Job Description
CONFIDENTIAL MANUFACTURING ENGINEER — ELGIN, IL
Salary: $85–95K (up to $105–110K for the right fit) + Annual Bonus
Industry: Commercial Equipment / Industrial Manufacturing
Type: Full-Time, Onsite
A well-established and highly respected commercial equipment manufacturer in the Elgin, IL area is seeking a hands-on Manufacturing Engineer to join their growing engineering and operations team. This company is known for building durable, high-performance industrial products used globally by major household brands. With decades of industry leadership and a significant product legacy, the organization is entering a period of strategic growth, retirements, and succession planning, creating a strong long-term runway for this new hire.
This is an exclusive, high-priority role reporting directly to senior leadership.
Why This Opportunity Stands Out
- Major career runway: Several upcoming retirements mean accelerated growth, ownership of processes, and the chance to become a key technical leader.
- Small, collaborative engineering team: High visibility, close partnership with leadership, and a culture that encourages cross-functional collaboration.
- Hands-on impact: Split time between engineering activities and being directly on the production floor driving improvements, solving problems, and partnering with operators.
- Strong stability: Long-established products with an ongoing pipeline of updates, cost-saving initiatives, and continuous improvement projects.
- Comprehensive benefits: PTO, paid holidays, medical/dental/vision, life insurance, and additional perks.
What You’ll Do
This Manufacturing Engineer will spend at least 50% of their time on the shop floor supporting daily manufacturing needs and driving operational excellence.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading manufacturing and CI projects cradle to grave, from concept to implementation.
- Troubleshooting production issues, equipment, and test systems.
- Supporting new product introductions as well as legacy product builds.
- Driving VAVE initiatives focused on cost savings and efficiency.
- Developing and optimizing manufacturing processes.
- Programming/adjusting production and fabrication equipment.
- Supporting prototyping, testing, ECNs, and documentation updates.
- Evaluating components and working cross-functionally with fabrication, machining, and assembly teams.
- Providing ongoing factory and service engineering support.
This role is perfect for someone who loves being hands-on, thrives in fast-moving environments, and wants to make an immediate impact on the floor.
What They’re Looking For
Must Have:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical preferred; Industrial/Manufacturing/Electrical also accepted).
- 5–8+ years in manufacturing/CI/process engineering.
- Sheet metal experience (required).
- Experience leading VAVE initiatives and driving measurable cost reductions.
- Ability to read and create basic SolidWorks drawings (you won’t be doing heavy design work).
- Strong curiosity, initiative, and willingness to “roll up your sleeves” and engage with operators daily.
Nice to Have:
- Experience in equipment/machine building environments.
- Programming or troubleshooting fabrication equipment.
- Exposure to PLCs, electrical systems, or combustion-based products (ovens, heaters, furnaces, boilers, etc.).
Do NOT fit well if:
- Your background is purely chemical, aerospace, software, or research-focused.
Who Will Succeed Here
This company values individuals who:
- Are energized by solving real-time problems on the floor.
- Enjoy working cross-functionally in a tight-knit, knowledge-sharing environment.
- Move quickly and adapt well in fast-paced manufacturing settings.
- Are proactive, resourceful, and naturally curious.
Interview Process
- 30-min technical phone screen with the General Manager
- 2-hour onsite interview with plant leadership and engineering team
Please apply if interested, and recruiter will reach out.