Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Job Description:

COMPANY DESCRIPTION 

Illinois Tool Works, Inc. (NYSE: ITW) is a Fortune 200 global industrial company centered in a differentiated business model. The company’s seven business segments leverage the 80/20 business model to generate solid growth, best-in-class margins and favorable returns in markets where innovative, customer-focused solutions are required. ITW delivers specialized expertise, innovative thinking and value-added products to meet critical customer needs in a variety of industries targeting sustainable and profitable organic growth. 

DIVISION DESCRIPTION 

ITW’s Automotive segment designs and manufactures innovative fasteners, interior and exterior components, and powertrain and braking systems for OEMs and their top-tier suppliers. ITW’s automotive businesses have a high level of customer intimacy, enabling customer-back innovation to address complex needs such as vehicle efficiency, safety, and quality. Deep market knowledge and strong manufacturing process capabilities allow ITW’s automotive businesses to be nimble, niche problem solvers for their sophisticated customers. 
 

The Smart Components Division drives profitability by leveraging its innovative solutions and application engineering. In addition to ITW’s industry-leading research and development capabilities, ITW Smart Components enhances our customers’ competitive advantage. Smart Components is a business group within ITW’s Automotive segment with manufacturing locations in North America. Our products are made up of housings and doors, innovative Capless solutions and charge ports for major OEMs around the world. 

SUMMARY 

Serves as the senior manufacturing engineering technical leader for plastic injection molding and light assembly operations. Leads whole plant layout strategy, capacity planning, customer capacity portals, launch packaging strategy, expendable and returnable packaging design, production readiness, PFMEA systems, safety-alert response, 6S cell layouts, manufacturability input, and complex continuous improvement initiatives across the plant.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Lead complex manufacturing engineering projects related to injection molding, light assembly, automation, tooling, fixtures, packaging, material flow, plant layout, capacity, safety, quality, and productivity.
• Serve as first-in-charge technical owner for whole plant layout and capacity planning, including production machines, injection molding presses, assembly cells, labor assumptions, floor space, WIP, material flow, packaging flow, storage, and future growth needs.
• Lead production machine, press, and assembly capacity analysis; define and implement adjustments to meet customer demand, improve utilization, reduce bottlenecks, and support launch and production requirements.
• Lead concept design for manufacturing processes, automation, fixtures, workstations, cell layouts, packaging systems, safe work areas, and material flow using layout software and 3D CAD tools.
• Lead new product design manufacturability reviews to ensure ease of manufacturability, assembly feasibility, packaging feasibility, process capability, safety, serviceability, and efficient production flow.
• Lead manufacturing and automation projects, including creation, review, and updates to PFMEA documents, process flows, control plans, setup sheets, standard work, troubleshooting guides, and launch documentation.
• Own launch packaging strategy for assigned programs, including expendable and returnable packaging design, customer requirement compliance, packaging validation/testing, supplier coordination, documentation, and production readiness.
• Maintain and govern customer packaging requirements, ensuring plant packaging standards, customer specifications, quality expectations, shipping requirements, ergonomics, and operational needs are met.
• Support operations and supply chain in determining packaging fleet size and ordering requirements for production needs, including returnable loop calculations, expendable consumption, ramp-up plans, and contingency planning.
• Maintain and validate customer capacity portals and customer-facing capacity documentation, ensuring alignment between customer demand, quoted capacity, equipment capability, plant layout, and actual production performance.
• Define WIP strategy and requirements across the plant by evaluating customer demand, cycle times, changeovers, packaging quantities, kanban or supermarket needs, storage constraints, and production stability.
• Lead adjustments in response to safety alerts, customer alerts, internal quality issues, ergonomic concerns, equipment changes, capacity constraints, and manufacturing risk assessments.
• Drive 6S cell layout improvements and safe work area standards across the plant, including material presentation, traffic flow, ergonomic design, visual controls, and workstation organization.
• Lead cross-functional root cause analysis and systemic corrective action for major safety, quality, downtime, scrap, packaging, capacity, launch, and process stability issues.
• Develop capital requirements and justifications for equipment, tooling, packaging, layout, automation, safety, capacity, and productivity projects; coordinate implementation and post-launch validation.
• Mentor Manufacturing Engineer I and II team members, technicians, and production support personnel; provide technical guidance, training recommendations, and project prioritization support.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Plastics Engineering, or equivalent experience required.
• 6+ years related manufacturing engineering experience required.
• Strong experience in plastic injection molding required; automotive Tier 1 manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading plant layout, capacity planning, WIP strategy, production flow, launch readiness, and capital projects required.
• Experience designing and launching expendable and returnable packaging, maintaining customer packaging requirements, and supporting packaging fleet size calculations preferred.
• Experience maintaining customer capacity portals and customer-facing manufacturing readiness documentation preferred.
• Advanced experience using layout software and 3D CAD systems required; SolidWorks preferred.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, 6S, Six Sigma, PFMEA, process flow, control plans, root cause corrective action, mistake-proofing, and continuous improvement methods.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams, mentor others, influence decisions, and communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work overtime and weekends as required.

COMPETENCIES 

• Advanced technical and analytical skills
• Plant layout and capacity planning leadership
• Injection molding, assembly, packaging, and automation expertise
• Complex problem solving and root cause leadership
• Capital project development and justification
• Cross-functional leadership and influence
• Mentoring and technical coaching
• Strategic prioritization and resource management
• Continuous improvement leadership
• Accountability, initiative, and results orientation

Compensation Information:

100,000 - 120,000

ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential. 

As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.