Engineering Journal Jobs in Mettawa, IL

Job Title: Packaging Engineer

Location: North Chicago, IL

Hire Type: Open-ended Contract, Onsite

Target Pay Rate: $40.00 - $45.00/hour (W2)

Benefits: PTO, paid holidays, BCBS Medical plans, Dental/Vision plans, 401(k), and ESOP

Must-Have Skills:

• Packaging design & development experience (materials, structures, functionality)
• Packaging testing & validation expertise (performance, shipping, integrity)
• Manufacturing/plant experience (trials, troubleshooting, production support)

Job Summary:

The Packaging Engineer develops and implements packaging solutions for new and existing products, ensuring functionality, cost-effectiveness, and compatibility with manufacturing. This role supports pharmaceutical and/or combination product packaging through design, testing, validation, and cross-functional collaboration.

Job Duties:

• Design and develop primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging solutions
• Create and maintain packaging documentation (BOMs, specs, assembly instructions)
• Lead packaging validation and ensure compliance with FDA regulations (21 CFR 201, 210, 211)
• Develop and execute testing protocols (performance, container/closure integrity, shipping)
• Conduct plant trials, analyze results, and make recommendations on packaging viability
• Evaluate new materials and technologies to improve performance, cost, and efficiency
• Collaborate with internal teams and external suppliers to meet project timelines
• Support labeling, artwork review, and packaging design verification
• Troubleshoot packaging issues and support manufacturing operations

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Science, Packaging Engineering, or related field
• 2+ years of packaging design experience.
• Strong knowledge of packaging materials (corrugate, plastics, cartons, films) and testing methods
• Experience with packaging validation, documentation, and regulatory requirements
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes and packaging equipment (e.g., form-fill-seal)
• Ability to create 2D drawings
• Experience with pharmaceutical or combination product packaging is a plus.

Product Manager

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $110,000 – $130,000 + Annual Bonus
• Medical, Dental, Vision Coverage
• 401(k) with Company Match

About the Opportunity

Sterling Engineering is partnering with a leading organization to hire a Product Manager who will drive innovation, profitability, and strategic growth across a diverse product portfolio.

This role is ideal for a data-driven, strategic thinker who thrives in retail manufacturing or industrial product environments and enjoys balancing high-level strategy with hands-on execution. You’ll play a key role in shaping product direction—not just responding to customer requests, but proactively identifying opportunities that impact the broader market.

What You’ll Do

Product Strategy & Portfolio Management

• Lead product innovation through competitive analysis, gap identification, and market insights
• Manage and optimize product portfolios, including SKU rationalization and lifecycle management
• Identify new product opportunities aligned with business goals and market demand
• Own product data and performance metrics to drive strategic decision-making
• Partner with Supply Chain and Manufacturing to refine product specs, cost structures, and procurement strategies

New Product Development

• Develop and execute product roadmaps focused on innovation and value creation
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure successful product launches and market adoption
• Support continuous improvement initiatives across multiple product lines

Pricing Strategy

• Analyze market trends and competitor pricing to ensure optimal positioning
• Implement pricing strategies that drive both revenue growth and margin expansion
• Conduct pricing analysis and experiments to evaluate demand and profitability

Channel & Go-to-Market Strategy (Place & Promotion)

• Define and optimize sales channels (distribution, e-commerce, dealer networks, etc.)
• Partner with Marketing to develop promotional strategies, campaigns, and product positioning
• Support merchandising, packaging, and product content strategies across channels
• Build and manage promotional calendars aligned with key sales events and market opportunities

What We’re Looking For

• 3–5+ years of Product Management experience with a focus on strategy, innovation, and analytics
• Experience in retail manufacturing, industrial, or durable goods environments
• Strong background in competitive analysis, pricing strategy, and portfolio management
• Proven ability to influence internal product strategy at scale, beyond individual customer requests
• B2B experience preferred
• Bachelor’s degree required (Master’s preferred)
• Excellent communication, leadership, and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Demonstrated career stability and long-term impact in prior roles

Aegis is partnered with a long-standing, family-owned manufacturer that is experiencing significant growth following a recent major facility expansion. This organization produces highly engineered metal components serving industries such as aerospace, medical, automotive, and industrial manufacturing.

