Design Engineer

ITW•Frankfort, KY

7d•$90,000 - $110,000

About The Position

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) is a diversified manufacturing company with approximately $15.9 billion in global revenues, seven major segments, operations in 51 countries, approximately 44,000 employees, and a portfolio of more than 20,000 granted and pending patents. ITW Deltar Fasteners serves major OEMs and tier suppliers with plastic fasteners. The division operates locations in Frankfort, Illinois; Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; and Troy, Michigan, where its commercial sales and engineering teams are based. The Design Engineer leads and independently executes engineering projects, with responsibility for timely completion and the design and development of new automotive fasteners and fastener assemblies. Using ITW’s Customer-Back Innovation process, the role develops high-performance, cost-effective solutions that meet customer and industry requirements. It involves direct collaboration with customers and suppliers throughout the product development lifecycle and transferring project knowledge and solutions across relevant OEM accounts. The position applies engineering principles to the design and development of plastic fasteners, test fixtures, and custom test machines for automotive applications. The Design Engineer reports to the Lead Project Engineer.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Engineering or a related scientific discipline.
Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including the ability to deliver effective presentations.
Self-motivated, results-driven, and able to inspire and motivate others.
In-depth knowledge of plastic products and their applications in automotive environments.
Proficiency in 3D CAD software.
Experience with or ability to learn Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tools.
Strong engineering judgment and problem-solving capabilities.
Ability to work efficiently with minimal supervision.
Comfort working with global teams, including flexibility to accommodate different time zones.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 and cloud-based collaboration tools.
Willingness to travel domestically and occasionally internationally as required.

Nice To Haves

Experience with SolidWorks and/or NX 3D CAD software is preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as project manager for assigned projects, coordinating with the sales team and customers to meet technical and performance requirements.
Create preliminary concepts, detailed engineering drawings, and supporting technical documentation.
Develop innovative and patentable design concepts and configurations for automotive fasteners and assemblies.
Evaluate designs for feasibility, manufacturability, and functional performance.
Research and evaluate alternative engineering approaches to improve product performance and address evolving customer needs.
Compare and analyze design alternatives to identify optimal solutions, collaborating with the Innovation team as needed.
Perform functional and validation testing to ensure product reliability and compliance.
Communicate with suppliers about material specifications and technical requirements.
Prepare and submit patent applications for novel product designs.
Benchmark competitive products to identify opportunities for differentiation and improvement.
Transfer project knowledge and solutions across relevant OEM accounts.
Support broader engineering and business objectives through additional assigned tasks.