Manufacturing Engineer

DIAL Tool; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision plans

401k and Roth 401k options

HSA and FSA benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

DIAL Tool is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer Level I–II to join our Addison, IL facility. You will support daily molding and stamping operations, troubleshoot parts and processes, and drive improvement projects on the floor with direct involvement from operators and toolmakers.

This on-site role offers hands-on experience with tooling, process optimization, and PPAP/APQP documentation, with a clear path to senior engineering responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree as listed in qualifications.
• 1–5 years manufacturing engineering experience; co-ops/internships count for Level I.
• Ability to read prints and apply GD&T; CAD skills and strong Excel.

Responsibilities

• Support daily production on molding and stamping presses; troubleshoot defects and drive root-cause actions.
• Review customer prints and CAD models for new RFQs; advise on manufacturability and quotes.
• Collaborate with mold and die builders on tool trials and maintenance; support PPAP/APQP documents.

Skills

Read prints

Hands-on floor work

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical/Manufacturing/Industrial/Plastics Eng or Engineering Technology

Tools

SolidWorks

Excel

Job description

Position Title: Manufacturing Engineer Level I, II

Location: Addison, IL

Reports To: Engineering Manager

FLSA Status: Exempt

Employment Type: Full-time, on-site

Travel Requirement: As needed, up to 10%

Compensation: $70,000 - $95,000/year based on level and experience, plus company annual bonus eligibility

ABOUT DIAL

DIAL is a precision manufacturer of injection molded, insert molded, and metal stamped components for customers in the automotive, electrical/electronics, industrial/appliance, and medical markets. DIAL is part of a growing family of manufacturing companies, which gives our team access to shared resources and a broad range of capabilities.

ROLE SUMMARY

This role is built for an early-career engineer, 1–5 years out of school. You'll get hands-on experience with both molding and stamping, direct customer contact, and a clear path to becoming a senior engineer. Your job is to keep production running well, help launch new parts, and make our processes sharper.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Support daily production on molding and stamping presses. Troubleshoot part and process problems such as short shots, flash, burrs, and dimensional drift, then drive root cause and corrective action (8D, 5-Why).
• Review customer prints and CAD models for new RFQs. Give feedback on manufacturability, and help estimate press size, cycle time, and routings for quotes.
• Work with our outside mold and die builders on tool trials, first samples, corrections, and ongoing tool maintenance.
• Prepare and maintain PPAP/APQP documents, including process flows, PFMEAs, control plans, and work instructions.
• Implement engineering changes (ECNs) and keep process documentation and setup sheets current.
• Lead improvement projects that reduce scrap, cycle time, and changeover time. Design simple fixtures, gauges, and error-proofing.
• Partner with Quality on capability studies (Cpk), gauge R&R, and customer concerns.
• Serve as technical contact to customers for your assigned part families.

YOUR FIRST YEAR

• 0–3 months: Learn our presses, tooling, quality system, and production flow by spending most of your time on the floor with operators, setup techs, and toolmakers. Get to know the key part families and their common defects, and start handling day-to-day floor questions and quick fixes.
• 3–6 months: Become a go-to resource for production on setups, changeovers, and process problems. Track scrap, downtime, and cycle time on assigned presses, and lead your first improvement project in one of those areas. Support the engineering team on tool trials, sampling, and PPAP documentation.
• 6–12 months: Take responsibility for the day-to-day production performance of a group of presses or part families: keeping setups standardized, work instructions current, and recurring issues closed out.Deliver measurable results on scrap, uptime, or changeover time.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or Plastics Engineering, or Engineering Technology.
• 1–5 years of manufacturing engineering experience. Relevant co-ops and internships count toward Level I.
• The ability to read prints and apply GD&T, plus working CAD skills (SolidWorks or similar) and strong Excel.
• Comfort being on the floor, hands-on with equipment and tooling.
• Clear communication with operators, toolmakers, customers, and management.

NICE TO HAVE

• Exposure to injection molding (scientific molding coursework is a plus), progressive-die stamping, or insert molding.
• Familiarity with IATF 16949, PPAP, or FMEA.

LEVELING

• Level I (0–2 years):Works under close guidance from the Engineering Manager.
• Level II (2–5 years):Independently owns part families, launches, and quote inputs.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Base salary: $70,000–$95,000, based on level and experience

Time Off: Paid time off and paid holidays

Benefits: DIAL offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision plans, pre-tax spending accounts (HSA, FSA, and Dependent Care FSA), voluntary life and AD&D, disability, and accident insurance. Benefits are available to employees working 30 or more hours per week, beginning the first of the month following 30 days of service. DIAL also offers voluntary 401k and Roth 401k.

SAFETY AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

This role is based on-site at our Addison, IL manufacturing facility, with occasional traveling of up to 10%. The Manufacturing Engineer will regularly work in production and warehouse environments, and will periodically visit similar facilities. All company safety policies must be followed at all times, including PPE requirements, machine safety protocols, and EHS training. Safety is a core value at DIAL, and following OSHA and company safety standards is a condition of employment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK CONDITIONS

While performing the duties of this role, proper PPE standards are expected to be met as the employee may need to spend time on the production floor, at supplier facilities, or other similar activities in addition to operatingstandard office / lab equipment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

This role will have access to proprietary information, customer data, pricing, processes, and manufacturing capabilities. All work products, designs, content, and materials created during employment are the property of DIAL. This role must comply with all company confidentiality, data protection, and information security policies.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

DIAL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law, including the Illinois Human Rights Act.