Project Engineer

Brightpath Associates LLC; Akron (OH); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Brightpath Associates LLC in Akron, OH is seeking an experienced Project Engineer to spearhead technical initiatives from early concept through full production release. You will act as the technical and operational bridge between cross-functional internal teams, external suppliers, and customer stakeholders.

You will manage end-to-end project health—holding accountability for schedules, tooling budgets, design-for-manufacturability (DFM) reviews, and manufacturing launch readiness—while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Plastics, Polymer, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical discipline (equivalent hands-on industry experience will be considered).
• Strong technical foundation in plastic injection molding principles, tooling design/construction, and polymer selection (commodity and high-performance resins).
• Working knowledge of 3D CAD platforms to review, translate, and modify part models; solid command of 2D drafting and GD&T interpretation.
• Demonstrated success managing technical project milestones, tooling timelines, and customer-facing engineering reviews.

Responsibilities

• Direct the full lifecycle of assigned new product introductions (NPI), establishing milestones and baselines.
• Conduct rigorous reviews of customer designs and CAD models to identify bottlenecks and optimize tooling.
• Formulate cost estimates and proposals for molds, secondary tooling, and automation; own capital budgets.
• Serve as primary technical liaison for clients and tooling vendors; chair stage-gate reviews and manage ECOs.
• Partner with quality, tooling, maintenance, and production to validate tooling and ensure safety and quality standards.
• Apply root-cause problem solving and process-control methodologies to drive scrap reduction and cycle-time improvements.

Skills

Project management

GD&T

CAD

Molding & tooling

ERP/MES tools

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Plastics/Polymer/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

DELMIAWorks/IQMS

SolidWorks

Mold flow

MS Office

Job description

Work Arrangement: Onsite (Full-Time, Permanent)

Reports To: Manager of Engineering

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Project Engineer to spearhead technical initiatives from early concept through full production release. In this role, you will act as the technical and operational bridge between cross-functional internal teams, external suppliers, and customer stakeholders. You will manage end-to-end project health—holding accountability for schedules, tooling budgets, design-for-manufacturability (DFM) reviews, and manufacturing launch readiness—while operating with high autonomy and an emphasis on robust engineering solutions.

Core Responsibilities

• Project Leadership & Execution: Direct the full lifecycle of assigned new product introductions (NPI), establishing detailed milestones, project baselines, and resource plans using DELMIAWorks / IQMS.
• Technical Design & Tooling Analysis: Conduct rigorous reviews of customer designs and CAD models. Identify potential manufacturing bottlenecks, optimize steel conditions, enforce GD&T standards, and recommend design modifications that enhance quality and lower unit cost.
• Budgeting & Quoting: Formulate comprehensive cost estimates and proposals for molds, secondary tooling, and ancillary automation. Take direct ownership of the capital budget and profit margin performance for each assigned project.
• Stakeholder & Vendor Management: Serve as the primary technical liaison for clients and tooling vendors. Chair stage-gate reviews, manage scope creep through formal engineering change orders (ECOs), and resolve timeline discrepancies proactively.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with quality, tooling, maintenance, and production floor teams to validate tooling, resolve launch hurdles, and ensure compliance with safety and corporate quality standards.
• Continuous Improvement: Apply root-cause problem solving and process-control methodologies to drive scrap reduction, cycle-time optimization, and standard operating procedures.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Plastics, Polymer, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline (equivalent hands-on industry experience will be considered).
• Technical Domain: Strong technical foundation in plastic injection molding principles, tooling design/construction, and polymer selection (both commodity and high-performance engineering resins).
• CAD & Drafting: Working knowledge of 3D CAD platforms to review, translate, and modify part models; solid command of 2D drafting and GD&T interpretation.
• Project Delivery: Demonstrated success managing technical project milestones, tooling timelines, and customer-facing engineering reviews.
• Tools & Systems: Proficiency in enterprise ERP/MES platforms (preferably DELMIAWorks/IQMS) and standard office productivity suites (Microsoft Office, Excel, Teams/SharePoint).
• Mindset: Strong ownership mentality, capable of prioritizing competing deadlines under minimal supervision with a commitment to plant safety.

Preferred Qualifications

• 6+ years of applied engineering experience in injection molding and mold design.
• Hands-on background in mold making, mold repair, or machining.
• Formal training in Scientific Molding (e.g., RJG Master Molder or equivalent).
• Experience conducting or interpreting mold-filling simulations (e.g., Moldflow).
• Professional-level fluency in SolidWorks.
• Formal Project Management certification (PMP, CAPM) or Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt).