Estimating & Design Specialist

All jobs at Southern Champion Tray (SCT) require Team members to act in accordance with the shared Core Values and Operating principles of the company as they perform specific job functions. These include:

• Trustworthy - We strive for our actions to match our words in all our relationships.
• Servant - Hearted - We enable and empower our team to serve the needs of customers, Team members, suppliers and the community.
• Relational - We aim to build healthy relationships while fostering an environment that promotes compassion, balance, and personal and professional growth.
• Resourceful - We value strategic insourcing, first looking to create solutions internally, and then looking to apply that knowledge to future opportunities.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY: The Flex Estimator is responsible for pricing custom boxes and providing Sales with accurate, competitive, and timely formal quotations. This role supports new and repeat business opportunities by evaluating job requirements, developing reliable cost assumptions, and enabling Sales to respond promptly to customer needs. In addition to estimating responsibilities, the role develops working proficiency in CAD design. Estimating, CAD, and the Die Shop are closely connected through ArtiosCAD, layout development, die knowledge, and production run speeds. The Flex Estimator will use this cross-functional expertise to support critical workflow needs, reduce bottlenecks during periods of increased demand, and maintain continuity across estimating, CAD, and Die Shop activities.

SECONDARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Estimating Responsibilities, home base:

• Receives pricing requests, reviews box type, board details, print needs, and production requirements, then prepares accurate pricing using estimating guidelines and the estimating matrix.
• Builds production and run information, including machine, die, number up, sheet size, and master case size.
• Reviews material, labor, machine time, outside service, and production assumptions to support accurate quotes.
• Supports Sales with quick quote turnaround, bid reviews, and answers to customer or Sales questions.
• Develops and maintains strong working relationships with Sales Managers and Account Managers to support effective communication, accurate quoting, and timely responses to customer needs.
• Works closely with Sales, Engineering, Operations, Production Operators, and other stakeholders to review assumptions and align on next steps.
• Supports Esko Web Center as a secondary administrator by helping with workflows, training, troubleshooting, and release updates.
• Pulls monthly data, compares estimated costs to actual costs, and looks for ways to improve estimating accuracy, speed, and workflow.

CAD Design Responsibilities:

• Creates and updates CAD drawings and die layouts for basic and custom carton structures using correct dimensions, tolerances, and drawing standards.
• Applies design knowledge for folds, scores, cuts, tabs, seams, glue areas, material thickness, and grain direction.
• Designs cartons with production in mind, including die cutting, gluing, forming, printing, and assembly.
• Works with Engineering, Operations, and the Die Shop to confirm manufacturability, tooling needs, and cost impacts before quoting.

Die Shop Responsibilities:

• Partners with the Die Shop to confirm tooling and die requirements.
• Builds hands-on knowledge of die construction, die maintenance, tooling lead times, and production constraints.
• Helps troubleshoot tooling issues that may affect production assumptions used in estimates.

Flex and Cross-Functional Support:

• Provides support where the business need is greatest, including Estimating, CAD, and Die Shop.
• Helps during high-volume periods, tooling backlogs, CAD backlogs, bid reviews, and special projects.
• Supports continuous improvement efforts across departments by bringing together cost, design, tooling, and production knowledge.
• Pulls data from WebCenter to generate and prepare monthly reports on CAD, Estimating, and Graphics turnaround times, consumables, and win rates.

QUALIFICATIONS: EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: High school diploma or GED required; Bachelor's degree preferred. Strong proficiency with Excel, Word, Outlook, and Esko software required. Understanding of costing, cost accounting, pricing guidelines, and general knowledge of profit/loss preferred. Knowledge of machine and production capabilities and familiarity with ERP systems required. Working knowledge of different board types and familiarity with Computer-Aided Design (CAD) programs preferred. Must be highly detail oriented and bring a continuous improvement mindset, with a demonstrated ability to build strong working relationships with Sales and Sales Managers.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Must have the ability to read and understand complex documents, letters, etc. and write legibly in English. Must be able to understand and speak clearly and communicate in English.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Must have the ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide both fractions and decimals, solve equations, read measurements. Use formulas to calculate and analyze data.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: While performing the duties of this job, regularly required to sit or stand for extended periods, use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, and operate a computer keyboard and mouse. Ability to lift/move up to 25 pounds. A person must be able to perform these functions for a minimum of 8 hours straight (with any applicable breaks during day) on a regular basis. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team member successfully performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, but the essential functions cannot be eliminated or performed by others.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Primarily an office environment with occasional presence on the plant floor to coordinate with Operations and Production; must be able to safely encounter an environment around moving machinery and equipment, loud noise, heat, fumes and paper dust. Occasional travel required for sales training or meetings, utilizing air and/or vehicle travel. This is an on-site position based in Chattanooga and is not eligible for remote or work-from-home arrangements.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, but the essential functions cannot be eliminated or performed by others.

Monday - Friday 8am to 5pm

Downtown Plant - 220 Compress Street, Chattanooga, TN 37405