Calculation & Target Costing Engineer

Calculation & Target Costing Engineer

Location: Howell, Michigan Department: Engineering Reports To: Head of Process Engineering Americas Travel: None

About Carcoustics

At Carcoustics, We Engineer Silence.

As a global leader in acoustic and thermal management solutions for the automotive industry, Carcoustics develops innovative products that improve vehicle comfort, performance, and sustainability. Our solutions include acoustic systems, thermal insulation components, underbody systems, wheel arch liners, trunk trim, and other technologies that reduce noise, vibration, and heat transmission in modern vehicles.

Position Summary

The Calculation & Target Costing Engineer is responsible for developing accurate product cost calculations, supporting quotation activities, and driving target costing initiatives for new and existing programs. This role works closely with Engineering, Purchasing, Operations, Program Management, and Sales to establish competitive cost models that support profitable business growth.

The successful candidate will leverage their manufacturing knowledge and analytical expertise to evaluate product designs, material costs, tooling investments, labor content, automation opportunities, and manufacturing processes. This position plays a critical role in supporting customer quotations, identifying cost reduction opportunities, and ensuring alignment with profitability objectives throughout the product lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Develop detailed cost calculations for customer quotations, new business opportunities, and product changes.

Create and maintain target cost models for automotive acoustic and thermal management products.

Analyze bills of materials (BOMs), raw materials, purchased components, labor, overhead, tooling, packaging, and logistics costs.

Evaluate manufacturing processes including thermoforming, injection molding, assembly, and automated production systems.

Support RFQ activities by providing timely, accurate, and competitive cost estimates.

Collaborate with Product Engineering and Process Engineering teams to optimize product designs for cost and manufacturability.

Work with Purchasing to evaluate supplier quotations and identify cost-saving opportunities.

Perform cost benchmarking studies and competitive analyses.

Support value engineering and continuous improvement initiatives aimed at achieving target costs.

Develop financial justifications and ROI analyses for tooling, equipment, and automation investments.

Monitor actual manufacturing costs against quoted assumptions and identify improvement opportunities.

Maintain costing databases, cost standards, assumptions, and calculation methodologies.

Prepare professional reports and presentations for management review and business case evaluations.

Participate in cross-functional program reviews and support successful product launches.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Finance, Business, or a related technical field.

Minimum 3 years of experience in product costing, target costing, manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, estimating, or financial analysis within a manufacturing environment.

Experience supporting automotive OEM or Tier 1 suppliers preferred.

Knowledge of manufacturing processes including:

Thermoforming

Injection molding

Assembly operations

Automation systems

Tooling and capital equipment

Strong analytical, financial, and problem-solving skills.

Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.

Experience with ERP systems and cost modeling tools.

Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, CAD models, and technical specifications.

Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Strong organizational skills with attention to detail.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with automotive acoustic or thermal management products.

Knowledge of value engineering and target costing methodologies.

Experience with SAP or similar ERP platforms.

Familiarity with Power BI and data visualization tools.

Experience supporting manufacturing launch activities and cost improvement programs.

Key Competencies

Product Cost Estimation

Target Costing

Financial Analysis

Manufacturing Processes

Value Engineering

Cost Optimization

Data Analysis

Business Acumen

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Continuous Improvement

What Success Looks Like

Delivers accurate and timely cost estimates that support competitive quotations.

Identifies cost reduction opportunities that improve program profitability.

Establishes reliable target costs for new product development programs.

Provides actionable cost analysis that supports strategic business decisions.

Collaborates effectively across Purchasing, Engineering, Operations, and Commercial teams.

Contributes to the successful launch and profitability of new programs.

Why Join Carcoustics?

At Carcoustics, you'll be part of a team dedicated to innovation, operational excellence, and continuous improvement. Your work will directly influence business success by helping deliver competitive, high-quality solutions to our customers around the world.

Join Carcoustics and help us achieve our mission: We Engineer Silence.

Pay: $75,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) 5% Match
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person