Job Title: Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Cost Estimation and QuotingCompany: JM Fabrication Arlington, Texas
Role SummaryJM Fabrication is hiring a Senior Manufacturing Engineer with deep experience in manufacturing cost estimation and quoting for complex aerospace and defense components. This role is responsible for generating accurate, defensible estimates for CNC machined parts, sheet metal and fabricated components, weldments, mechanical and electro-mechanical assemblies, and wire and cable harnesses.
Estimating, Cost Engineering, and Quoting- Develop detailed manufacturing cost estimates and quotes for:
- CNC milling and CNC turning, including multi-axis machining
- Sheet metal fabrication, forming, bending, and rolling
- Structural weldments and welded assemblies
- Mechanical and electro-mechanical assemblies
- Wire and cable harnesses and cable assemblies
- Create routings, BOM costing, labor standards, and cycle time estimation models
- Perform should-cost analysis, value engineering, and make vs buy analysis
- Identify cost drivers, risk areas, and margin exposure during proposal development
- Support proposal and customer RFQ response activities
Manufacturing Engineering Responsibilities- Interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, specifications, and customer flow-downs
- Apply DFM and DFA principles to improve manufacturability and cost
- Define manufacturing sequences, tooling, fixturing, inspection points, and test requirements
- Support first article inspection (FAI) planning and production launch
- Partner with Quality to ensure AS9100, ITAR, and customer requirements are captured in estimates
Assemblies, Wire Harness, and Integration- Estimate labor and material for complex multi-level assemblies
- Understand kitting, staging, hardware integration, torque requirements, and final assembly labor
- Estimate wire harness manufacturing including cut, strip, crimp, terminate, continuity testing, shielding, grounding, connectors, backshells, and strain relief
Tools, Systems, and Data- Use job-based ERP, MRP, and MES systems for estimating and routing development
- Experience with ProShop ERP, Epicor, JobBOSS, SAP, or Oracle strongly preferred
- Utilize CAD viewers and technical documentation systems
Required Qualifications- 5+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering with direct cost estimation and quoting responsibility
- Proven experience estimating mixed-process jobs across machining, fabrication, welding, assemblies, and wire harnesses
- Strong understanding of CNC machining, fabrication, welding, and assembly processes
- Experience in aerospace or defense manufacturing environments
- AS9100 environment experience
- Strong written documentation of assumptions, exclusions, and risks
- Ability to challenge undefined or unrealistic customer requirements
Preferred Experience- Aerospace and defense proposal support
- ITAR and DFARS-regulated environments
- Post-job estimate vs actual analysis and continuous improvement
