Product Development Engineer

ITW; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 98,000 - 123,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free onsite fitness center

Active employee resource groups

Corporate discounts

Job summary

ITW Power Nailing seeks a Product Development Engineer to own nails and staples from concept to commercialization, ensuring performance and quality.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, materials, or manufacturing engineering.
• 5+ years of combined product development, product engineering, design engineering.
• Strong mechanical design, analytical problem-solving, and project leadership skills.
• Experience developing products from concept through commercialization.
• Knowledge of materials, manufacturing processes, and product validation methods.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, validate, and commercialize innovative fastening solutions that achieve performance, quality, manufacturability, cost, and timing objectives.
• Own the technical performance and evolution of nails, staples, and related fastening products throughout their lifecycle, driving improvements in fastener-to-tool compatibility, customer value, reliability, quality, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Partner with Product Management to evaluate customer needs, market opportunities, and product concepts, providing technical expertise throughout the product development process.
• Apply engineering analysis, prototyping, testing, risk assessment, and structured problem-solving methods to solve complex technical challenges and validate product performance.
• Lead product development projects through ITW's New Product Development process from concept through commercialization.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, and Quality Engineering to launch new products, improve existing products, resolve product performance issues, and implement robust corrective actions.

Skills

Mechanical design

Analytical problem-solving

Project leadership

Lifecycle ownership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Materials Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

CAD tools

Engineering analysis software

DOE/DFM tools

Job description

Job Description:

ITW Power Nailing | An Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Company

Location: Glenview, IL

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

ITW Power Nailing, a division within the Construction Products segment, is a global provider of premium nailing and fastening solutions. Our products are engineered to improve contractor productivity and elevate building quality across both new residential construction and remodeling projects. With trusted, category-defining brands like Paslode, we set the standard in wood-to-wood fastening systems—delivering performance, reliability, and productivity that professionals count on.

ITW offers you a path for advancement, a competitive salary, and a comprehensive benefits package designed to help employees care for themselves, their families, and their futures. Our Glenview office has a free onsite fitness center, active employee resource groups, corporate discounts, and much more. We are just one block away from the Golf Metra station and quick train ride to downtown Chicago.

Why This Role Matters

The Product Development Engineer plays a key role in developing and advancing fastening solutions that improve contractor productivity, jobsite efficiency, and construction quality. As the engineering owner of assigned nail and staple product families, you will lead products through their lifecycle, from concept and commercialization to continuous improvement and optimization. You will serve as the design authority for fasteners and the technical authority for fastening system performance, ensuring seamless integration between Paslode fasteners and fastening tools. Working closely with Product Management, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality Engineering, Operations, and the adjacent Paslode tool engineering team, you will help transform customer needs into innovative, differentiated solutions that drive growth and strengthen industry-leading brands.

What You Will Do

• Design, develop, validate, and commercialize innovative fastening solutions that achieve performance, quality, manufacturability, cost, and timing objectives.
• Own the technical performance and evolution of nails, staples, and related fastening products throughout their lifecycle, driving improvements in fastener-to-tool compatibility, customer value, reliability, quality, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Partner with Product Management to evaluate customer needs, market opportunities, and product concepts, providing technical expertise throughout the product development process.
• Apply engineering analysis, prototyping, testing, risk assessment, and structured problem-solving methods to solve complex technical challenges and validate product performance.
• Lead product development projects through ITW's New Product Development process from concept through commercialization.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, and Quality Engineering to launch new products, improve existing products, resolve product performance issues, and implement robust corrective actions.
• Conduct customer visits, field evaluations, competitive benchmarking, and technology assessments to identify opportunities for innovation and competitive advantage.

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of combined product development, product engineering, design engineering
• Strong mechanical design, analytical problem-solving, and project leadership skills.
• Experience developing products from concept through commercialization.
• Knowledge of materials, manufacturing processes, and product validation methods.
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across technical and commercial teams.
• Ability to travel up to 15% to domestic jobsites and manufacturing facilities

Preferred Qualifications

Candidates should possess experience, knowledge, or demonstrated capability in several of the following areas:

• Knowledge of materials engineering, metallurgy, material compatibility, coatings, or related engineering disciplines.
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes such as forming, machining, stamping, molding, assembly, heat treating, coating, or other high-volume production methods.
• Experience applying Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design of Experiments (DOE), FMEA, statistical methods, or structured problem-solving techniques.
• Experience with product testing, reliability engineering, validation methods, and performance evaluation.
• Familiarity with electromechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, combustion, battery-powered, or other mechanical systems.
• Experience with CAD tools, engineering analysis, and technical documentation.

What's In It For You

Join a market-leading business known for innovation, customer-focused product development, and continuous improvement. You'll have the opportunity to develop new fastening technologies, advance existing product platforms, solve meaningful engineering challenges, and collaborate across the full product lifecycle while making a direct impact on products used every day by professional contractors.

Compensation Information

Annual base salary range for this position is $98,000 - $123,000. Please note that this salary information serves as a general guideline. Company considers various factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education and training, key skills, as well as market and business considerations.

In addition, our benefits include:

• paid vacation, sick, holiday, and parental leave.
• free onsite fitness center, active employee resource groups, corporate discounts, and much more.

For more details, visit our Benefits page.

ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential.

As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.