Product Engineer

About the role

The Product Engineer plays a key role in supporting major customers in the distribution sector by executing testing, validation, and product development activities under the guidance of sr. engineers. This position focuses on taking approved concepts through rigorous engineering validation, collaborating with third-party testers and suppliers, and driving cost-effective, reliable solutions in a light manufacturing and supply chain-driven environment.

Job type: Contract to Hire. Location: Itasca, IL. Workplace type: Fully onsite.

Responsibilities

• Support large distribution-focused customers by executing engineering tasks and projects once product concepts have been approved.
• Perform comprehensive load testing, cycle testing, factory acceptance tests (FATs), and other validation activities to ensure product performance and reliability.
• Run racking and related systems through test cycles to validate performance, identify failure modes, and define corrective actions based on DFMEA and PFMEA principles.
• Develop and maintain detailed tolerance specifications, coating testing protocols, and materials specifications and selection criteria.
• Prepare clear and accurate scopes of work for third-party testing partners, and review, validate, and confirm that their test outputs are reasonable and aligned with expected results.
• Research and propose lower-cost, more reliable methods and solutions for customers, working closely with suppliers in a light manufacturing and supply chain-driven environment.
• Collaborate with overseas suppliers and the internal supply chain team to clarify engineering drawings and prints, evaluate material substitutions, and support negotiations with suppliers.
• Create and manage engineering drawings, assemblies, and bills of materials (BOMs) using SolidWorks and related tools.
• Apply Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles to ensure products are practical, cost-effective, and efficient to produce.
• Independently plan, organize, and run engineering projects from concept handoff through validation and implementation.
• Remain hands-on with testing, validation, and product development activities, including time on the shop floor and at customer sites as needed.
• Travel approximately 10–15% of the time for customer visits, on-site testing, and product installations.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including supply chain, manufacturing, and external partners, to ensure successful product launches and ongoing support.

Skills

• 2–5 years of experience in product engineering, with a focus on testing, validation, and product development.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks, including creating detailed drawings, assemblies, and bills of materials (BOMs).
• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals and the ability to apply them to real-world product design and testing.
• Hands-on experience with testing and validation, including load testing, cycle testing, and factory acceptance tests (FATs).
• Experience writing clear, structured test procedures and scopes of work for internal and third-party testing.
• Demonstrated product design and development experience, from concept handoff through validation and implementation.
• Experience applying DFMEA and PFMEA methodologies to identify and mitigate design and process risks.
• Knowledge and application of Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles.
• Ability to independently manage and run engineering projects with minimal supervision.
• Comfort working in a hands-on environment, including direct involvement in testing, validation, and product trials.
• Experience with steel fabrication and product design as the primary materials focus.
• Ability to travel 10–15% for customer visits and product installations.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $45.00 - $48.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Benefits

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability