Project Engineer II - PACKOUT

Job Summary

At Milwaukee Tool, we empower our Project Engineers to innovate and disrupt the industry. The PACKOUT Engineering group seeks a Project Engineer II to lead the development and launch of modular storage solutions. This role requires a blend of mechanical engineering skills and project management expertise.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple low- to medium-complexity New Product Development (NPD) projects simultaneously, driving execution from concept through launch.
• Collaborate cross-functionally and globally with Design Engineering, Quality & Reliability, Purchasing, Finance, Service & Support, Marketing, Manufacturing, and other key stakeholders to ensure alignment and successful project delivery.
• Evaluate product designs and facilitate trade-off decisions across system level design, cost, schedule, and risk, ensuring we meet our core user needs for PACKOUT and the product.
• Develop and manage comprehensive project plans, driving execution to meet defined cost, schedule, and performance targets.
• Lead regular cross-functional team meetings to align on priorities, assign clear ownership, and drive timely execution of project deliverables.
• Engage directly with manufacturing sites to maintain strong communication, proactively identify issues, and provide hands-on troubleshooting support as needed.
• Leverage data to inform project strategy, decisions, and execution, including:
• Evaluating supplier options and resolving operational constraints.
• Performing cost-benefit analyses to guide design direction.
• Conducting make vs. buy assessments to optimize cost, capacity, and scalability.
• Identifying schedule dependencies and driving alignment on ownership and critical path actions.
• Absessing risks, including severity and impact, and implementing mitigation plans.
• Determining project resourcing needs and supporting business prioritization decisions.
• Understanding and communicating downstream impacts of decisions on end users and the broader business.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (or equivalent) required, with a preference for Mechanical Engineering.
• Minimum of 3+ years of relevant professional experience in product development, engineering, or project execution.
• Demonstrated project leadership or project management experience, including driving cross-functional teams, managing timelines, and delivering against defined scope, cost, and schedule targets.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally (~10%) to support supplier engagement, manufacturing, and project needs.
• Strong mechanical aptitude, including a working knowledge of engineering materials used in durable goods or hand tools (plastics experience preferred).
• Working knowledge of CAD tools (NX or SolidWorks) preferred, with the ability to review models, guide timelines, and set expectations for modeling quality and best practices.
• Demonstrated understanding of product development processes, including design, validation/testing, and manufacturing (injection molding preferred; additional processes a plus).
• Proactive, self-driven problem solver who can independently identify issues, drive solutions, and maintain forward momentum in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to anticipate workload and identify resource constraints, providing clear visibility into upcoming needs and potential bottlenecks.
• Demonstrated understanding of product cost drivers, including materials, labor, and overhead, with the ability to apply this knowledge in decision-making.

Qualifications

• Basic understanding of product cost drivers, including materials, labor, and overhead, with the ability to apply this knowledge in decision-making.

Benefits

• Robust health, dental and vision insurance plans.
• Generous 401 (K) savings plan.
• Education assistance.
• On-site wellness, fitness center, food, and coffee service.