Mechanical Proposals Engineer

About Kais-AIR®:

Kais-AIR® is a leader in the design, engineering, fabrication, installation, and service of modular industrial equipment and mission-critical facilities. As part of the Kaiser Enterprise, we offer customers a single point of contact to execute a wide variety of critical needs across multiple markets including Data Centers, Battery Manufacturing, Automotive, Aerospace, Renewable Energy, and Healthcare.

Role Overview:

The Mechanical Proposals Engineer is responsible for developing accurate cost estimates for custom mechanical equipment and modular systems serving both industrial and mission-critical markets.

Within the industrial market, the Mechanical Proposals Engineer supports estimating for custom air handling units (AHUs) and desiccant dehumidification units (DHUs) designed for specialized environmental control applications.

Within the mission-critical market, the Mechanical Proposals Engineer supports estimating for custom air handling units, electrical skids, and modular data center infrastructure products.

Working within the Sales & Estimating group, the Mechanical Proposals Engineer collaborates closely with engineering, manufacturing, procurement, and sales teams to evaluate project scope, obtain vendor pricing, develop cost models, and support customer proposals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Equipment Cost Estimating

• Develop cost estimates for custom mechanical equipment and modular assemblies.
• Review project drawings, specifications, and performance requirements to determine scope.
• Prepare conceptual, budgetary, and detailed estimates to support customer proposals and internal planning.

Industrial Market Equipment

Support estimating activities for industrial environmental control systems including:

• Custom air handling units (AHUs)
• Desiccant dehumidification units (DHUs)
• Specialized humidity and environmental control systems

Responsibilities include estimating major equipment components such as:

• Fans and fan arrays
• Cooling and heating coils
• Desiccant dehumidification systems
• Filtration stages
• Energy recovery devices
• Dampers and airflow control devices
• Structural housings and equipment frames

Coordinate with engineering to understand performance requirements such as airflow capacity, static pressure, temperature control, and humidity control targets.

Mission Critical Market Equipment

Support estimating activities for mission-critical infrastructure including:

• Custom air handling units
• Electrical skid assemblies
• Modular data center mechanical and electrical infrastructure

Responsibilities include reviewing system layouts and coordinating with engineering and manufacturing teams to estimate equipment components, fabrication, assembly, and testing requirements.

Vendor and Component Pricing

• Solicit and evaluate vendor pricing for major mechanical and electrical components including:
• Fans and motors
• Coils and heat exchangers
• Desiccant wheels and humidity control equipment
• Electrical components and controls
• Maintain supplier relationships and track historical cost data.

Manufacturing and Assembly Coordination

• Coordinate with engineering and manufacturing teams to estimate:
• Fabrication labor
• Assembly and integration time
• Testing and commissioning requirements
• Packaging and shipping considerations
• Ensure equipment designs align with manufacturing capabilities and cost targets.

Proposal and Sales Support

• Support the Sales team in preparing technical proposals and estimate summaries.
• Assist with development of proposal documentation and cost breakdowns.
• Participate in internal bid review meetings and scope discussions.

Cost Analysis and Continuous Improvement

• Track estimated versus actual project costs to improve future estimate accuracy.
• Maintain estimating templates and internal cost databases.
• Identify opportunities for cost optimization and value engineering during proposal development.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Construction Management, or related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• 1–5 years of experience in mechanical estimating, HVAC equipment estimating, or industrial equipment design.
• Ability to read and interpret:
• Mechanical drawings
• Equipment schedules
• Electrical one-line diagrams
• Technical specifications.
• Strong proficiency with Excel and cost analysis tools.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience estimating custom air handling units or HVAC equipment.
• Familiarity with desiccant dehumidification technologies.
• Experience estimating modular equipment or skid-mounted systems.
• Exposure to data center infrastructure equipment.
• Familiarity with BIM tools such as Revit or Navisworks.

Key Skills:

• Mechanical equipment estimating
• HVAC system components and air handler systems
• Desiccant dehumidification technologies
• Electrical skid and modular equipment estimating
• Vendor pricing coordination
• Cost modeling and analysis
• Cross-functional collaboration with engineering and manufacturing teams

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to occasionally visit manufacturing facilities and project sites.
• Ability to review detailed drawing sets and digital models.