Product Engineer

Product Engineer II – Powertrain & Drivetrain Manufacturing

Sky Water Search Partners is hiring a Product Engineer II to support a powertrain/drivetrain manufacturing division in Chicago, IL. The role focuses on testing & validation, assembly processes, quality control, and manufacturing scoping for new and existing product lines.

Salary Range: $90,000–$105,000 + bonus.
Location: Chicago, IL (on-site)

• Analyze powertrain design features to improve components (gears, shafts, clutches, etc.) for durability, performance, and cost-effectiveness.
• Create and manage large, complex BOMs and oversee engineering change implementations/ordered (ECIs/ECOs).
• Optimize manufacturing processes across production 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 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.
• Lead engineering for assigned product lines, working directly with OEM customers to define priorities, deadlines, and deliverables.

• Bachelor’s Degree in an engineering discipline with 3+ years of experience in product, mechanical, process, or manufacturing engineering.
• Automotive and powertrain industry experience is preferred.
• Proven lean/six sigma process expertise (pFMEA/dFMEA, APQP/PPAP, root cause analysis).
• Experience designing and executing test experiments and scripts to validate safety, performance, and quality.
• Strong skills in BOM creation/management, launch engineering, and process optimization.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Full-time, Senior level (Mid to Senior)

Sky Water Search Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer.