Manufacturing Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Title : Manufacturing Engineer
Location : Near Loves Park, IL

Pay : $30-$45/hr.
Benefits : As a contract employee of Sterling, you are eligible to receive a Full Employee Benefits Package that includes paid time off, paid holidays, 3 medical plans to choose from, dental & vision plans, 401(k), and an Employee Stock Ownership (ESOP) plan.

The Manufacturing Engineer I provides technical support to production operations and assists with the development and improvement of manufacturing processes. This role supports process documentation, data collection, and continuous improvement initiatives while working closely with operators and cross-functional teams to maintain efficient production workflows.

Job Duties :

• Provide technical support to troubleshoot basic process issues and assist operators in maintaining production workflows.

• Document downtime trends and evaluate defective hardware for basic disposition actions such as rework or scrap.

• Assist in creating and documenting manufacturing processes to ensure workflows accurately reflect production requirements.

• Collect data to support evaluations of process capability and identify minor issues in production processes.

• Maintain and update production documentation including SOPs, process flow diagrams, and work instructions.

• Track project milestones, maintain documentation, and support basic project tasks.

• Collect and organize production data such as cycle times, throughput, scrap rates, and downtime using spreadsheets and reporting tools.

• Support productivity improvement initiatives by identifying inefficiencies in manufacturing operations.

• Assist with basic cost analysis by collecting production data related to labor, materials, and machine performance.

• Apply Lean Manufacturing principles such as 5S and waste reduction to support process improvements.

• Assist in Design for Manufacturability and Assembly (DFMA) reviews to identify manufacturability issues and document feedback.

• Support equipment evaluation, troubleshooting, and performance documentation under supervision.

• Participate in APQP processes and assist with monitoring process capability and tooling evaluations.

• Conduct basic materials testing including intergranular attack, viscosity, specific gravity, microstructure evaluation, and hardness testing.

• Assist with qualification of braze joints, weld joints, EDM surfaces, coatings, consumables, and operator certifications.

• Support contamination analysis and materials identification activities.

• Conduct basic failure analysis focused on single-component issues.

• Collaborate with engineering, production, and quality teams to communicate findings and support improvements.

Qualifications :

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field, or 6+ years of equivalent manufacturing experience.

• Basic understanding of manufacturing processes and engineering principles.

• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing concepts such as 5S and waste identification.

• Ability to collect and analyze production data using spreadsheets or basic analysis tools.

• Basic understanding of APQP tools and quality systems.

• Familiarity with engineering drawings, materials, and component functions.

• Ability to learn internal manufacturing processes, special processes, and engineering standards.

• Strong problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills.