Cost Engineer
FOREFRONT MEDICAL INVESTMENT PTE. LTD.
Overview
The Costing Engineer leads and supports quotation and costing activities for medical device projects by combining engineering understanding with cost analysis and cross-functional coordination. This role reviews RFQs, drawings, specifications, and process requirements to build accurate quotations and assess manufacturability.
The position works closely with engineering, production, quality, supply chain, procurement, and BD teams to ensure quotations are technically sound, commercially competitive, and aligned with plant capabilities, customer requirements, and business priorities.
The role requires strong engineering fundamentals, knowledge of manufacturing processes, analytical costing skills, and the ability to review assumptions, manage priorities, and communicate technical and commercial risks to management.
Responsibilities
1. RFQ Management & Costing
· Being assigned incoming RFQs and BD enquiries by costing manager.
· Review customer specifications, drawings, BOMs, and technical scope to prepare accurate and competitive cost estimates.
· Consolidate full cost models including tooling, material, labor, machine time, setup, validation, packaging, sterilization, logistics, overhead, and NRE.
· Review costing assumptions, technical risks, and major cost drivers before submission to management and BD teams.
2. Technical Review
· Review 2D drawings, tolerances, and product specifications to ensure costing assumptions are technically sound; basic knowledge of 3D models is an advantage.
· Identify manufacturability concerns, process limitations, and design features that may impact cost, quality, or delivery.
· Work with BD teams, customers, engineers, and quality teams to clarify technical requirements and resolve costing-related issues.
· Apply engineering judgment to assess process route, inspection requirements, material options, and secondary processes.
3. Manufacturing Feasibility
· Work with production, engineering, quality, and supply chain teams to evaluate manufacturability and process feasibility for new projects.
· Assess suitable processes such as injection molding, silicone molding, extrusion, assembly, pad printing, and packaging based on product design and plant capability.
· Support CAPEX assessment for tooling, equipment, automation, fixtures, or secondary processes required for new business.
· Ensure proposed manufacturing approaches are practical, cost-effective, and aligned with operational capability.
4. Supplier & Supply Chain Support
· Work with procurement and suppliers to obtain accurate technical quotations for materials, tooling, outsourced processes, and purchased components.
· Review supplier proposals for technical compliance, lead time, MOQ, feasibility, and cost competitiveness.
· Support sourcing decisions by comparing process options, supplier capabilities, and alternative materials or technologies.
5. Validation, Sterilization & NRE
· Ensure costing includes relevant NRE items such as molds, fixtures, jigs, gauges, sample builds, and engineering trials.
· Consider IQ/OQ/PQ, process validation, sample qualification, documentation, and compliance requirements in the costing model.
· Include sterilization costs such as EtO, Gamma, and E-Beam, covering both validation and recurring production requirements.
6. Cost Submission & Improvement
· Prepare and review cost breakdowns for management and BD teams within required timelines.
· Present key assumptions, risks, and technical considerations clearly to support decision-making and customer discussion.
· Maintain costing data, templates, and lessons learned to improve quotation accuracy, consistency, and team efficiency.
7. Additional Tasks
· Take part in projects or ad hoc tasks assigned by management.
Qualifications & Experience
· Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, Industrial, Automation Manufacturing or related Engineering).
· 3–5 years of experience in costing, RFQ analysis, or technical-commercial or process automation role in in medical devices manufacturing.
· Added advantage having experience with thermoplastic and silicone injection molding, extrusion, assembly, packaging and process automation.
Skills & Knowledge
· Understanding of manufacturing processes and cost drivers.
· Proficient in Excel and Microsoft Office
· Experience with SAP - added advantage
· Knowledge of IQ/OQ/PQ validation - added advantage
· Familiar with sterilization: ETO, Gamma, E-beam - added advantage
· Basic knowledge of UG NX / 3D CAD is a plus
· Understanding of logistics and Incoterms is an advantage
Core Competencies
· High attention to detail; able to spot gaps between customer requirements and costs.
Analytical, logical, and problem-solving skills.
· Good communication across teams and with customers.
· Organized and able to manage multiple RFQs under deadlines.
· Proactive and adaptable.