Job Description

Mechanical Engineering Estimator

Location: Chicago Western Suburbs

A well-established, privately owned manufacturing company is looking to add a Mechanical Engineering Estimator to its team. This is a great opportunity for a recent Mechanical Engineering graduate who wants to build a career in manufacturing, engineering, and estimating.

The company has a long history of manufacturing complex, highly engineered products and has built a reputation for stability, quality, and long-term employee retention.

What You'll Do

• Review customer drawings, specifications, and requirements
• Work with engineering and manufacturing teams to understand how parts and assemblies will be produced
• Develop cost estimates for materials, machining, labor, tooling, and outside services
• Analyze manufacturing processes and determine the most effective approach to producing a part
• Interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, tolerances, and material specifications
• Work with CNC machining and other manufacturing processes
• Prepare quotations and communicate with internal teams regarding costs and production requirements
• Learn the company's estimating methods, processes, and systems
• Develop into a highly knowledgeable manufacturing estimator over time

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline
• Recent graduate or early-career Mechanical Engineer
• Internship or co-op experience in manufacturing, machining, CNC, fabrication, process engineering, or production
• Ability to read and understand engineering drawings
• Exposure to GD&T and manufacturing processes
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Comfortable working with Excel and engineering data
• CAD experience such as SolidWorks or similar is a plus
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work with both engineering and production personnel

Previous estimating experience is not required. The right candidate will be someone with a strong mechanical engineering foundation who wants to learn the business and develop into an experienced manufacturing estimator.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Stable, well-established manufacturing company
• Long-tenured workforce
• Strong benefits package
• 401(k) with company match
• Opportunities for overtime
• Continued growth without sacrificing stability
• Opportunity to learn directly from experienced manufacturing professionals
• Excellent long-term career path for an engineer interested in manufacturing and estimating

This is an opportunity to get out of the classroom and learn how real-world manufacturing costs are developed, while building a career with a company that values long-term employees.

If you're a recent Mechanical Engineering graduate with manufacturing or machining internship experience and want to learn more, we'd like to hear from you.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations. GPAC (Growing People and Companies) is an award-winning search firm specializing in placing quality professionals within multiple industries across the United States since 1990. We are extremely competitive, client-focused and realize that our value is in our ability to deliver the right solutions at the right time.