Mechanical Design Engineer - ITW Automotive

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW) is a diversified manufacturing company that delivers specialized expertise, innovative thinking and value-added products to meet critical customer needs in a variety of industries.   ITW, with approximately 18 billion dollars in global revenues, operates 8 major segments with businesses in 56 countries that employ approximately 51,000 women and men. These talented individuals, many of whom have specialized engineering or scientific expertise, contribute to our global leadership in innovation. We are proud of our broad portfolio of more than 10,000 active patents.

Division Description: 

ITW Deltar Fasteners serves all the major Automotive OEMs and their tier suppliers with plastic fasteners totaling approximately $225M in revenues. Units include: Frankfort, IL; Chippewa Falls, WI and our Commercial Sales and Engineering in Troy, MI. 

The division drives profitability by leveraging its innovative solutions and application engineering.  In addition to ITW’s industry leading research and development capabilities, ITW Deltar Fasteners enhance our customers’ competitive advantage by

• Maintaining advanced engineering and manufacturing facilities in NA.
• Exchanging product, process and benchmarking information with sister units worldwide.
• Continually improving processes, material and designs to ensure every product exceeds customer specifications while providing unparalleled value.

The Project Engineer – Deltar Fasteners will report to the Engineering Manager – Deltar Fasteners and   is responsible for carrying out project assignments for the development of new parts and assemblies with varying degrees of complexity, difficulty of solution and high degree of creativity.  This position will have direct interface with Customers and Suppliers to obtain the best solution for project assignments related to manufactured products.  Position will also have responsibility of working with and passing on this knowledge or project to all OEM accounts as appropriate. Applies knowledge of engineering principles to design Plastic Fasteners, Test Fixtures, and test machines.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Serves as project manager as assigned.  Coordinates project assignments with the sales team and the customer to meet specific requirements.
• Conducts research, considers alternative approaches to improve product performance or to meet changing customer requirements.
• Develop new innovations and design configurations to incorporate patentable design features.
• Evaluate alternative ideas to develop most promising design approach. Works closely with the Innovation team to support product development as requested.
• Prepares preliminary design and detailed drawings.
• Determines soundness in terms of practical design configuration, manufacturability and workability.
• Performs functional testing as required
• Maintains contact with Suppliers on engineering related issues, ie. material specifications.
• Submits patent applications.
• Benchmarks competitive products.
• Other tasks and duties as assigned

Primary Responsibilities:

• Serves as project manager as assigned.  Coordinates project assignments with the sales team and the customer to meet specific requirements.
• Conducts research, considers alternative approaches to improve product performance or to meet changing customer requirements.
• Develop new innovations and design configurations to incorporate patentable design features.
• Evaluate alternative ideas to develop most promising design approach. Works closely with the Innovation team to support product development as requested.
• Prepares preliminary design and detailed drawings.
• Determines soundness in terms of practical design configuration, manufacturability and workability.
• Performs functional testing as required
• Maintains contact with Suppliers on engineering related issues, ie. material specifications.
• Submits patent applications.
• Benchmarks competitive products.
• Other tasks and duties as assigned

Position Skills and Experience Requirements:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Education/Experience:  Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering or Science discipline.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
• Personally driven and motivates others to excel.
• In-depth familiarity with Plastics products and their applications
• Strong analytical skills coupled with the ability to exercise sound judgment.
• Work efficiently without significant supervision.
• Prefer knowledge and use in Catia/ProE /NX Software.
• Experience with or capacity to use FEA software.
• Work with global team members – requiring some flexibility in working hours.
• Excellent personal computer skills in Microsoft Office 365 Suite and cloud services
• Willing to travel; primarily domestic and occasionally world-wide.

ITW Culture & Leadership Expectations:

• Exemplify and embody the ITW Leadership expectations  
• Able to thrive and collaborate in a decentralized and entrepreneurial culture 
• Able to take a high level of accountability and ownership for personal and company performance
• Able to communicate both verbal and written with clarity and simplicity
• Exemplifies a strategic-thinking approach and process to product management
• Able to make decisions and use critical thinking and analytical approaches when weighing options
• Nurturing an environment consistent with the ITW values and culture
• Is outcome driven and applies the 80/20 principles to prioritize work demands
• Pro-actively participating in ITW’s ‘toolbox’ initiatives (i.e., USa, 80/20 Philosophy, PLS, MRD, and In-Lining)
• Demonstrations a high level of leadership experience and emotional intelligence 

ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential. 

As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.