Estimating Cost Engineer in Union

Job Description

About Flow-Turn:

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Flow-Turn is a global leader in the manufacturing of powered belt curves and spiral inclines/declines, based in Union, New Jersey. Since 1980, we have delivered simple, efficient, and reliable products to a diverse range of and international customers. In 2011, the company was acquired by Hermann Miedel and rebranded to Flow-Turn. The Miedel family proudly runs operations at Flow-Turn. In 2024, Flow-Turn was recognized as a Minority-Owned Business.

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Position Summary:

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We are seeking an experienced Estimating and Costing Engineer to develop accurate estimates for conveyor curves and other material handling products and to help maintain, modernize, and expand Flow-Turn's Excel-based estimating and pricing platform. The ideal candidate combines strong metal manufacturing and cost-estimating knowledge with advanced Excel application development skills, including VBA programming, Power Query, complex formulas, structured data, and workbook integration.

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Salary: $85,000-$100,000

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Key Responsibilities:

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• Prepare detailed cost estimates for conveyor curve and material handling products, including material, labor, and tooling costs.

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• Analyze quotes, engineering drawings, specifications, and bills of materials (BOMs) to develop accurate pricing for new and existing products.

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• Maintain, enhance, and modernize the existing Excel/VBA estimating and pricing application without disrupting established costing logic.

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• Develop modular, reusable VBA functions and procedures, including event-driven automation, error handling, debugging, and performance optimization.

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• Build dynamic estimating logic so product selections, dimensions, options, and features drive dependent calculations and costing requirements.

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• Use complex Excel formulas, structured tables, PivotTables, and Power Query to manage supplier data, material costs, labor rates, and other inputs.

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• Manage and troubleshoot internal and external workbook links, references, and data dependencies.

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• Develop standardized, table-driven costing modules that simplify adding new products and features and reduce duplicated or hard-coded logic.

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• Collaborate with Engineering, Production, and Purchasing to maintain current cost inputs, document calculation methods, and support timely proposals and bids.

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Project Handoff and Collaboration

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• Create and validate detailed internal cost sheets for project review and approval.

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• Support project handoffs to Operations, Engineering, and Project Management.

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• Participate in project kickoff meetings.

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Required Qualifications

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• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field.

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• 5+ years of experience in cost estimating, engineering, or a related role within a manufacturing environment.

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• Hands-on experience in metal manufacturing, including fabrication, welding, machining, forming, or sheet metal processes.

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• Advanced Microsoft Excel expertise, including complex formulas, structured tables, named ranges, PivotTables, data validation, workbook architecture, and internal/external workbook references.

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• Advanced VBA application development experience required, including development and maintenance of large or business-critical Excel applications; reusable functions and procedures; Excel object model programming; arrays and dictionaries; event-driven code; error handling; debugging; and performance optimization.

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• Experience using Power Query to import, transform, combine, and refresh data from multiple sources.

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• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and BOMs.

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• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with close attention to detail and accuracy.

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Qualifications

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• Experience estimating conveyor systems, curves, or other material handling equipment.

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• Experience designing configuration-based or rules-based estimating tools and improving legacy spreadsheet applications.

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• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems and integrating estimating or costing tools with business systems.

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• Familiarity with SQL, Power BI, databases, APIs, or other data-integration technologies.

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• Experience with source control or structured software-development practices is a plus.

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