Senior Product Engineer – Powertrain
Skywater is hiring a Product Engineer III to support and lead the powertrain/drivetrain division at a manufacturer in Chicago.
The Product Engineer III will be the technical expert for the division, overseeing testing & validation, assembly processes, quality control measures, and manufacturing scoping functions. This role will lead and support the launch and modification of new and existing product lines relating to powertrain and drivetrain processes
This is a vital role for this business unit, and will encompass engineering principles related to continuous improvement and lean, quality control, experimentation and testing, process optimization, applications, and manufacturing.
Salary Range: 105,000-125,000 + bonus
This is an on-site position.
Responsibilities
- Analyze powertrain design features to improve upon components (gears, shafts, clutches, etc.) and to enhance durability, performance, and cost-effectiveness.
- Lead the creation and management of large, complex BOMs and oversee engineering change implementations/orders (ECIs/ECOs).
- Optimize manufacturing processes across disassembly, assembly, and testing to drive efficiency, quality, and cost savings.
- Establish and maintain rigorous quality standards; perform root cause analysis and corrective actions for failures.
- Collaborate with Test Engineers to validate performance and ensure reliability through robust testing protocols.
- Manage product launches for new lines and variants, ensuring seamless integration into production.
- Partner cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Design Engineering teams to align materials, tooling, and processes. Champion Lean, Kaizen, 5S, and continuous improvement initiatives, including tooling upgrades and salvage cost-saving projects.
- Provide technical leadership on transmission and drive unit systems while mentoring junior engineers.
- Serve as the lead engineer on assigned product lines, working directly with OEM customers to define priorities, deadlines, and deliverables.
Desired Skills and Experience
- Bachelor's Degree in an Engineering related discipline with 5+ years of engineering experience related to product, mechanical, process, and/or manufacturing engineering
- Automotive and powertrain industry experience is preferred, not required
- Proven experience with lean/six sigma processes, pFMEA/dFMEA, APQPs/PPAPs, and root cause analysis
- Proven experience designing and executing test experiments and scripts to validate safety, performance, and quality
- Proven experience relating to root cause analysis, performance analysis, process optimization, BOM creation and management, and launch engineering
- Excellent written and communication skills
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