Principal Manufacturing Process Engineer — Precision Gearing

Reliance Gear Corporation; Elmhurst (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance (Medical, Vision,  or

Life Insurance

Job summary

Reliance Gear Corporation in Elmhurst, IL is seeking a Principal Manufacturing Process Engineer — Precision Gearing to lead process strategy on gear hobbling, shaping, and grinding while staying hands-on.

You will review SPC, refine CNC programs, mentor engineers, and ensure compliance with AGMA, ISO 9001, AS9100, and customer requirements; the role blends design, analysis, and cross-functional collaboration to reduce scrap and extend tooling life.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in gear process engineering or precision gear manufacturing.
• Background in CNC programming, gear cutting and grinding, GD&T and metrology.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership to process engineers: mentoring, code reviews, technical deep-dives, and project prioritization.
• Design and refine routings, process plans, tooling specifications, and CNC programs for gear hobbing, shaping, and grinding.
• Interpret metrology data and gear inspection reports to diagnose issues and implement corrective actions.
• Partner across Production, Quality, and Supply Chain to protect schedules and resolve technical barriers.
• Drive CI initiatives to reduce scrap, increase throughput, lengthen tool life, and control cost.
• Author and maintain PFMEAs, Control Plans, work instructions, and SPC documentation.
• Support manufacturing quotations; evaluate, implement, and validate capital equipment.

Skills

CNC programming

Gear cutting

Gear grinding

GD&T

Gear inspection

Heat treatment understanding

Six Sigma

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

ERP software

Job description

Shape the future of precision gears with Reliance Gear CorporationAt Reliance Gear Corporation, we build mission-critical gears to exacting standards for customers who can't compromise on performance. As our Principal Manufacturing Process Engineer — Precision Gearing, you’ll guide process strategy and stay hands-on with the details that make world-class gears possible.A day in this roleYour morning starts on the floor, reviewing last-shift SPC charts and gear inspection results. You huddle with process engineers to prioritize projects, then head to a CNC cell to refine a hobbing program and tooling setup. By lunch, you’re collaborating with Production, Quality, and Supply Chain to remove a bottleneck. In the afternoon, you update a Control Plan, lead a PFMEA review, and validate a process change that extends tooling life and cuts scrap. Before you leave, you capture learnings in robust work instructions so improvements stick.What you’ll ownProvide technical leadership to process engineers: mentoring, code reviews, technical deep-dives, and project prioritization.Design and refine routings, process plans, tooling specifications, and CNC programs for gear hobbing, shaping, and grinding.Interpret metrology data and gear inspection reports to diagnose issues and implement corrective actions.Partner across Production, Quality, and Supply Chain to protect schedules and resolve technical barriers.Drive CI initiatives to reduce scrap, increase throughput, lengthen tool life, and control cost.Author and maintain PFMEAs, Control Plans, work instructions, and SPC documentation.Ensure alignment with AGMA, ISO 9001, AS9100, and customer requirements.Support manufacturing quotations; evaluate, implement, and validate capital equipment.What you’ll bringBachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent combination of education and experience.Background in gear process engineering or precision gear manufacturing.Expertise in CNC programming, gear cutting and grinding, GD&T, gear inspection, and understanding of heat treatment effects.Proven experience building processes, selecting tooling, and leading continuous improvement.Analytical, mathematical, and problem-solving strengths with clear communication across functions.Manufacturing quotation experience preferred.Meticulous documentation habits and attention to detail.Compensation and benefitsAnnual Salary Range: $90,000 – $120,000Health insurance: Medical, Vision, Dental and Life InsuranceRetirement: 401(k) planPaid time off: Vacation, PTO, 10 Paid HolidaysTools and techERP SoftwareYou should be proficient inBachelor's DegreeTroubleshooting SkillsCNC ProgrammingProcess EngineeringSix Sigma ExperienceAerospace ManufacturingRegulatory and eligibility informationDue to export control requirements (ITAR/EAR), some roles may be limited to U.S. Persons as defined by law, or require licensing to authorize employment in this position.We also participate in employment eligibility verification and follow relevant federal and state regulations.Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States without requiring company sponsorship to obtain or keep U.S. work authorization.Compliance Notice: Reliance Gear is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding employment practices. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, or any other legally protected status. This position is subject to employment eligibility verification under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 and may require a background check in accordance with Illinois law. All records and practices are maintained in compliance with HIPAA, FMLA, OSHA, and other relevant regulations.