Project Engineer

Project Engineer

📍 Addison, IL (Onsite)

TC: 80-150K DOE

About the Company

Our client is a leading manufacturer of precision-engineered fasteners, cold-headed components, and specialty hardware serving aerospace, defense, industrial, and commercial markets. The organization is part of a larger manufacturing platform backed by a global private equity firm, providing the resources, strategic investment, and long-term growth opportunities of a large enterprise while maintaining the agility and entrepreneurial culture of a specialized manufacturer.

With multiple manufacturing facilities across North America and a workforce numbering in the thousands across its broader platform, the company has built a strong reputation for producing mission-critical components used in demanding and highly regulated applications. The business continues to invest heavily in manufacturing technology, operational excellence, and engineering talent to support aggressive growth initiatives.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Project Engineer to support strategic new product introductions and continuous improvement initiatives within a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This role will work cross-functionally with engineering, tooling, quality, and operations teams to develop new manufacturing processes, improve productivity, and drive operational excellence.

This is an ideal opportunity for an engineer who enjoys combining technical problem-solving, manufacturing process development, and data-driven continuous improvement while making a visible impact on business performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze customer drawings, specifications, and requirements to develop manufacturing methods and engineering documentation.
• Create internal product drawings, models, engineering masters, and manufacturing process requirements.
• Collaborate with Tooling Engineering and Operations to troubleshoot processes, improve machine utilization, and support new product launches.
• Develop process flow diagrams, PFMEAs, and Control Plans in partnership with Quality.
• Evaluate materials, equipment, and labor requirements to optimize manufacturing costs.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives utilizing Lean Manufacturing tools, value stream mapping, cycle time analysis, and process flow studies.
• Analyze production data to identify improvement opportunities and implement corrective actions.
• Conduct Gemba walks and collaborate with operations teams to improve productivity, quality, and throughput.
• Develop standard operating procedures and work instructions.
• Support sourcing, specification, implementation, and deployment of new equipment and manufacturing technologies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• 4-7 years of engineering experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, materials, and production methods.
• Experience supporting new product development and manufacturing process implementation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency with ERP systems, Excel, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Self-starter with strong organizational and project management capabilities.

Preferred Experience

• Fastener, metal forming, machining, or related manufacturing industry experience.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
• PFMEA, Control Plan, and process development experience.
• Equipment implementation and capital project support.
• Manufacturing cost analysis and process optimization.

Why Join?

This is a highly visible role within a growing, private-equity-backed manufacturing platform that is actively investing in technology, operational excellence, and product innovation. You'll have the opportunity to work on strategic projects, drive meaningful process improvements, and help shape the future growth of a market-leading manufacturer.