Senior Cost Estimating Specialist

Job Summary
As a Senior Cost Estimating Specialist, you will be responsible for leading major cost estimating efforts for Millennium Space Systems. As a member of the Estimating team, you will be accountable for the development of cost estimates and all associated cost articles (basis of estimates, bill of materials, work breakdown structures, cost volumes, etc.), ensure accuracy and reasonableness, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to support business growth.

This position’s internal job code is Estimat & Pricing Spec. Our team is currently hiring for a Level 4-5.

Responsibilities

• Lead the cost estimating effort in preparing detailed and accurate cost estimates for government (Department of Defense, NASA, and other federal agencies) projects.
• Analyze Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Statement of Works (SOWs), Technical Requirements Documents (TRDs), and other proposal documentation to develop cost estimates that align with customer requirements.
• Generate submission ready cost proposal articles, including cost volumes, rate justifications, bill of materials, basis of estimates, supplier consent packages, etc.
• Work closely with program management, engineering, finance, and contracts to ensure alignment between the engineering solutions and cost estimates.
• Ensure compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA), and other government regulations, as necessary.
• Assists with program baselining and execution efforts.
• Track and analyze cost estimate verses actual costs to recommend mitigation strategies to resolve the deltas and identify opportunities to inform future proposal efforts.
• Conduct risk analysis, what-ifs, and cost realism assessments to ensure pricing accuracy and executability.
• Generate detailed cash flow projections.
• Present cost estimates and pricing strategies to executive leadership and participate in customer negotiations and other cost discussions.
• Continually assess and improve the estimating processes and tools used by the team to maintain efficiency and accuracy.
• Support audit reviews by government agencies, including DCMA and DCAA, ensuring transparency and adherence to cost estimating policies and procedures.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in an Engineering or Business domain
• 5+ years of experience leading major cost estimating efforts for a Government customer.
• Strong communications and analytical skills necessary to articulate pricing strategy to senior business and finance leaders
• Experience reviewing proposal request for proposal documentation including, but not limited to, Technical Requirements Documents, Statement of Works, solicitation instructions, CDRL and GFX lists, etc.
• Experience generating work breakdown structures, cost estimates and associated cost volumes
• Experience working with technical and other functional teams to develop accurate and reliable cost estimates
• Experience preparing and analyzing detailed cost summaries, learnings curves, cash flows, liability profiles and other price summaries required for corporate approval packages
• Familiarity with FAR, DFARS, CAS, and TINA
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office, specifically Microsoft Excel
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience leading major cost estimating efforts for a Government customer
• Master’s Degree in an Engineering or Business domain
• Experience generating basis of estimates and bill of materials prior to engineering and functional inputs
• Experience reviewing and generating proposal Integrated Master Schedules, DCMA 14 point checks, and/or Schedule Risk Assessments.
• Experience with risk analysis, specifically the cost and schedule quantification of risks
• High level understanding of the design, development, and/or operations of space vehicles
• Experience with DoD and/or Intelligence Community proposals
• Experience with ProPricer or other relevant pricing software

Summary Pay-Range

Please note that the salary information shown below is a general guideline only of what is reasonably expected to be paid for the position. Salaries are based upon candidate experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations. Salary and level will be competitive and aligned with the candidate's experience, skills, and qualifications.

• Level 4: $113,900-$167,500
• Level 5: $143,650-$211,250