Design Engineering Manager

Company Name: Confidential

Location: Illinois

Position Title: Manager, Design Engineering

The Opportunity:
This is a high-impact leadership opportunity to build and lead the Design Engineering function within a growing thermoformed medical packaging business. The Manager of Design Engineering will step into a visible, hands-on role that combines technical execution with team leadership, directly influencing product innovation, customer satisfaction, and business growth.

As a working manager, this individual will not only lead a team but also actively design and engineer thermoformed packaging solutions used in critical healthcare applications. The business is experiencing strong growth, driven by a robust sales pipeline and increased investment, creating immediate demand for additional engineering capacity and leadership.

This role offers the opportunity to make a tangible impact by delivering high-quality, manufacturable, and cost-effective designs that meet strict medical and regulatory requirements. You will partner closely with customers in an iterative design process, translating their needs into practical solutions that function properly in production environments. Success will be defined by delivering designs that perform as intended, minimize rework, and accelerate time to commercialization.

Beyond technical execution, this role provides a platform to strengthen and scale the design engineering organization, developing team capabilities, refining processes, and establishing best practices. It is an ideal opportunity for a leader who thrives in a collaborative, hands-on environment and wants to play a key role in shaping a growing business.

The Company:
The organization is a global leader in high-performance, sustainable packaging solutions, serving multiple industries including healthcare, food, and consumer goods. With a broad manufacturing footprint and strong market presence, the company is well-positioned for continued growth.

Following a recent ownership transition, the business is now focused on long-term investment and expansion rather than cost-cutting. Leadership is actively investing capital into operations, technology, and talent to support growth initiatives and strengthen market position.

A key differentiator is the company’s involvement in the healthcare space. The medical packaging division works closely with leading medical device manufacturers to support the development and delivery of innovative technologies. Employees contribute to meaningful work that plays a role in improving and saving lives.

The culture is collaborative, performance-driven, and rooted in accountability. It is a merit-based environment where employees are recognized for delivering results and given opportunities to advance their careers as the organization grows.

The Boss:
This role reports to the Vice President/General Manager, a highly experienced leader with decades of tenure in the organization. He brings deep industry knowledge and has successfully led the business through significant transitions while maintaining stability and growth.

His leadership style emphasizes collaboration, accountability, and long-term success. He values individuals who take ownership, produce high-quality work, and engage effectively with customers and internal teams. He has a strong track record of developing talent and supporting career progression within the organization.

Under his leadership, team members benefit from clear direction, strong support, and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the business.

The Position:
The Manager, Design Engineering is responsible for leading the design and development of thermoformed medical packaging solutions while managing and developing a team of engineers. This is a hands-on role requiring direct involvement in engineering work, project execution, and customer engagement.

The position plays a critical role in bridging engineering, manufacturing, and customer requirements to ensure that products are both innovative and manufacturable.

Essential Functions (Other duties may be assigned):

• Lead and develop a high-performance Design Engineering team
• Serve as a working manager, actively designing parts and leading projects
• Drive end-to-end product development from concept through commercialization
• Develop packaging designs that meet customer, regulatory, and manufacturing requirements
• Oversee CAD design work, including 3D modeling and prototyping
• Manage tooling development and coordinate with suppliers and internal teams
• Engage directly with customers in iterative design discussions
• Translate customer needs into actionable engineering solutions
• Ensure compliance with medical packaging standards and validation requirements
• Drive continuous improvement in design processes and team performance
• Collaborate cross-functionally to support new product introduction

Qualifications:

• Strong expertise in thermoforming design and development is required
• Experience in medical packaging is preferred; adjacent medical device experience is acceptable
• Ability to design manufacturable and cost-effective solutions
• Strong customer-facing communication and collaboration skills
• Proven leadership or team management experience
• Experience managing projects related to product development and commercialization

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Packaging Science, or Industrial Design
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in thermoforming or related plastics manufacturing environments
• Experience with medical packaging standards and regulatory requirements preferred
• Proficiency with CAD tools such as SolidWorks

Competencies:

• Deep technical expertise in thermoforming and plastics design
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills
• Customer-focused mindset with strong collaboration ability
• Leadership and team development skills
• Project management and organizational strength
• Adaptability and continuous improvement orientation

Work Environment:

• Onsite role based in Huntley, Illinois
• Highly collaborative, hands-on environment
• Frequent interaction with manufacturing teams and customers
• Travel up to approximately 20% as needed