They are seeking a Senior Quality Engineer to act as a key contributor in driving process improvements, supporting new product introductions, and leading quality initiatives across the organization. This is a highly visible role working cross-functionally with engineering, operations, and leadership teams.

Responsibilities:

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on quality and production efficiency
• Apply statistical analysis tools to evaluate manufacturing processes and reduce variation
• Support new product introductions and quality planning activities
• Work directly with customers to resolve quality concerns and implement corrective actions
• Conduct internal, customer, and supplier audits
• Develop and implement quality procedures, documentation, and process controls
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive root cause investigations and solutions
• Support inspection processes and material disposition decisions

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial preferred)
• 5–8 years quality engineering experience in manufacturing
• Experience working in ISO-certified environments (AS9100 or IATF preferred)
• Strong experience with SPC tools such as PPAP, APQP, RCA, and gage R&R
• Experience leading process improvement or Lean initiatives
• Internal or external auditing experience preferred
• Six Sigma or ASQ certification strongly preferred

Ideal background: aerospace, automotive, medical device, heavy industrial, or high-volume precision manufacturing.

Position Title: Director of Manufacturing

Reports to: Head of Operations

Role Description

The Director of Manufacturing will play a pivotal role in overseeing and managing the daily operations of the manufacturing facility. This individual will be responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and ensuring the smooth operation of all activities within the plant, with an emphasis on maintaining high productivity, efficiency, safety, and the highest quality standards. The Director of Manufacturing will collaborate with various departments, which include Product Development, Marketing and Accounting, in support of all commercial and financial objectives. Departments under Director of Manufacturing’s direct leadership include production, quality control, maintenance, and logistics.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

• Lead and mentor a cross-functional team of engineers, technicians, and production staff in eyewear frame manufacturing to drive continuous improvement and operational excellence.

• Develop and implement strategies to improve product quality, process capability, and manufacturing efficiency.

• Partner with design and product development team to transition new frame designs into scalable, stable production.

• Manage day-to-day operations of in-house frame manufacturing.

• Manage capital projects and equipment upgrades to enhance production capabilities and support scaling initiatives.

• Champion a culture of craftsmanship, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Product Engineering & Product Development Support

• Develop industry standards and provide DFM (Design for Manufacturability) feedback during early design phases, influencing materials, tolerances, and construction methods for new eyewear frames.

• Translate product design into production-ready engineering documentation, including drawings, BOMs, specifications, and process routings.

• Collaborate with manufacturing engineers and product designers to develop innovative solutions for frame construction, hinge integration, and surface finishing.

• Assist in the technical training of product development and production staff on new materials and processes.

• Document, standardize, and improve processes across machining, shaping, assembly, and finishing operations.

• Introduce and sustain lean manufacturing principles to reduce waste, improve quality, and shorten lead times.

• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for process and product issues.

• Maintain equipment capability and recommend capital investments in manufacturing technology. • Implement measurement and inspection methods for critical-to-quality features. Operational Excellence

• Develop metrics for yield, cycle time, and productivity to develop consistent, manual master planning for more predictable production throughput.

• Coordinate with supply chain and vendor partners on components and outsourced processes (e.g., plating, coatings, laser engraving).

• Team Leadership: Successfully manages the manufacturing, quality control, and industrial design teams, comprised of a skilled labor pool of exempt and non-exempt employees. Direct and lead the team with clear priorities and goals in support of broader business initiatives and to ensure quality, efficiency and collaboration at all times. Actively develops supervisors and leads to engage and motivate the workforce. Provides ongoing training/support for continuous skill development.
• Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement: Continuously evaluate existing processes to enhance output; leverage industry expertise as well as manufacturing background to implement the most efficient manufacturing solutions for eyewear production. Identify and implement new technologies, and systems to enhance resource use and streamline operations. Constantly strive to improve the operation in support of business goals and market needs (quality, cost, efficiency, timeliness etc.)
• Equipment & Machinery Oversight: Strong knowledge of specialized equipment and machinery, with the ability to diagnose, repair, and source parts, especially in collaboration with the Maintenance Manager.
• Cross-Department Collaboration: Work closely with executive leadership and other departments to achieve organizational goals and ensure operational efficiency. Key stakeholders include Product Development, Finance, Sales, Marketing, Purchasing
• Alignment with Business Plan: Work closely with key stakeholders to ensure manufacturing plans meet the expectations of the business (ie: COGS, timing, quality etc).
• Budget Mgt and Cost Control: Establish appropriate annual plans and budgets in support of production forecasts and actively manage labor and raw material costs to ensure targets are met. Sets the foundation for growth, scalability and profitability in the manufacturing center.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Logistics, Engineering, or other industry-related field required; MBA preferred  At least ten years of manufacturing experience
• Prior experience leading teams and managing complex initiatives

