Cost Engineer

Job Title: Packaging and Containers Cost Specialist (Cost Engineer)

Job Description

The Packaging and Containers Cost Specialist, also known as a Cost Engineer (CE), is responsible for developing, analyzing, and validating cost estimates and cost targets for logistics packaging systems. This role supports the Global Purchasing and Supply Chain (GPSC) Logistics and Packaging organization across returnable and expendable packaging, containers, engineered racks, dunnage, pallets, totes, and related material-handling solutions.

Responsibilities

• Develop detailed, bottom-up should-cost estimates and target costs for returnable and expendable packaging, containers, engineered racks, dunnage, pallets, totes, and related logistics equipment.

• Analyze supplier quotations and commercial proposals; validate assumptions, identify cost gaps, and support fact-based negotiations with GPSC purchasing.

• Evaluate packaging concepts for material selection, design complexity, manufacturing processes, labor content, overhead, tooling, capital, maintenance, repair, packaging density, transportation, and total landed cost.

• Build cost models for common packaging processes, including steel fabrication, tube, stamping, machining, welding, fastening, coatings, plastics conversion, corrugated and expendable packaging production, dunnage assembly, and final packaging-system integration.

• Assess the financial impact of design changes, volume, capacity, regional manufacturing differences, commodity pricing, freight, return loops, packaging utilization, and supplier footprint.

• Partner with packaging and logistics engineers to identify cost-reduction opportunities while protecting part quality, ergonomics, safety, cube utilization, material flow, sustainability, and program timing.

• Serve as an active partner to the internal GPSC purchasing team by providing fair, competitive, and transparent cost targets.

• Support sourcing, supplier selection, design reviews, launch readiness, supplier performance discussions, and post-launch cost-improvement initiatives.

• Analyze, organize, and interpret large amounts of technical, operational, and financial data; condense findings into concise recommendations for cross-functional and leadership teams.

• Develop and maintain cost-estimating tools, databases, benchmarks, and process assumptions to improve consistency and speed across estimates.

• Communicate cost drivers, risks, opportunities, and recommendations to technical and nontechnical stakeholders across regional and global teams.

• Travel occasionally to supplier facilities, manufacturing locations, and other relevant sites to support cost reviews, process validation, launch activities, and sourcing collaboration.

Essential Skills

• Experience evaluating the financial impact of technical concepts and a comprehensive understanding of manufacturing and logistics processes.

• Experience developing or validating cost estimates, supplier quotations, should-cost models, target costs, or business cases for industrial products, packaging, containers, logistics equipment, or automotive components.

• Ability to manage multiple projects and assignments with a high degree of autonomy, organization, and accountability.

• Ability to lead change, resolve conflicts, and influence decisions without direct authority.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to address unique and complex cost or process challenges.

• Ability to assimilate large amounts of cost and operational data and clearly communicate conclusions, assumptions, and next steps to the broader team.

• Effective communication and interpersonal skills to build productive relationships with global team members, cross-functional partners, and suppliers.

• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office, including advanced Microsoft Excel capabilities; experience with Power BI or similar data-visualization tools.

• Ability to use or learn cost-estimating tools and systems.

• Willingness and ability to travel occasionally to support supplier and manufacturing-site activities.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• At least five years of relevant experience in automotive cost estimating, packaging or container manufacturing, logistics engineering, industrial engineering, manufacturing, product design, purchasing, supplier development, or a related field.

• Experience developing supplier quotations or cost breakdowns for an automotive OEM, Tier 1 supplier, Tier 2 supplier, packaging provider, or logistics service provider.

• Experience with packaging-system design, containerization, material flow, launch, plant operations, or supplier implementation in an automotive or industrial environment.

• Experience with returnable packaging, expendable packaging, engineered racks, dunnage, pallets, totes, bulk containers, and packaging repair or lifecycle management.

• Knowledge of manufacturing and assembly processes used in packaging and containers, including metal forming, tube and wire forming, stamping, welding, cutting, machining, fastening, plastics conversion, corrugated production, coatings, painting, and dunnage fabrication or assembly.

• Understanding of technical cost factors, including material, labor, burden, capacity utilization, scrap, yield, tooling, capital recovery, maintenance, repair, packaging lifecycle, freight, logistics, SG&A, profit, and other commercial factors.

• Knowledge of regional differences in manufacturing processes, labor, material, logistics, commercial assumptions, and supplier operating models.

• Experience with data analytics, dashboard development, cost databases, Power BI, SQL, or other analytical tools.

• Familiarity with automotive industry trends, including electrification, autonomous driving, advanced materials, additive manufacturing, automation, sustainability, and circular or reusable packaging systems.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Logistics, Finance, Business, Operations, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Warren, MI.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $48.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Warren,MI.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 22, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.