Product Engineer

SKF • Waukegan, IL

11d • $71,000 - $87,000

About The Position

SKF is an industry-leading manufacturer of bearings and other products, solutions, and services that reduce friction and support industries worldwide. Sustainability is central to the company’s work, including a goal to decarbonize all production facilities by 2030. SKF emphasizes collaboration, curiosity, courage, care, and a culture of belonging.

Product Development and Engineering Americas is part of SKF’s Global Technology Development organization. It translates market trends and customer needs into sustainable solutions by defining, developing, and maintaining product technical data and knowledge. Product Engineering supports daily business with technical product expertise and finished-product specifications, helping customer requests progress through specifications, product data, and new solutions.

The Product Engineer will support and develop the Global Agriculture Product Development and Engineering team in North America, drive agricultural product-line development according to SKF’s Product Development Process, and support regionalization and digitalization of agricultural bearing designs. The role includes design, verification, validation, handover, technical support, product data and specification work, design automation, benchmarking, cost reduction, and coordination with process development and manufacturing. National and international travel is expected.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Industrial Engineering.
• At least 2 years of experience in product development, project engineering, or a similar R&D environment.
• Broad technical understanding and interest.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing and testing.
• Ability to build and maintain sustainable relationships with internal customers and stakeholders to maximize SKF results.
• Good verbal and written communication skills and good knowledge of English.
• Good knowledge of parametric design and generic models using CREO or SolidWorks.
• Ability to use simulation, modeling, and calculation tools.
• Ability to use Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Self-motivated, well-structured, proactive, open-minded, and committed, with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to understand stakeholder needs and turn them into feasible, robust solutions.
• Willingness and ability to travel nationally and internationally, and potentially work abroad on short assignments.

Nice To Haves

• Proficiency in one or more conventional simulation software packages such as Abaqus or Ansys.
• PDM Link knowledge.
• Knowledge of SKF internal standards and product-specification databases.
• Experience and exposure to project management.

Responsibilities

• Develop the Global Agriculture Product Development and Engineering team in North America, providing training and support to increase team capabilities.
• Drive agricultural product-line development activities according to the Product Development Process, including technical feasibility studies, design, verification, validation, and handover.
• Provide on-the-job training to the Americas Product Development and Engineering team on the China Product Development and Engineering / SXC design process.
• Support regionalization of agricultural bearings and outsourced processes and components, including seals, steel, turning, and forging, within the Americas region.
• Accelerate digitalization of agricultural product-line designs using SKF tools and processes.
• Participate in and support product development in crucial NIC and ASO projects, including prototype drawings and industrialization of project results.
• Facilitate improvements that reduce the time needed to complete the design process, as measured in the NIC process.
• Plan, drive, execute, and report product design requests and engineering tasks, prioritizing support for Technology Development and Americas regional strategies.
• Use and maintain tools for parametric design of bearing variants and design automation.
• Support the global full value chain by creating and optimizing design rules and product design specifications.
• Develop and maintain bearing 3D CAD models for design verification and finished-drawing creation.
• Support Sales and Application Engineering with product expertise in crucial customer complaint cases and deviation handling.
• Drive or support product-performance benchmarking and provide relevant information to stakeholders.
• Use innovation and creative problem solving to address customer needs.
• Consider and mitigate risks when designing products.
• Drive internal cost reductions and engineering-change implementations at the design and specification levels.
• Ensure product manufacturability and robustness for application-specific requirements.
• Align effectively with process development and current and future manufacturing capabilities.
• Travel nationally and internationally as required.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off policy and 13 paid holidays.
• Comprehensive healthcare options and an opt-out payment.
• Company-paid life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability.
• Supplemental benefits, including critical illness coverage.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Employee discount programs.
• Short Term Variable Salary or Sales Incentive based on company performance and at management’s discretion.
• 401(k) program with a 100% match up to 5% of the employee’s elected contribution, fully vested, plus an additional 5% company contribution.
• Professional growth opportunities.
• Supportive colleagues and a secure organizational structure.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level