Application Engineering Manager

Randstad USA; Schaumburg (IL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Randstad USA in Schaumburg, Illinois seeks an Application Engineering Manager to run the daily technical and operational side of the Chicago Technical Center. Reporting to the Director of Applications Engineering, you will lead the department to meet customer commitments, execute priorities, and maintain world-class engineering operations.

Ideal candidates have hands-on CNC experience, know what it takes to finish projects on the shop floor, and can inspire a team through practical leadership.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing/ shop floor environment.
• Experience leading engineering technicians and coordinating CNC operations.

Responsibilities

• Daily Operations: Manage engineering schedules, workloads, and resources to keep projects on track.
• Project Delivery: Oversee customer demonstrations, turnkey projects, machine validations, and training events.
• Showroom & Events: Lead technical execution for major events and showroom readiness.
• People Development: Coach and mentor a team of applications engineers emphasizing accountability and continuous learning.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Sales, Service, Operations and leadership for successful project execution.

Skills

Engineering

CNC

Education

High School

Job description

Job Summary

As the Application Engineering Manager, you will run the daily technical and operational side of the Chicago Technical Center.

Reporting directly to the Director of Applications Engineering, you will serve as their right hand. You'll be responsible for keeping the department running smoothly-ensuring customer commitments are met, technical priorities are executed, and the engineering team operates at a world-class level. When the Director is off-site supporting strategic initiatives or global operations, you will lead the facility.

location: SCHAUMBURG, Illinois

job type: Permanent

salary: $140,000 - 170,000 per year

work hours: 8am to 4pm

education: High School

Responsibilities

• Daily Operations: Manage engineering schedules, workloads, and technical resources to ensure projects stay on track.
• Project Delivery: Oversee customer demonstrations, turnkey projects, machine validations, and customer training events.
• Showroom & Events: Maintain the facility's overall readiness and lead the technical execution for major industry events like IMTS and open houses.
• People Development: Coach and mentor a talented team of applications engineers, building a culture focused on accountability, teamwork, and continuous learning.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Sales, Service, Operations, and executive leadership to ensure successful project execution and maintain ties with our technology partners.

Who We Are Looking For

We want someone who built their career on the shop floor. The ideal candidate has personally programmed CNC machines, set up machine tools, proven out processes, and understands what it actually takes to get a project across the finish line in a real manufacturing environment.

This position is not for a traditional manager who prefers a spreadsheet to a machine shop. We need a leader who has earned the respect of their team by having done the work themselves. When an engineer walks into your office with a tough programming question or a complex fixture concept, they should feel confident they are talking to someone who speaks their language and has been there before.

Qualifications

• Experience level: Manager
• Minimum 5 years of experience
• Education: High School (required)

Skills

• Engineering
• CNC (5 years of experience is required)

Equal Opportunity Employer: Race, Color, Religion, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, National Origin, Age, Genetic Information, Disability, Protected Veteran Status, or any other legally protected group status.

At Randstad, we welcome people of all abilities and want to ensure that our hiring and interview process meets the needs of all applicants. If you require a reasonable accommodation to make your application or interview experience a great one, please contact [e-mail].

Pay offered to a successful candidate will be based on several factors including the candidate's education, work experience, work location, specific job duties, certifications, etc. In addition, Randstad offers a comprehensive benefits package, including: medical, prescription, dental, vision, AD&D, and life insurance offerings, short-term disability, and a 401K plan (all benefits are based on eligibility).

This posting is open for thirty (30) days.