Manufacturing Process Engineer

Sterling Engineering; Wood Dale (IL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling Engineering in Wood Dale, IL is seeking a Manufacturing Process Engineer to drive improvements in casting and foundry operations. This hands-on role spends 80-90% on the production floor, collaborating with operators and maintenance to raise productivity, quality, and consistency.

You will monitor processes, develop and update SOPs, and lead root cause analyses to implement practical improvements across molding, casting, grinding, and final assembly.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering or related field.
• 2–7 years of manufacturing or process engineering experience.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and knowledge of production equipment.
• Experience developing SOPs and work instructions.
• Ability to work on the production floor 80–90% of the time.

Responsibilities

• Monitor operations to ensure processes and work instructions are followed.
• Identify inefficiencies, quality concerns, and opportunities for improvements.
• Support sand mold, casting, grinding, finishing, and assembly operations.
• Troubleshoot equipment, tooling, and recurring production issues.
• Develop SOPs and work instructions; implement productivity improvements.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Collaborate with Production, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, and Die.
• Train operators on updated procedures.

Skills

Mechanical aptitude

Manufacturing experience

Process improvement

Root cause analysis

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

Compensation: $95,000 - $105,000 per year

Sterling Engineering is partnering with an established manufacturer in Wood Dale, IL, to hire a Manufacturing Process Engineer. This is a highly hands‑on position focused on improving casting and foundry operations, manufacturing processes, equipment performance, and production efficiency.

The ideal candidate has strong mechanical aptitude, manufacturing process improvement experience, and enjoys working directly with production teams. Approximately 80-90% of this role is spent on the manufacturing floor.

What You'll Do

• Monitor manufacturing operations to ensure established processes and work instructions are followed.
• Identify production inefficiencies, quality concerns, and opportunities for process improvement.
• Support sand mold preparation, casting, grinding, finishing, and final assembly operations.
• Troubleshoot manufacturing equipment, tooling, and recurring production issues.
• Work with operators and Maintenance to improve equipment performance and reliability.
• Develop and update standard operating procedures (SOPs) and manufacturing work instructions.
• Implement process improvements to increase productivity, consistency, and product quality.
• Support root cause analysis and corrective actions for manufacturing problems.
• Collaborate with Production, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, and Tool & Die.
• Help standardize manufacturing processes and train operators on updated procedures.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field; equivalent hands‑on manufacturing experience considered.
• Ideally 2-7 years of manufacturing or process engineering experience.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and understanding of manufacturing machinery, tooling, and production equipment.
• Experience troubleshooting manufacturing processes and implementing improvements.
• Experience developing or improving work instructions, SOPs, and production methods.
• Ability to identify root causes of manufacturing issues and implement practical solutions.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work directly with production operators and leadership.
• Comfortable spending 80-90% of the workday on the production floor.

Why This Opportunity?

This is an excellent opportunity for a hands‑on engineer who enjoys solving manufacturing challenges and making measurable improvements on the production floor. You'll work closely with experienced manufacturing teams and have a direct impact on product quality, process consistency, and operational efficiency.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.