Proposal Engineer

Description
***Active DoD Security Clearance Preferred***
***US Citizenship Required***
***NO VISA SUPPORT or C2C***
***On-Site in OKC Required***
Job Title: Proposal Engineer / Proposal Specialist
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Position Overview:
We are seeking a highly experienced Proposal Engineer to work cross-functionally with Engineering and Business Development to lead technical estimating and proposal development activities across a range of Department of Defense (DoD) programs. This role is critical in developing compliant, competitive proposals by coordinating Engineering and functional teams to develop clear, defensible Basis of Estimates (BOEs).
Key Responsibilities:
• Participate in proposal team meetings, including kickoff meetings, BOE coordination meetings, and internal approval reviews
• Lead technical team in the creation of all technical volumes, including laisse with partners for their technical content
• Support customer meetings, representing technical content
• Lead technical meetings, e.g. Technical Interchange Meetings for proposal efforts
• Lead the technical content development authorship in support of Program Management and Finance in the authorship of clear, defendable BOEs using appropriate methodologies
• Lead engineering in support of Program Management in the creation and maintenance of Responsibility Assignment Matrices (RAMs) to define BOE ownership across Engineering, PMO, and other functions
• Lead engineering inputs in support of Program Management in the alignment of BOEs with Integrated Master Schedules (IMS), Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) and Statements of Work (SOWs)
• Interpret solicitation documents (RFPs, RFIs, SOWs) to identify requirements, risks, dependencies, and assumptions
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to validate and compile estimate inputs
• Prepare staffing projections, sandpile charts, and labor ramps for internal reviews and senior leadership briefings
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of proposal processes, templates, and estimation standards
Requirements
Key Qualifications:
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering or a related field
• 3-5+ years of experience in DoD proposal development or technical cost estimating
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional proposal efforts and drive schedule adherence
• Strong technical writing skills
• Proficiency in developing BOEs using at least one of the following methods Level of Effort (LOE), discrete, and actuals-based estimating methodologies
• Ability to define and document team responsibilities through Responsibility Assignment Matrices (RAMs) and other coordination tools
• Experience working across the Systems Engineering Technical Review process
• Strong skills in Microsoft Excel and proposal development platforms (e.g., MS Word, SharePoint)
• Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance
Preferred Skills:
• Exposure to Earned Value Management (EVM) and cost/schedule integration practices.
• Experience using cost estimation tools (e.g., ProPricer or similar)
• Experience creating and utilizing MS Project
• Familiarity with pricing strategy development, cost realism, and risk-based pricing analysis
• Background in defense aerospace, training systems, or mission systems development
• Radio Frequency System experience such as communication systems, sensors or phenomenology
• Strong working knowledge of DoD contract structures including Firm Fixed Price (FFP), Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF), and Cost Plus Incentive Fee (CPIF)
Work Conditions:
• Office environment with occasional travel required for site visits or customer meetings.
EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability