Compare your current skills to what this opportunity needs—we'll show you what you already have and what could strengthen your application.
Job Description
Cost Estimating Manager, Aerospace Composites Red Oak, TX | Full-Time | On-site This U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer produces composite components and assemblies for commercial and military aircraft programs, operating across more than 1.6 million square feet of production facilities. The Cost Estimating and Pricing Manager leads a team of four cost estimators across two locations and is responsible for developing, coordinating, and submitting pricing proposals for follow-on work and contract changes across both government and commercial programs. This is a working manager role that requires direct, hands-on involvement in proposal development alongside team leadership responsibilities. Schedule Monday through Friday, standard business hours. The role is fully on-site in Red Oak, TX, with coordination across a second estimating location.
Compensation:
$113,500 - $167,900 Per Year What You'll Do As Cost Estimating and Pricing Manager, you will lead the development, coordination, and submission of customer proposals for composite aerospace programs and major structures assembly across government and commercial contracts. Your team relies primarily on actual cost data to develop quotes for scope changes and follow-on work, so your ability to work directly in the estimating process alongside your team members is as important as your management responsibilities. You will manage the full proposal lifecycle, including proposal scheduling, deliverable tracking, and driving cross-functional teams to meet submission deadlines. You will gather labor and material inputs from engineering, supply chain, and program management, consolidate pricing data, and ensure proposals comply with customer instructions and applicable regulatory requirements. A significant portion of this work involves Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA) compliant proposals, including coordination of fact-finding sessions and support through negotiations. You will prepare and review executive summaries, compliance matrices, and pricing volumes, and will present and defend proposals to internal leadership and directly to customers, with clear documentation of assumptions and basis-of-estimate supporting each submission. You will work closely with contracts, program office, finance, industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, operations, manufacturing leadership, and supply chain to ensure cost budgets are understood by execution teams and that estimates are accurate and aligned with program requirements. Continuous improvement of proposal processes, templates, and content libraries is also part of the role, as is certifying pricing volumes in support of government contract submissions. Required Qualifications Must be a U.S. person as defined under ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations); this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship 10 or more years of related cost estimating or aerospace manufacturing experience Proven experience developing TINA-compliant proposals, estimating and pricing volumes, and certified cost and pricing data Ability to certify pricing volumes for government contract submissions Strong understanding of labor and material cost estimating concepts and methodologies Working knowledge of capacity planning, production flow analysis, and capital equipment utilization Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for labor modeling, capacity analysis, and scenario modeling, as well as Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook Strong analytical, organizational, and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple proposals under shifting priorities and firm deadlines Preferred Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field (or equivalent experience) Experience with composite fabrication and assembly manufacturing environments Familiarity with composite materials and manufacturing processes Experience using ProPricer for pricing templates and SEER 3D as a labor estimating tool, including model setup, assumption validation, and output interpretation Familiarity with enterprise manufacturing or planning systems such as CostPoint, TIP, SAP, or similar platforms Prior experience managing estimating teams across multiple sites or locations Compensation and Benefits Competitive base salary commensurate with experience Medical, dental, and vision insurance 401(k) retirement plan Paid time off and company holidays Additional benefits To apply, submit your resume along with a brief summary of your aerospace cost estimating experience and your familiarity with TINA-compliant proposal development.
