Project Manager

Zimmermann Inc. Machining Solutions; Wixom (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Zimmermann Inc. Machining Solutions is seeking a Project Manager to serve as the primary liaison between our North American customers, internal engineering and service departments, and our German manufacturing headquarters.

You will oversee the complete lifecycle of large-scale CNC gantry milling machine projects, ensuring technical alignment, schedule adherence, and successful on-site deployment. The role requires travel to customer sites and occasional international travel to Germany.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Project Management, or related technical field; hands-on experience in high-end machining acceptable.
• 3–5+ years of project management experience, managing high-value capital equipment or large CNC installations.
• Strong knowledge of CNC machining, 5-axis systems, portal/gantry milling, or heavy industrial machinery.

Responsibilities

• Act as the central point of contact and primary advocate for our customers throughout the entire project lifecycle.
• Clarify complex technical customer requirements, variations, and changes in close coordination with specialized internal engineering departments and external suppliers.
• Create, maintain, and track comprehensive project documentation, including detailed customer milestones, delivery timelines, and progress reports.
• Review, evaluate, and align technical specifications between customers and internal technical teams to ensure perfect machine configuration.
• Lead and coordinate preliminary machine buyoffs (FAT) at the German manufacturing plant, as well as final acceptance testing (SAT) on-site at the end-customer’s facility.
• Calculate, plan, and coordinate complex on-site machine installations and field assembly teams in close cooperation with service and logistics departments.

Skills

Project management

Communication

German language knowledge

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

MS Project

CAD/Blueprints

Job description

The Project Manager serves as the primary liaison between our North American customers, internal engineering and service departments, and our German manufacturing headquarters. You will oversee the complete lifecycle of large-scale CNC gantry milling machine projects, ensuring technical alignment, schedule adherence, and successful on-site deployment.

Key Responsibilities

• Customer Liaison: Act as the central point of contact and primary advocate for our customers throughout the entire project lifecycle.
• Technical Alignment: Clarify complex technical customer requirements, variations, and changes in close coordination with specialized internal engineering departments and external suppliers.
• Project Documentation & Scheduling: Create, maintain, and track comprehensive project documentation, including detailed customer milestones, delivery timelines, and progress reports.
• Specifications & Requirements Management: Review, evaluate, and align technical specifications between customers and internal technical teams to ensure perfect machine configuration.
• Inspections & Acceptance Testing: Lead and coordinate preliminary machine buyoffs (FAT) at the German manufacturing plant, as well as final acceptance testing (SAT) on-site at the end-customer’s facility.
• Field Installation Coordination: Calculate, plan, and coordinate complex on-site machine installations and field assembly teams in close cooperation with service and logistics departments.

Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Project Management, or a related technical field (or equivalent hands‑on experience in high‑end machining environments).
• Experience: 3–5+ years of project management experience, ideally managing high‑value capital equipment, large CNC machinery, or industrial automation installations.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong understanding of CNC machining, 5-axis systems, portal/gantry milling setups, or heavy industrial machinery.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional communication skills with the ability to bridge communication between US customers and European engineering teams. Knowledge of German language or experience working with German OEMs/subsidiaries is a major plus.
• Project Tools: Proficiency in project scheduling software (MS Project or similar) and reading technical blueprints/CAD files.
• Travel: Ability to travel domestically to customer sites and occasionally internationally to our headquarters/manufacturing facility in Germany for machine buyoffs.

What we offer

The opportunity to work with world‑class, innovative technology in the aerospace, defense, and automotive sectors as well as a comprehensive benefits package, including

• Competitive pay
• Medical & Dental Insurance
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with a Company Match Program
• Ongoing technical training and career development opportunities