Senior Manufacturing Process Cost Engineer

Abbott; Illinois; On-site; USD 78,000 - 156,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free medical coverage for employees

Employer retirement plan with high-con

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Abbott is seeking a Senior Manufacturing Process Engineer in Illinois to lead cross-functional initiatives that optimize manufacturing processes, product designs, and supply chain strategies. The role aims to improve operational performance, reduce total product cost, and enhance gross margins across Abbott’s product portfolio.

The position partners with Engineering, Operations, Procurement, Quality, and Supplier teams to evaluate manufacturing options, develop business cases, and drive

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field.
• 5–7 years of relevant experience (internships or co-ops applicable).
• Experience with Automated - Assembly, Manufacturing or Packaging processes.
• Strong analytical, modeling, and problem-solving skills.
• Basic project management and communication capabilities.
• Ability to work effectively under the direction of senior engineers or project leads.

Responsibilities

• Support strategic sourcing and supplier negotiations through detailed manufacturing and cost analysis.
• Lead manufacturing process assessments to identify opportunities for cost reduction, operational efficiency, capacity improvement, and quality enhancement.
• Develop and maintain manufacturing cost models, should-cost analyses, and business case evaluations to support engineering, operations, and sourcing decisions.
• Drive total cost of ownership improvements through cost forensics, value engineering, benchmarking, and process optimization methodologies.
• Evaluate product designs, manufacturing methods, material selections, and supplier capabilities to identify opportunities for cost and performance improvements.
• Provide manufacturing expertise during product development activities to support Design-for-Manufacturability, Design-to-Cost, and Design-for-Value objectives.
• Develop data-driven recommendations and design alternatives to support stakeholder decision-making.
• Lead supplier and manufacturing workshops focused on cost reduction, process improvements, and capability assessments.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Communication skills

Basic project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

Automation equipment

Job description

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 115,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to :

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
• Free medical coverage for employees* via the Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO
• An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution
• Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
• A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

The Opportunity

The Senior Manufacturing Process Engineer will lead cross-functional initiatives focused on optimizing manufacturing processes, product designs, and supply chain strategies to improve operational performance, reduce total product cost, and enhance gross margins across Abbott's product portfolio.

As a senior technical leader, this role partners with Engineering, Operations, Procurement, Quality, and Supplier organizations to evaluate manufacturing alternatives, identify process improvement opportunities, develop business cases, and drive implementation of solutions that improve cost, quality, delivery, and scalability throughout the product lifecycle. The position serves as a subject matter expert in manufacturing process optimization, cost modeling, value engineering, and cost forensics while supporting the deployment of Abbott's cost engineering capabilities across divisions.

Experience with packaging and manufacturing technologies including automated assembly, injection molding, thermoforming, extrusion, blow molding, and flexible film laminations is highly desirable.

What You'll Work On

• Support strategic sourcing and supplier negotiations through detailed manufacturing and cost analysis.
• Lead manufacturing process assessments to identify opportunities for cost reduction, operational efficiency, capacity improvement, and quality enhancement.
• Develop and maintain manufacturing cost models, should-cost analyses, and business case evaluations to support engineering, operations, and sourcing decisions.
• Drive total cost of ownership improvements through cost forensics, value engineering, benchmarking, and process optimization methodologies.
• Evaluate product designs, manufacturing methods, material selections, and supplier capabilities to identify opportunities for cost and performance improvements.
• Provide manufacturing expertise during product development activities to support Design-for-Manufacturability, Design-to-Cost, and Design-for-Value objectives.
• Develop data-driven recommendations and design alternatives to support stakeholder decision-making.
• Lead supplier and manufacturing workshops focused on cost reduction, process improvements, and capability assessments.
• Create and manage Statements of Work (SOWs), technical requirements, and engineering services engagements supporting manufacturing and cost optimization initiatives.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Operations, Procurement, Quality, and Commercial teams to align manufacturing strategies with business objectives.
• Develop manufacturing and cost engineering best practices, playbooks, and standard methodologies for deployment across Abbott divisions.
• Monitor manufacturing technologies, automation solutions, and industry trends to identify opportunities for innovation and competitive advantage.
• Ensure compliance with applicable quality, regulatory, and environmental requirements including ISO 13485, GMP, FDA, CE, RoHS, and REACH standards.
• Lead and influence cross-functional teams while mentoring engineers and sharing best practices across divisions.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field
• 5-7 years of relevant experience (internships or co-ops applicable)
• Experience with Automated - Assembly, Manufacturing or Packaging processes.
• Strong analytical, modeling, and problem-solving skills
• Basic project management and communication capabilities
• Ability to work effectively under the direction of senior engineers or project leads

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing and managing RFPs, technical specifications, and requirements documentation.
• Experience developing and managing Engineering Services Statements of Work
• Exposure to cost modeling, value engineering, or cost analysis methodologies
• Experience working in cross-functional teams (engineering, procurement, manufacturing)
• Familiarity with data analysis or simulation tools
• Interest in supplier cost analysis, benchmarking, or negotiations
• Ability to clearly communicate technical findings to non-technical stakeholders

Learn more about our health and wellness benefits, which provide the security to help you and your family live full lives :

www.abbottbenefits.com

Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that can help you build your future and live your best life. Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal.

The base pay for this position is $78,000.00 - $156,000.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.