Planet · 1 week ago
Lead Cost Analyst / Cost Engineering Manager
San Francisco, CA
Full-time
Hybrid
Lead/Staff
$128K/yr - $160K/yr
10+ years expPlanet is a global company that designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites. They are seeking a Lead Cost Analyst/Cost Engineering Manager to join their high-impact Supply Chain organization, where the role involves financial expertise and technical acumen to drive product profitability from initial concept through mass production.
AerospaceAnalyticsBig DataGeospatialRemote SensingSoftware
Responsibilities
Review project plans and specifications to develop accurate and reliable cost estimates for key projects
Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain teams to model product and production costs across development stages (e.g., Bill of Materials (BOM), tooling, labor, overhead)
Translate engineering and production plans into financially rigorous build and ramp scenarios, identifying financial risks and reallocation opportunities
Collaborate with program managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to ensure the effective execution of cost control measures throughout the lifecycle of projects
Drive marginal cost analysis and margin forecasts for new and existing products
Drive cost-down roadmaps in collaboration with Design, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing, identifying levers to improve unit economics
Support cross-functional tradeoff decisions—such as make vs. buy, tooling investments, and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) options—with clear financial impact analysis
Perform ad hoc analysis as requested to support various leadership initiatives and strategic decisions
Own the forecast and budget cycles for manufacturing and engineering spend areas, ensuring transparency and accountability across teams
Build financial dashboards and tooling to improve visibility into BOM drivers, absorption trends, and program-level cost performance
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Engineering, or a related quantitative field
10+ years of experience in a cost engineering, financial analysis, or program finance role, preferably supporting a Aerospace hardware, manufacturing, or consumer electronics environment
Solid foundational understanding of manufacturing processes, product lifecycle management (PLM), and cost accounting principles (e.g., standard costing, variance analysis)
Exceptional analytical and financial modeling skills, with expertise in building complex, multi-variable cost models
Advanced proficiency in data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) and Microsoft Excel
Preferred
Experience working on Bus systems, Fabricated Metals, Printed Circuit Boards or Optical payloads in a technical or procurement analyst capacity
Thorough understanding of PLM systems like Arena, Teamcenter etc
Ability to analyze and manage complex structured BOMs and configurations
Ability to manage conflicting priorities with frequent context switching
MBA or advanced degree is a plus
Ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct reporting authority
Benefits
Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution
Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company-wide days off
16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave
Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Home Office Reimbursement
Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
Equity
Commuter Benefits (if local to an office)
Volunteering Paid Time Off
Company
Planet
Planet is an aerospace and data analytics company that builds small satellites and delivers information about the changing planet.
501-1000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Planet has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2022 (5)
2021 (12)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$1.03BKey Investors
BlackRockBloombergNEFPrelude Ventures
2025-09-09Post Ipo Debt· $460M
2021-12-08Post Ipo Equity· $200M
2021-12-08IPO
Leadership Team
Will Marshall
Co-Founder & CEO
Robbie Schingler
Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer
Recent News
2025-12-12
2025-12-11
Company data provided by crunchbase