Product Development Engineer

Job Description:

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW) is a global Fortune 200 diversified manufacturing company that delivers specialized expertise, innovative thinking, and value-added products to meet critical customer needs in a variety of industries. With approximately 15 billion dollars in global revenues, operates 7 major segments with businesses in 52 countries that employ approximately 45,000 women and men. These talented people, many of whom have specialized engineering or scientific expertise, contribute to our global leadership in innovation. We are proud of our broad portfolio of more than 19,000 granted and pending patents.

ITW Sexton is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality, two-piece steel aerosol cans and deep-drawn metal components. ITW Sexton specializes in producing seamless, high-performance containers for demanding applications including automotive, industrial refrigerants, specialty chemicals, and high- and low-pressure gas products.

This role is a technical sales position responsible for driving revenue growth through the development and commercialization of new products. The Product Development Engineer partners closely with commercial, technical & production stakeholders to manage opportunities across both new and existing customers. Leveraging strong technical expertise and a consultative sales approach, the role identifies customer challenges, communicates product value, and follows ITW’s innovation process to ensure successful implementation. The position is based in Decatur, Alabama.

Essential Functions

• Using an “inventor” mentality, actively participates in the generation and implementation of ideas & projects which provide product solutions based on the business’s core competencies.
• Identifies, develops and deploys comprehensive customer growth strategies to develop new products in both existing and new product segments.
• Utilizes ITW Innovation process for new opportunity identification, vetting and realization.
• Establishes rapport with manufacturing and engineering teams to identify, design, develop and implement production capabilities.
• Monitors and reports out on future industry trends and implications.
• Identifies relevant data sources for information about emerging technologies to gain an understanding of how things work; may be required to dismantle products or testing equipment to figure out how they function.
• Proposes product test methods and drafts product design specifications.
• Develops and manages target and open projects which translate into new sales.
• Collaborates on customer commercial negotiations, including LTA’s, value-pricing, lead-time, and product offering.
• Engages with external customers and vendors to design products to meet performance requirements.
• Complete other duties as assigned or directed.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering (or related) required
• 3-7 years of experience in manufacturing-related engineering or technical position
• Proven track record of sales and growth in a technical environment
• Knowledge of advanced manufacturing methods required
• Experience in can manufacturing, automotive, metal or refrigerants a plus, but not necessary
• Travel will be required to support this position, potentially global
• Prior successful product development and launch experience, which was the result of working on a high performing, cross functional team
• Experience in various Design for Excellence (DFx) methods like
  • Design for Assembly (DFA),
  • Design for Manufacturing (DFM),
  • Design for Reliability (DFR),
  • Design for Testability (DFT),
  • Design for Cost (DFC),
  • Design for Regulatory Compliance,
  • Design for Supply Chain (DFSC),
  • Design for Serviceability and Maintainability (DFSM) and
  • Design for Innovation (DFI)
• Curious, hands on, and inventive approach to problem solving
• Demonstrated ability to work with cross-functional teams to develop creative solutions
• Experience with project management software and techniques, including SolidWorks and AutoCAD

ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential. 

As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.