Project Engineer (Protein Processing Equipment)

Cozzini LLC•Elk Grove Village, IL

20h•$80,000 - $90,000

About The Position

Cozzini, LLC is seeking a Project Engineer to lead the execution of custom protein-processing machinery and integrated food-processing systems. This is an excellent opportunity for an engineer who enjoys working across technical design, manufacturing, project management, customer relationships, and hands-on execution. As a Project Engineer, you’ll own assigned projects from the initial Sales-to-Engineering handoff through engineering, fabrication, installation, commissioning, and final customer acceptance. You’ll coordinate teams across the organization, translate customer and commercial requirements into actionable plans, and help ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to agreed-upon specifications. In this position, you’ll serve as a central point of contact for project execution, connecting customers with Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Quality, Sales, and Field Service.

Requirements

3–5 years of experience in Project Engineering, Applications Engineering, Sales Engineering, or capital equipment manufacturing.
Experience with custom equipment, food processing, protein processing, or industrial systems preferred.
AutoCAD proficiency and ability to read engineering drawings and technical specifications.
Strong project management, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects, schedules, budgets, and priorities.
Experience coordinating across Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, and customer-facing teams.
Willingness to travel as needed for customer meetings, installations, and commissioning.

Nice To Haves

Experience with custom equipment, food processing, protein processing, or industrial systems preferred.

Responsibilities

Own assigned projects from the Sales-to-Engineering transition through final customer acceptance.
Translate customer requirements and commercial commitments into clear technical scopes, deliverables, and execution plans.
Develop and maintain equipment layouts, production plans, schedules, milestones, and project timelines.
Coordinate Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Quality, Sales, and Field Service to keep projects moving efficiently.
Maintain clear communication around project specifications, open items, deadlines, changes, and customer expectations.
Monitor project costs, schedules, materials, and internal resources to identify and address potential issues before they impact delivery.
Partner with Purchasing and suppliers to source specialized components and externally manufactured equipment.
Manage customer review and approval cycles for drawings and other engineering documentation prior to fabrication.
Coordinate testing, inspections, documentation, and quality activities throughout the manufacturing and build process.
Work closely with Field Service during equipment installation, startup, troubleshooting, and commissioning at customer facilities.
Investigate technical, scheduling, and execution challenges and drive them toward resolution.
Keep customers and internal stakeholders informed of project progress, changes, risks, and decisions requiring attention.
Identify opportunities to improve project planning, communication, and execution across Engineering and Manufacturing.
Contribute to standardization, project-management processes, and continuous-improvement initiatives.
Support additional engineering and operations activities as needed.