Technical Project Manager

Optimal Personal & Organisation; Michigan; On-site; USD 225,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

Optimal Personal & Organisation in the United States is seeking a Technical Project Manager to lead complex industrial engineering and equipment projects.

This hands-on role requires technical understanding and commercial awareness, owning projects from handover through installation, commissioning and production startup, coordinating customers, suppliers and internal teams to meet schedules, budgets and quality targets.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of project management experience in industrial engineering, manufacturing equipment or similar environments.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Project Management, or related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience managing customer-specific industrial or capital equipment projects with budgets, schedules, and commercial outcomes.
• Experience delivering projects with budgets of approximately $250,000 or more is preferred.
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems, project scheduling software, and Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple customer-specific engineering and industrial equipment projects from quotation and handover through final acceptance and closeout.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans covering scope, schedules, milestones, resources, budgets, risks, and customer deliverables.
• Organize and lead project kickoffs, engineering reviews, internal coordination meetings, and customer progress discussions.
• Monitor project performance against objectives and address delays, cost overruns, quality concerns, and scope changes.
• Maintain accurate project documentation including schedules, risk assessments, and acceptance records.
• Ensure projects are completed according to contractual requirements, quality standards, and customer expectations.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Communication

On-site leadership

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related discipline

Tools

MS Office

MS Project

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

Technical Project Manager – Industrial Engineering & Automation

Employment Type: Full-Time

Travel: Up to 50% (USA, Canada, Mexico)

About Our Client

Our client is a growing, privately owned engineering and industrial solutions company supporting manufacturing businesses across North America.

The organization specializes in delivering customer-specific technical solutions, industrial equipment, automation, tooling, and manufacturing process improvements. Working with leading companies in the automotive and industrial sectors, our client combines engineering expertise with practical project execution and responsive customer service.

With a strong focus on quality, reliability, and long-term customer relationships, our client supports technically demanding projects from initial planning and engineering through installation, commissioning, and production launch.

The Opportunity

Our client is seeking an experienced Technical Project Manager to lead complex industrial engineering and equipment projects.

In this position, you will take ownership of projects from initial handover through successful completion, ensuring that technical requirements, project schedules, budgets, and customer expectations are effectively managed.

You will serve as the central point of coordination between customers, internal stakeholders, engineering partners, suppliers, contractors, and on-site teams.

This is a hands‑on project management role requiring both technical understanding and commercial awareness. You will be directly involved in critical project phases, including equipment installation, commissioning, troubleshooting, and production startup.

The ideal candidate is proactive, well‑organized, commercially minded, and comfortable making decisions in dynamic industrial environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead multiple customer‑specific engineering and industrial equipment projects from quotation and order handover through final acceptance and closeout.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans covering scope, schedules, milestones, resources, budgets, risks, and customer deliverables.
• Organize and lead project kickoffs, engineering reviews, internal coordination meetings, and customer progress discussions.
• Monitor project performance against agreed objectives and proactively address potential delays, cost overruns, quality concerns, and scope changes.
• Maintain accurate project documentation, including schedules, action lists, risk assessments, decision logs, and acceptance records.
• Ensure projects are completed according to contractual requirements, quality standards, and customer expectations.

Customer Relations & Commercial Responsibility

• Act as the primary contact for customers throughout the project lifecycle.
• Communicate project progress, technical challenges, risks, and required decisions clearly and professionally.
• Coordinate engineering changes, customer modifications, and additional requirements.
• Evaluate the commercial and operational impact of project changes on cost, timing, quality, and resources.
• Prepare and manage change requests and change orders, ensuring appropriate approvals and documentation.
• Monitor project budgets, cost forecasts, and financial performance.
• Maintain strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and business partners.

Engineering, Suppliers & Operations

• Coordinate activities across mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, controls, manufacturing, quality, and external technical resources.
• Review technical drawings, equipment layouts, specifications, and related engineering documentation.
• Identify potential technical conflicts, implementation challenges, and project risks.
• Coordinate procurement activities, supplier schedules, manufacturing milestones, and delivery requirements.
• Work with ERP/MRP systems and project management tools to monitor materials, purchasing, labor, schedules, and costs.
• Support technical troubleshooting, root‑cause analysis, and corrective action implementation.
• Ensure effective communication and coordination across all project stakeholders.
• Plan and coordinate equipment installation, startup, commissioning, testing, validation, training, and final customer acceptance.
• Manage on‑site activities involving internal teams, external contractors, suppliers, and customer personnel.
• Conduct site coordination meetings, monitor open issues, and oversee corrective actions during critical project phases.
• Ensure installations meet agreed technical specifications, safety standards, quality expectations, and contractual requirements.
• Provide hands‑on support during equipment startup, troubleshooting, and production launch.
• Be available for extended on‑site assignments when required to support successful project completion.

Qualifications & Experience

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of project management experience in industrial engineering, manufacturing equipment, automation, tooling, machine building, or a comparable technical environment.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Project Management, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant professional experience.
• Proven experience managing customer‑specific industrial or capital equipment projects with responsibility for budgets, schedules, technical execution, and commercial outcomes.
• Experience delivering projects with budgets of approximately $250,000 or more is preferred.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, engineering workflows, technical procurement, and customer‑site implementation.
• Experience managing engineering changes, project risks, cost forecasts, suppliers, and cross‑functional teams.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, technical specifications, equipment layouts, and manufacturing documentation.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• A hands‑on, solution‑oriented approach with strong organizational and decision‑making abilities.
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems, project scheduling software, and Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in automotive manufacturing, industrial automation, tooling, or custom‑engineered equipment.
• Exposure to machinery installation, equipment relocation, commissioning, and production startup.
• Experience with supplier management, contract administration, and commercial project reporting.
• PMP certification or comparable project management training.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies.

This position requires regular travel to customer and supplier locations throughout North America, primarily within the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Travel may account for up to 50% of working time, depending on project requirements, with increased on‑site presence during installation, commissioning, troubleshooting, and production launch. Some assignments may require extended stays.

The role involves working in both office and industrial manufacturing environments.

Candidates should be comfortable working on production floors, inspecting industrial equipment, complying with site‑specific safety procedures, and wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

A valid driver's license is required. A valid passport, or the ability to obtain one, is strongly preferred.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Join a growing, privately owned engineering organization with a strong presence in industrial manufacturing.
• Take responsibility for technically challenging and commercially significant projects.
• Work directly with customers, engineering specialists, and decision‑makers.
• Enjoy a high level of ownership, autonomy, and visibility within the organization.
• Contribute directly to project success, customer satisfaction, and business growth.
• Work in a practical, results‑driven environment where technical expertise and initiative are valued.