Manufacturing Estimator

Flow Control Group•St. Louis Park, MN

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manufacturing Estimator is responsible for developing accurate, timely, and competitive cost estimates for fabricated assemblies, sub-assemblies, and finished goods. The role partners with sales, engineering, operations, and supply chain to translate customer drawings, specifications, and bills of material into structured quotes that reflect true cost-to-produce, target margins, and on-time delivery commitments. The Estimator is a key driver of win rate, gross margin discipline, and quote turnaround speed across the business.

Requirements

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, Construction Management, Business, or related field — or equivalent combination of education and hands-on shop experience.
3+ years of estimating, production planning, or shop-floor experience in a manufacturing, fabrication, or industrial environment.
Demonstrated ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, isometrics, weldments, and specifications.
Strong working knowledge of manufacturing processes, materials, and joining methods relevant to the role.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including formulas, lookups, and structured cost models.
Experience working within an ERP or MRP system (e.g., Epicor, NetSuite, SAP, Infor, Made2Manage).
Strong analytical, organizational, and time-management skills with the ability to handle multiple bids under deadline pressure.
Clear written and verbal communication skills for customer-facing proposals and internal coordination.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience in estimating fabricated piping, sheet metal, weldments, machined components, or similar engineered-to-order work.
Familiarity with thermoplastic and/or metallic piping systems, structural fabrication, or industrial process equipment.
Exposure to centralized or multi-site estimating environments.
Experience with estimating, takeoff, or quoting software (e.g., FabSuite, Bluebeam, PipeLogix, Trimble, custom in-house tools).
Working knowledge of relevant industry codes and standards (ASME, ASTM, AWS, ASTM F-series, etc.).
Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement training.

Responsibilities

Review customer RFQs, drawings, isometrics, P&IDs, specifications, and bills of material to fully scope the work required.
Develop detailed cost estimates covering material, labor, equipment, consumables, outside services, freight, and applicable overhead.
Apply standard labor rates, routings, and shop production data to build accurate labor and machine-hour estimates.
Identify scope gaps, drawing inconsistencies, and missing information; issue requests for information (RFIs) to the customer or sales team.
Prepare formal quotations and proposal documentation, including assumptions, exclusions, lead times, and validity periods.
Maintain quote logs and ensure timely follow-up on outstanding bids in coordination with sales.
Work closely with sales and business development to align estimates with customer expectations and competitive positioning.
Partner with engineering and shop leadership to validate buildability, routings, and labor assumptions on non-standard work.
Coordinate with supply chain and purchasing to obtain current material pricing, supplier quotes, and lead-time confirmation.
Support project managers and operations during job handoff to ensure estimates are clearly communicated and actionable.
Apply standardized estimating methodologies, templates, and pricing logic to ensure consistency across branches and product lines.
Track quoted vs. actual job performance; analyze variances and feed findings back into labor standards, material factors, and pricing models.
Recommend pricing adjustments for risk, complexity, expedites, and customer-specific terms in line with margin targets.
Support continuous improvement of estimating tools, libraries, and ERP-based pricing structures.
Maintain organized records of quotes, supporting calculations, supplier pricing, and revision history.
Ensure estimates comply with applicable codes, standards, and customer specifications.
Adhere to internal approval thresholds, signature authority, and pricing governance policies.