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 requirementsWork with engineering and manufacturing teams to understand how parts and assemblies will be producedDevelop cost estimates for materials, machining, labor, tooling, and outside servicesAnalyze manufacturing processes and determine the most effective approach to producing a partInterpret engineering drawings, GD&T, tolerances, and material specificationsWork with CNC machining and other manufacturing processesPrepare quotations and communicate with internal teams regarding costs and production requirementsLearn the company's estimating methods, processes, and systemsDevelop into a highly knowledgeable manufacturing estimator over time What We're Looking For Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering disciplineRecent graduate or early-career Mechanical EngineerInternship or co-op experience in manufacturing, machining, CNC, fabrication, process engineering, or productionAbility to read and understand engineering drawingsExposure to GD&T and manufacturing processesStrong analytical and problem-solving skillsComfortable working with Excel and engineering dataCAD experience such as SolidWorks or similar is a plusStrong 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 companyLong-tenured workforceStrong benefits package401(k) with company matchOpportunities for overtimeContinued growth without sacrificing stabilityOpportunity to learn directly from experienced manufacturing professionalsExcellent 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.