Manufacturing Estimator

 About Us:
At Wenthe-Davidson, we’ve been leaders in custom tubular metal fabrication for over 80 years. As a 100% employee-owned company with more than 150 dedicated team members, every person here has a direct stake in our success. This means that our employees don’t just work for Wenthe-Davidson, they own a piece of it. Our commitment to continuous improvement, investment in state-of-the-art equipment, and long-term growth has fueled the recent expansion of our 109,000 sq. ft. facility with a 27,000 sq. ft. addition.

What we're looking for
The ideal candidate will have 2 or more years of experience in a manufacturing estimating, cost analysis, process planning, machining, fabrication or related role. 

Job Summary:

Prepares accurate, competitive, and timely cost estimates for manufactured parts. Reviews customer requirements, drawings, specifications, and production processes to determine material, labor, tooling, subcontracting, and overhead costs. Works closely with sales, engineering, purchasing, production, and quality to develop accurate costs that support customer needs, profitability targets, and operational capabilities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Review requests for quotation, engineering drawings, specifications, bills of material, and customer requirements for completeness and manufacturability.
• Develop detailed cost estimates for materials, labor, machine time, tooling, setup, outside processing, packaging, freight, overhead, and other project requirements.
• Determine appropriate manufacturing methods, production sequences, equipment, staffing assumptions, cycle times, and lot-size considerations.
• Obtain and evaluate supplier quotations for raw materials, components, tooling, and subcontracted services.
• Prepare clear, accurate, and timely assumptions, exceptions, exclusions, and lead times.
• Collaborate with engineering, production, quality, purchasing, and sales to resolve technical questions and assess project risks.
• Identify opportunities for value engineering, process improvement, cost reduction, and improved manufacturability.
• Maintain estimating records, cost models, labor and machine rates, supplier pricing, and quotation history.
• Compare estimated costs with actual production results and update estimating standards based on lessons learned.
• Support customer discussions, bid reviews, change orders, and pricing revisions as needed.
• Manage multiple estimates and priorities while meeting customer and internal deadlines.
• Follow company safety, quality, confidentiality, and documentation requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or general equivalent.
• Two years of experience in manufacturing estimating, cost analysis, process planning, production, machining, fabrication, or a related role.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, tolerances, bills of material, and basic technical documentation.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing processes such as machining, fabrication, welding, assembly, finishing, or other processes relevant to the operation.
• Strong mathematical, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and standard business software; experience with ERP, MRP, quoting, or estimating systems is preferred. 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with close attention to accuracy and detail.
• Ability to work independently, collaborate across departments, and manage multiple deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with CAD models, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, lean manufacturing, and quality management systems.
• Knowledge of material grades, production tooling, outside processing, and supply-chain cost drivers.
• Experience analyzing estimate-to-actual performance and maintaining cost standards.