The Analyst, Manufacturing Cost Estimating is responsible for reviewing customer RFPs and RFQs, interpreting railcar specifications, and developing accurate manufacturing cost estimates for requested railcar configurations. This role partners closely with Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, Engineering, Operations, Accounting, and Sales to ensure material, labor, supplier, manufacturing, engineering, and commercial assumptions are clearly understood and appropriately reflected in each estimate.
What You'll Do: - Review customer RFPs, RFQs, railcar specifications, drawings, and related documentation to determine estimating requirements, scope, and key assumptions
- Prepare manufacturing cost estimates that incorporate material, labor, purchased components, manufacturing flow, engineering inputs, and other relevant cost drivers
- Interpret Bills of Materials, technical drawings, specifications, historical cost data, and system information to support complete and accurate estimates
- Partner with Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, Engineering, Operations, Accounting, and Sales to validate assumptions, resolve open items, and support timely quote development
- Use LX, Salesforce(RF1), Excel, OneBOM and other business systems to gather, validate, and maintain estimating inputs while supporting data accuracy, consistency, and system adoption
- Identify specification gaps, cost risks, manufacturability concerns, timing constraints, or other issues that may impact estimate quality or quote readiness
- Support continuous improvement of estimating processes, including estimate turn time, post-production estimate accuracy, and overall process consistency
- Maintain clear documentation of estimate inputs, assumptions, supporting data, and decisions for future review, auditability, and continuous improvement.
QualificationsWhat You'll Need: - Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing, Accounting, Finance, or a related field required
- 5 years of relevant experience required
- Relevant experience in manufacturing, cost estimating, production planning, engineering support, procurement, supply chain, or a related operational function
- Ability to read and interpret technical specifications, drawings, Bills of Materials, and manufacturing-related documentation
- Working knowledge of manufacturing processes, material flow, production routing, labor inputs, and cost drivers
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to gather information from multiple systems and sources, validate assumptions, and translate data into actionable cost estimates
- Strong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across functions in a fast-paced, dynamic, and interdependent environment
- Experience with ERP, BOM management, estimating, or product configuration systems preferred.
