sent to Ascent Aerospace will be considered as unencumbered and free from any fee or charge whatsoever. Only members of our Human Resources Team have the authority to engage or authorize recruiting services, which must be agreed upon before the unsolicited resume or offer is received.