Manufacturing Cost Estimator - Precision Bearings and Machined Components

Be the bridge between complex specs and confident quotes

Pioneer Motor Bearing Company is a fourth-generation family business trusted to keep our military mission-ready and the nation’s power grid running. We engineer, manufacture, and repair fluid film bearings and other components for large rotating equipment in power generation, while our PMB Machine Works division supports defense and aerospace with precision-machined parts.

In our fast-paced service environment, teamwork and clear communication matter. We hire for character, capability, and the drive to grow. If you want to be valued for your craft and judgment, this role is for you.

A day in your life

It’s 8:00 a.m. at our Kings Mountain plant. You open Gmail and your shared calendar, sync with Sales in a quick virtual huddle, and scan new RFQs in Salesforce. A customer needs a repair quote on a critical bearing. You:

• Review drawings, BOMs, and specs (material, process, and GD&T) and flag missing information.
• Collaborate with QA, Engineering, and Production to confirm capabilities and note exceptions outside our present scope.
• Build and maintain estimate quote sheets in Google Drive, then prepare detailed time sheets with setup times and machining formulas aligned to our current processes.
• Calculate TVC, labor hours, and lead times, using prior job history from our ERP/CRM to benchmark and validate assumptions.
• Contact vendors for firm prices and deliveries on raw materials; coordinate outside services or parts we don’t produce in-house.
• Deliver a complete package to Sales—clearly documenting assumptions, exceptions, and risks—and provide a “ballpark” number when speed is critical and data is limited.

When the procurement agent is out, you’re ready to step in as cross-trained backup, ensuring momentum doesn’t stop.

What you’ll own

• Preparing cost and time estimates, and lead times for new manufacturing and repair services.
• Supplying Sales with TVC, labor hour calculations, and schedule projections to generate accurate quotes.
• Researching job history to identify improvement opportunities and updating estimates accordingly.
• Informing Sales of complexity factors so labor rates can be adjusted appropriately.

What makes you effective here

• Self-directed and timely : You prioritize estimates and hit deadlines with minimal oversight.
• Organized and thorough : You manage details, documentation, and schedules with discipline.
• People-first collaborator : You build strong working relationships across administrative and manufacturing teams.
• Technical fluency : Comfortable reading blueprints, drawings, GD&T, process/material specs, and BOMs; able to generate sketches or simple drawings for quotes using CAD.
• Machining insight : Practical understanding of manual and CNC machining, machine tool capabilities, tolerances, and efficient practices.
• Domain knowledge : Basic understanding of fluid film bearings, rotating equipment, and manufacturing/repair methods.
• Digital tools : Proficient with Google Sheets (including functions/formulas), spreadsheets, Gmail, docs, virtual meetings, shared calendars, and ERP/CRM (Salesforce).
• Physical readiness : Able to move through the plant/yard and climb stairs to access inventory and drawing storage in tight quarters.

Core job functions

• Provide Sales with estimated hours, material costs, and lead times for new bearings, repaired bearings, and services.
• Examine BOMs, drawings, and specifications to ensure all materials and parts are accounted for.
• Research and retrieve missing and sub-drawings from our filing system.
• Review previous job runs with Production to surface risks and improvements; revise quotes as needed.
• Obtain valid vendor quotations for pricing and delivery per customer specifications.
• Coordinate with other manufacturers for outside services or miscellaneous parts we do not produce.
• Prepare estimate time sheets using setup times and machining formulas aligned to current processes.
• Provide “ballpark” quotations when information is limited or turnaround is critical, documenting assumptions.
• Assist Sales with customer inquiries on quote status, material substitutions, and documented exceptions.
• Alert Sales to complexity that may impact labor rates and schedule.

Schedule and location

Regular shift: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at our Kings Mountain plant.

Skills and credentials that help

• CNC Programming
• Manual Machining Skills
• CAD/CAM Software
• ITAR Compliance
• ISO 9001 and AS9100 experience

Benefits & pay policies

• Overtime : All overtime hours for this role are paid at 2x pay. Vacation and holiday hours count toward the calculation of overtime hours.
• Medical : Three plan options; Pioneer pays 95% of employee premiums and contributes significantly toward family member premiums.
• HSA/FSA : Health Savings Accounts with $2,000 (individual) and $4,000 (dependent) employer contributions; Flexible Spending Accounts available.
• Revive supplemental membership : Zero-cost access to 1,000+ generic drugs, free primary care telehealth, mental health support, health and wellness coaching, and access to discounted GLP‑1 weight-loss medications.
• Additional coverage : Dental, vision, life, disability, and 401(k) safe-harbor matching, plus other ancillary benefits.
• Vacation : 2.5 weeks for new employees; 3 weeks after 3 years, scaling up to 6 weeks.

Join a collaborative, creative environment where your input shapes our processes, decisions, planning, and culture—and where growth is part of the job.