Posted Today by mselect

Cost Engineer (SME) Subject Matter Expert

Location: Doha

Job Type: Permanent

Sectors:

Defence

Closing Date: 2025-12-03

About vacancy

mselect is looking to hire a Subject Matter Expert (SME) – Cost Engineer for an Aerospace & Defense manufacturing client in Doha, Qatar Candidates must have 10–15 years of experience in cost engineering, estimation, or project controls, ideally within defense and/or aerospace industries Fluency in English is a must.

Job Purpose

The Cost Engineer – SME serves as the group’s leading authority on cost estimation, cost control, and project financial performance across all defense manufacturing subsidiaries and JVs the role ensures that project and production costs are accurately planned, monitored, and optimized in alignment with corporate strategies, defense contract requirements, and lifecycle cost objectives
This position establishes group-wide cost engineering frameworks, estimation standards, and control methodologies to improve cost transparency, budget discipline, and profitability across defense programs and factories

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic & Group-Level Oversight:

Develop and enforce standardized cost engineering policies, procedures, and tools across all subsidiaries and JVs
Support corporate and subsidiary leadership in budget planning, cost analysis, and cost optimization strategies
Ensure all factories adhere to consistent cost tracking and reporting methodologies aligned with defense program management standards
Act as the corporate advisor on cost control, financial forecasting, and cost-performance measurement

2. Cost Estimation & Planning:

Lead the development of should-cost and life-cycle cost models for new defense products and programs
Prepare independent cost estimates (ICEs) and bid cost analyses to support strategic decision-making and contract negotiations
Validate and standardize cost breakdown structures (CBS) and work breakdown structures (WBS) across programs
Analyze and benchmark labor, material, and overhead rates across factories to identify efficiency opportunities

3. Cost Control & Performance Monitoring:

Oversee cost tracking and variance analysis at project and factory levels
Support subsidiaries in implementing earned value management (EVM) and other cost-performance control systems
Develop and manage cost dashboards for executive reporting on budget status, forecasts, and deviations
Provide expert review and validation of cost-to-complete and cost-at-completion projections

4. Collaboration & Integration:

Work closely with engineering, production, procurement, and finance teams to ensure cost accuracy across design, manufacturing, and delivery phases
Coordinate with program managers and bid teams to ensure realistic cost baselines for defense proposals
Support the digital transformation of cost management by defining system requirements and integration standards within ERP, EVM, or PLM environments

5. Continuous Improvement & Knowledge Transfer:

Lead cost reduction and value engineering initiatives across subsidiaries and JVs
Develop and deliver training programs for cost engineers and project controllers across the group
Establish a knowledge-sharing platform for best practices in cost modeling, estimation, and reporting
Identify cost risks and opportunities to improve overall financial performance and competitiveness

Requirements

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Finance, Economics, or Cost Engineering
Master’s degree or MBA preferred
Professional certification, such as AACEI (CCP, CEP), ICEAA (PCEA/CPCEA), or PMP with cost focus, is highly desirable

Experience:

Minimum 10–15 years of experience in cost engineering, estimation, or project controls, ideally within defense and/or aerospace industries
Demonstrated experience in multi-site cost management and defense contract cost reporting
Proven expertise with EVM systems, ERP tools (SAP, Oracle, IFS), and cost analysis software
Strong background in bid costing, life-cycle costing (LCC), and cost-benefit analysis for defense programs

Skills and Competencies

Deep understanding of cost estimation, control, and forecasting methodologies
Strong analytical and quantitative skills, with advanced proficiency in Excel, Power BI, and cost modeling tools
Knowledge of defense contracting, cost-plus/fixed-price models, and government audit requirements (FAR/DFARS or equivalents)
Excellent financial acumen combined with strong technical understanding of engineering and production processes
Ability to communicate complex cost data clearly to technical and non-technical audiences
Strategic mindset with attention to detail and accuracy
Strong leadership, training, and cross-functional collaboration skills