MANUFACTURING ESTIMATOR

Summary Description:


AeroTEC's Flight Test Center provides operational and facility requirements to support Fabrication, Aircraft Maintenance, Quality, Flight Test Instrumentation Installation & removal, and site safety (EH&S/SMS). The Flight Test Center is responsible for providing resources and facilities for aircraft maintenance, quality, manufacturing, instrumentation installation and equipment to support customer requirements

The Estimator/Planner position is responsible for evaluating customer drawings and technical requirements to develop accurate manufacturing cost estimates, production plans, and work instructions. This position works closely with Engineering, Purchasing, Quality, Manufacturing, and Program Management to ensure customer requirements are translated into executable manufacturing plans while meeting quality, schedule, and cost objectives.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (Essential Functions):

1. Review customer drawings, specifications, purchase orders, and technical data packages to determine manufacturing requirements.
2. Develop accurate labor, material, outside processing, tooling, and machine time estimates for manufactured components and assemblies.
3. Create manufacturing routings and sequence of operations that define the production process from raw material through final inspection.
4. Generate work orders, manufacturing travelers, inspection requirements, and supporting documentation required for production.
5. Determine material requirements and coordinate with Purchasing to ensure raw material, tooling, and outside services are available to support production schedules.
6. Coordinate with Manufacturing Engineering, Machine Operators, Quality, and Production personnel to ensure manufacturing plans are practical, efficient, and achievable.
7. Evaluate customer delivery requirements and assist in developing realistic production schedules.
8. Identify manufacturing risks, capacity constraints, tooling requirements, and process improvements during the planning phase.
9. Maintain routing accuracy, labor standards, and estimating databases to improve future quote accuracy.
10. Support engineering changes by updating manufacturing plans, work instructions, and production documentation.
11. Coordinate outside processing requirements including heat treat, anodize, plating, grinding, EDM, welding, coatings, nondestructive testing, and other special processes.
12. Monitor jobs throughout production and revise planning documentation as necessary to support manufacturing changes.
13. Participate in continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing manufacturing cost, improving throughput, and increasing scheduling accuracy.
14. Support internal and external audits by ensuring manufacturing documentation complies with AS9100 and customer requirements.
15. Special projects and tasks assigned by Group Lead or Manager.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Strong knowledge and understanding of manufacturing operations including:
  • CNC machining processes
  • Sheet metal fabrication
  • Welding and assembly operations
  • Manufacturing routing development
  • Material selection and procurement
  • Outside processing requirements
  • Blueprint interpretation including GD&T
  • Aerospace manufacturing documentation
  • Production scheduling principles
• Good leadership presence as well as people management skills:
  • Future-oriented in thinking and operation.
  • Able to lead by example and live/work by company values.
  • Ability to successfully contribute to a positive and productive work environment.
  • Able to instill a sense of urgency in team members.
  • Able to remain patient and objective in difficult situations.
• Strong customer service tool box:
  • Professional mannerisms, appearance and actions (self-confident and committed to high ethics).
  • Strong follow-through, quick thinking and resourceful.
  • Ability to remain calm, cool and collected in stressful situations.
  • Strong sense of urgency to resolve customer needs.
• Strong organizational, time management and prioritization skills:
  • Able to manage multiple estimates and production plans simultaneously.
  • Able to prioritize changing customer requirements.
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced manufacturing environment while maintaining accuracy.
  • Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong analytical skills, with an ability to troubleshoot, problem-solve and effectively and efficiently make decisions.
• Strong communication skills (oral, written, presentation) with both external and internal customers.
  • Active listener.
  • Communicates effectively with customers and internal departments.
  • Produces clear work instructions and manufacturing documentation.
  • Comfortable presenting planning recommendations and schedule impacts.Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships at all levels. Ability to influence others as well as relate to individuals at all levels of the organization.
• Excellent project management skills, including the ability to take ownership for accomplishing assigned tasks. Results-oriented planner and delegator who ensures that goals are met. Able to set priorities and keep to projected schedules.
• ComputerSkills: Comfortable and effective working in Microsoft Office. Strong proficiency using CAD Software required. Intermediate Excel proficiency required. Able to quickly learn new software and systems.
• Proven track record of improving the efficiency of assigned processes or procedures.

Level Requirements (Minimum):

Education

• Associate's degree in Manufacturing Technology, Mechanical Technology, Business, or related field.

OR

• Equivalent combination of education and aerospace manufacturing experience.
  • Other Engineering fields may be considered.

Experience

• Three (3) years of experience in aerospace manufacturing planning, estimating, manufacturing engineering, CNC machining, or production control.
• Experience interpreting engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems preferred.
• AS9100 manufacturing environment preferred.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and/or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit, stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. Must have the ability to sit for long periods of time.
• The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
• Travel (flying and driving) to various domestic worksites and client offices required.