Cost Estimator

Job Description

Job Description

Manufacturing Cost Estimator

Location: Phoenix, AZ or Buffalo, NY

Department: Business Development

Reports To: Director, New Production Introduction

Employment Type: Full-Time | Exempt

About GTI Fabrication / GTI Energy

GTI Fabrication is a leader in industrial modular manufacturing, specializing in engineered-to-order steel structures, energy storage enclosures, military-grade systems, and complex modular solutions for the defense, energy, and heavy-industrial markets. With growing operations in Arizona and New York, GTI combines engineering excellence with advanced fabrication and integration capabilities to deliver mission-critical systems to customers worldwide.

The Manufacturing Cost Estimator plays a central role at the intersection of Business Development, NPI, Engineering, Estimating, and Operations—building highly accurate cost models and supporting GTI’s strategic growth efforts.

Position Overview

The Manufacturing Cost Estimator supports GTI’s Business Development organization by developing accurate cost estimates for new projects, customer opportunities, and modular manufacturing proposals. This role is deeply embedded in the front-end of the business: engaging with prospects, participating in sales and technical discussions, gathering requirements, and translating customer needs into detailed cost structures.

This position serves as a front-line technical and commercial resource alongside BD Managers—supporting customer calls, in-person visits, audits, and pre-award reviews. The Estimator ensures that all internal stakeholders (BD, NPI, Estimating, Engineering, Operations) are aligned on scope, process, materials, labor assumptions, and project feasibility prior to issuing quotations.

This role requires strong technical knowledge, manufacturing process understanding, and the ability to communicate cost drivers clearly across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

Front-End Business Development Support

· Partner with Business Development Managers during prospecting, opportunity discovery, and pre-award phases.

· Serve as a technical liaison on customer calls, site visits, audits, and project scoping discussions.

· Support the development of proposals, RFQs, RFP responses, and customer-facing cost presentations.

· Clarify and translate customer requirements into accurate internal documentation.

Cost Estimating & Analysis

· Build detailed cost estimates for modular structures, fabrication projects, assemblies, and engineered-to-order systems.

· Analyze BOMs, drawings, specifications, and customer requirements to determine materials, labor, and routing assumptions.

· Work directly with Estimating, Engineering, and Operations to validate cost inputs, cycle times, labor hours, and production requirements.

· Identify cost drivers and recommend cost-optimization opportunities for competitive pricing.

· Track actual vs. estimated costs to refine future estimates.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

· Act as the primary bridge between Business Development, NPI, Estimating, Engineering, Production Control, and Operations.

· Collaborate with Engineering to understand technical designs, revisions, and manufacturability considerations.

· Coordinate with Supply Chain to gather supplier quotes, lead times, pricing updates, and material alternatives.

· Work with Operations to evaluate labor capacity, production constraints, and manufacturability challenges.

Project Intake & Scoping

· Facilitate kickoff meetings for new opportunities, ensuring alignment on scope, assumptions, risks, and delivery requirements.

· Document and communicate estimating assumptions, technical clarifications, and open items needed from customers.

· Support NPI engineers in evaluating prototypes, change requests, and early production feasibility.

Proposal & Documentation

· Prepare clear, concise cost summaries, supporting documentation, and pricing structures.

· Assist BD in packaging final proposals, ensuring commercial accuracy and technical completeness.

· Maintain standardized templates and tools for estimating workflows.

Required Qualifications

· Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Technology, Business, Supply Chain, or related field (or equivalent manufacturing cost-estimating experience)

· 2–7 years of experience in cost estimating, manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, or related manufacturing roles.

· Strong understanding of fabrication, welding, machining, assembly, and modular manufacturing processes.

· Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and BOMs.

· Financial and mathematical proficiency; capable of building calculations, labor models, and cost summaries.

· Strong communication skills with the ability to interface directly with customers and cross-functional engineering teams.

· Ability to manage multiple active opportunities and deadlines simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications

· Experience with custom, high-mix, engineered-to-order manufacturing.

· Familiarity with ERP systems (NetSuite preferred), estimating software, or manufacturing costing tools.

· Experience supporting pre-sales or business development teams.

· Understanding of supply chain cost drivers and vendor pricing structures.

· Experience in modular construction, industrial fabrication, or energy storage systems.

Success in This Role Looks Like

· Accurate and timely delivery of cost estimates that reflect real manufacturing capability.

· Strong partnership and communication with BD, Engineering, Estimating, and Operations.

· High customer confidence during pre-award discussions due to technical depth and responsiveness.

· Improved bid win rates from clear, competitive, validated cost proposals.

· Smooth handoff of awarded projects into NPI and Operations with minimal scope gaps.