Position Details

• Full-time onsite position based at our Vernon Hills, IL Headquarters

LHH Recruitment Solutions has partnered with a growing organization, and they are seeking a motivated Director, Indirect Procurement to join their team. You will lead a large, enterprise-wide spend portfolio. This is a highly visible role for a procurement leader who thrives in hands-on, stakeholder-facing environments and brings deep expertise across transportation, logistics, facilities, and utilities categories. This position offers the opportunity to shape strategy while remaining closely embedded in the business—working directly with executive leadership, plant operations, and cross-functional partners to drive value, resilience, and long-term capability.

The Opportunity:

The Director of Indirect Procurement will own and lead a $1B+ annual indirect spend portfolio, with primary emphasis on:

• Transportation and logistics (3PL – over-the-road and ocean).
• Warehousing and distribution services.
• Utilities, facilities, and site services.

This leader will be responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies that balance cost, service, risk, and scalability across a multi-site manufacturing and operations footprint.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead enterprise-wide sourcing strategies across transportation, logistics, warehousing, utilities, facilities, and related indirect categories.
• Act as a trusted business partner to senior executives and site leadership, ensuring procurement is fully embedded in core business decisions.
• Drive total cost of ownership improvements while maintaining service continuity and supply assurance.
• Lead complex supplier negotiations and long-term contractual strategies across domestic and international providers.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships that enable innovation, flexibility, and performance improvement.
• Partner closely with operations, finance, engineering, and HR to align procurement strategies with business objectives.
• Develop and manage annual value creation targets, budgets, and performance metrics.
• Ensure procurement governance, policies, and standards are consistently applied across the organization.

Leadership & Talent Development:

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing indirect procurement team.
• Play an active role in hiring, onboarding, and succession planning for procurement talent.
• Establish clear performance expectations, development plans, and engagement rhythms.
• Foster a hands-on, collaborative culture that values accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Serve as a primary procurement interface to executive leadership and senior business stakeholders.
• Navigate complex, sometimes competing priorities across multiple plants and functions.
• Travel to manufacturing sites, vendors, and key stakeholders as needed (approximately 20–25%; majority of sites located in IL/WI).

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor’s Degree required; advanced degree (MBA or equivalent) preferred.
• Significant, progressive leadership experience in indirect procurement within large, complex organizations.
• Deep expertise in transportation procurement (3PL – over-the-road and ocean), warehousing, utilities, and facilities.
• Proven experience managing and influencing large-scale spend portfolios (approaching or exceeding $1B annually).
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence, challenge, and partner at the senior leadership level.
• Hands-on leadership style with a track record of being embedded in the business.
• Experience supporting multi-site manufacturing, industrial, or asset-intensive environments.
• Background in organizations with mature procurement and sourcing functions.
• Exposure to international suppliers and global sourcing strategies.

Compensation Range: $200,000 - $240,000 + 25% Bonus

Benefits Offered: 3 weeks of vacation, paid sick leave where applicable by state law, Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance Vision Insurance, 401K, and Life Insurance.

If you are a passionate Director, Indirect Procurementlooking for anew and rewarding career, please apply today! You don’t want to miss out on this opportunity!

LHH is a leader in permanent recruitment—and in the placement of top talent. Our areas of specialty include office administration, customer service, human resources, engineering, and supply chain and logistics. Please feel free to check us out and apply for other opportunities if this role isn’t a perfect match.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

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Job Description

Who will you be working with?

You'll be joining Wabtec Bus Solutions, a team driving innovation in Transit Bus & Rail systems, including passenger door systems, wheelchair lifts & ramps, e-Bus charging systems, driver’s protective barriers, and more. We blend technical expertise with deep product knowledge to deliver high-impact solutions for our customers and communities.

How will you make a difference?

