Product Engineer

Product Engineer – Plastics - $70,000 – $100,000 - Wood Dale, IL

Job Summary

We are seeking a hands-on and technically skilled Product Engineer – Plastics to join our engineering team. This role focuses on the design, development, and validation of plastic components and assemblies used in consumer and industrial products. The ideal candidate will bring a strong mechanical engineering foundation, CAD proficiency, and a passion for creating reliable, cost-effective plastic solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop plastic components and assemblies from concept through production.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including manufacturing, quality, and supply chain to ensure robust product launches.
• Perform hands-on testing and validation of plastic parts to ensure performance, durability, and compliance with design intent.
• Create and manage 3D models and 2D drawings using Creo (or be willing to become proficient).
• Maintain documentation and change control through Windchill PLM system.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions for design or process-related issues.
• Support tooling design and validation in collaboration with suppliers and toolmakers.
• Apply DFM/DFA principles to optimize designs for injection molding and high-volume manufacturing.
• Analyze data and conduct tolerance stack-ups to ensure high-quality, repeatable performance.
• Participate in design reviews and support risk assessments (FMEA, etc.).
• Travel occasionally (up to 10%) for vendor visits, testing support, or manufacturing trials.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (required).
• 2–10 years of experience in product development, ideally involving plastic parts.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD (preferably Creo).
• Experience with PLM systems such as Windchill.
• Strong analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with cross-functional collaboration.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with injection-molded part design and manufacturing.
• Familiarity with materials selection for plastics (e.g., ABS, PC, PBT, Nylon, etc.).
• Exposure to validation testing and statistical analysis.
• Experience working with overseas manufacturing partners or suppliers.
• Knowledge of UL, CSA, or other regulatory standards for plastic components.
• Minitab or similar statistical software experience is a plus.