As a Manufacturing Engineer II within Wabtec Bus Solutions, you will perform a variety of manufacturing engineering assignments including developing, evaluating and improving manufacturing methods within the industrial plant. Estimate production times, staffing requirements, and related costs to provide information for management decisions. Confers with management, engineering, and other staff regarding manufacturing capabilities, and other considerations to facilitate production processes. Train technical as well as non-technical associations, assist others through moderate to complex tasks and apply statistical methods to estimate future manufacturing requirements and potential issues while driving solutions.

What do we want to know about you?

You may be a good fit if you have:

• Bachelor's degree (B. S.) from four-year College or university; or three to six years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in Lean Manufacturing, FMEA, PFMEA ,Gemba events. Experience (6 months or more) in Auto-Cad, or ProE/ Solid Works is required.
• Exceptional technical and problem-solving skills and reasoning capability
• Must be a self-motivated and a great team worker

What will your typical day look like?

• Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.
• Visionary Leadership - Displays passion and optimism; Inspires respect and trust; Mobilizes others to fulfill the vision; Provides vision and inspiration to peers and subordinates.
• Cost Consciousness - Works within approved budget; Develops and implements cost saving measures; Contributes to profits and revenue; Conserves organizational resources.
• Project Management - Develops project plans; Coordinates projects; Communicates changes and progress; Completes projects on time and budget; Manages project team activities.
• Conduct DFMEA sessions to identify and mitigate design risks

What about the physical demands of the job?

• Primarily office-plant based work
• Use a computer for extended periods
• Occasionally lift/move up to 25 pounds
• Stand, walk, and navigate facilities
• Occasional travel (10%) to customers and manufacturing sites

You may also be asked to perform other duties outside of your function or trade, for which adequate training will be provided if necessary.

Relocation assistance may be provided if eligibility requirements are met.

Wabtec will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the U.S. for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen (as applicable) and fitness for duty test (as applicable).

Additional Information

Our job titles may span more than one career level. The salary rate for this role is currently $6 The actual salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors, such as training, transferable skills, work experience, education, business needs, market demands and work location. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. More information on offered benefits, which include health, welfare, and retirement, are available at . Other benefit offerings for this role may include annual bonus, if eligible.

#LI-JS1

Responsible for coordinating all activities necessary to complete technical service requests within an agreed upon timeline. This includes material testing, extrusion and problem solving.

Requirements

• Able to operate and interpret data with majority of the material characterizations tools such as DSC, rheometer, TGA, DMA, Tensile tester, hardness tester, GC-MS, HPLC, FTIR, optical , SEM, etc.
• No restriction in weight lifting of 50lb or so if needed when working in the extrusion lab for making pellets film and tubing.
• Execute protocols and write reports following procedures.
• BS 2-3+ years, MS or PhD 0+years in material science or engineering , chemical engineering, or equivalent. Experienced in Working in medical industries is preferred.

Empowered Staffing is partnered with a national provider of dining, environmental, and facilities management services supporting senior living and healthcare communities across the U.S. Our client is committed to long-term partnerships and operational excellence, serving hundreds of facilities nationwide.

Due to exciting growth, our client is adding a Senior Staff Accountant to the corporate Accounting team in Lake Forest, IL. This position offers a unique blend of structured month-end responsibilities and ad hoc, project-based work, making it ideal for someone who enjoys both consistency and problem-solving. You'll work closely with leadership and support a variety of initiatives across the business.

Responsibilities:

· Support the month-end close process, including preparing digital binders, balance sheet reconciliations, and accruals

· Analyze P&L results, identifying variances and trends to support business insights

· Review and manage vendor activity, including spend analysis, statements, and issue resolution

· Oversee key operational processes such as AP, expense reports (Concur), and daily data imports

· Manage intercompany transactions, journal entries, and related reconciliations

· Assist with payroll entries, COGS reporting, and sales tax filings

· Leverage Excel and emerging tools (AI/automation) to improve processes and support ad hoc projects

Requirements:

· 3–5 years of accounting experience

· Strong foundation in month-end close, reconciliations, and financial analysis

· Advanced Excel skills and comfort working with large data sets

· Experience with an ERP system (NetSuite a plus)

· A curious, growth-oriented mindset with interest in learning new tools and technologies

· Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate across teams

Benefits:

· Comprehensive health coverage including Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance

· 401(k) with company match

· Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick time, and paid holidays

· Opportunity to work closely with leadership and gain broad exposure across the business

· Strong emphasis on mentorship, development, and internal growth