Product Design Engineer Jobs in Illinois
Product Design Engineer jobs in Illinois are active and competitive, with demand concentrated in advanced manufacturing, medical devices, and consumer electronics across seniority levels from entry-level to principal engineer. Chicago, Rockford, and the North Shore suburbs anchor most of the hiring, where established employers like Caterpillar, Abbott Laboratories, and Motorola Solutions maintain significant engineering footprints. The most sought-after specializations in Illinois include CAD-driven mechanical design, design for manufacturability, and new product introduction within regulated industries. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 22+ Product Design Engineer jobs
Molex brings together innovation and technology to deliver electronic solutions to customers worldwide. With a presence in more than 40 countries, Molex offers a full suite of solutions and services for many markets, including data communications, consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, commercial vehicle and medical.
Molex is seeking an experienced Sr. Product Design Engineer to join our Copper Solutions I/O team responsible for the design of our industry leading high-speed connector and cable systems for exponentially growing data storage systems, telecommunication and hyperscale customers. This is a dynamic group of highly skilled professionals that will provide an opportunity for constant learning and innovation. This role will be leading projects from ideas to high volume production. These creative, high-tech leading-edge components are critical for the data superhighways existence we use every day changing the world. The successful applicant will have the ability to appropriately plan and see assignments through to completion with minimal direction, provide leadership to other team members; develop timing, meet project schedules, manage risks, accurately quote design, and systematically solve problems of a complex scope.
The primary location for this position is the Lisle Design Center in Chicago area.
What You Will Do
- Be a team member in a global organization designing and developing leading edge new products and components for the high-speed cable and connector industry.
- Design and develop new interconnect products, including high speed connectors, connector cable assemblies, and miscellaneous related mechanical hardware for datacom and telecom applications such as hubs, servers, switches, routers, HBA servers, and RAIDS.
- Interface with cross functional team members in our signal integrity team, manufacturing integration team, program management, sales organization, state of the art test laboratories, high tech R&D model shop, manufacturing and senior leadership teams.
- Collaborate to develop cost competitive and creative designs with signal integrity, and manufacturing team that are efficient at manufacture while meeting our high-performance market requirements.
- Develop product and application specifications documents for testing that meet our customer requirements.
- Present concepts and detailed requirements internally and to customers to obtain support for development of major new products.
- Support Manufacturing and Quality Assurance during product launches and have travel opportunities to visit our manufacturing sites and meet the global team.
- Create relationships with senior leadership, cross functional team members and peers through team building activities and growth opportunities operating as One Molex Team
- Help lead the organization in identification, evaluation, and implementation of new technologies and methodologies to enable next generation products, improve costs, quality and New Product Development (NPD) processes.
- Provide leadership, support, and guide less experienced team members on multiple NPD projects.
- Responsible for follow-up, documentation, publishing, and expediting all action items of a new product program.
Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)
- Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering
- 5+ years of experience in mechanical product design and development with proven technical leadership
- Experience creating prototypes and simulations
- Expert use of Tolerance Analyses
- Experience with Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
- Design experience with products manufactured using some of the following processes: progressive die stamping, injection molding, die casting and insert molding
- Experience with GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing)
- Experience with advanced parametric 3D CAD systems
What Will Put You Ahead
- Master's degree or PhD in Mechanical Engineering or other related engineering field
- Siemens NX experience
- Design experience with high-speed, high-density connectors, cable assemblies, and interconnect products
- Design experience with products manufactured utilizing electroplating and automated assembly
- Good understanding and practical knowledge of Six Sigma quality development tools and principles (DOE, FMEA, etc.)
- Understanding and application of sound project management techniques managing projects to timelines, due dates and deadlines
- Design experience with products manufactured using some of the following processes: progressive die stamping, injection molding, die casting and insert molding
- Knowledge of regulatory agency testing requirements (e.g., UL/CSA, EIA, Telcordia requirements).
For this role, we anticipate paying $100,000 - $130,000 per year. This role is eligible for variable pay, issued as a monetary bonus or in another form.
At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.
Hiring Philosophy
All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here .
Who We Are
At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.
Our Benefits
Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes - medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, and may also include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance. Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region. If you have questions on what benefits apply to you, please speak to your recruiter.
Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.
Equal Opportunities
Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify. Please click here for additional information. (For Illinois E-Verify information click here , aquà , or tu ).
#LI-RL1
Molex brings together innovation and technology to deliver electronic solutions to customers worldwide. With a presence in more than 40 countries, Molex offers a full suite of solutions and services for many markets, including data communications, consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, commercial vehicle and medical.
Molex is seeking an experienced Sr. Product Design Engineer to join our Copper Solutions I/O team responsible for the design of our industry leading high-speed connector and cable systems for exponentially growing data storage systems, telecommunication and hyperscale customers. This is a dynamic group of highly skilled professionals that will provide an opportunity for constant learning and innovation. This role will be leading projects from ideas to high volume production. These creative, high-tech leading-edge components are critical for the data superhighways existence we use every day changing the world. The successful applicant will have the ability to appropriately plan and see assignments through to completion with minimal direction, provide leadership to other team members; develop timing, meet project schedules, manage risks, accurately quote design, and systematically solve problems of a complex scope.
The primary location for this position is the Lisle Design Center in Chicago area.
What You Will Do
- Be a team member in a global organization designing and developing leading edge new products and components for the high-speed cable and connector industry.
- Design and develop new interconnect products, including high speed connectors, connector cable assemblies, and miscellaneous related mechanical hardware for datacom and telecom applications such as hubs, servers, switches, routers, HBA servers, and RAIDS.
- Interface with cross functional team members in our signal integrity team, manufacturing integration team, program management, sales organization, state of the art test laboratories, high tech R&D model shop, manufacturing and senior leadership teams.
- Collaborate to develop cost competitive and creative designs with signal integrity, and manufacturing team that are efficient at manufacture while meeting our high-performance market requirements.
- Develop product and application specifications documents for testing that meet our customer requirements.
- Present concepts and detailed requirements internally and to customers to obtain support for development of major new products.
- Support Manufacturing and Quality Assurance during product launches and have travel opportunities to visit our manufacturing sites and meet the global team.
- Create relationships with senior leadership, cross functional team members and peers through team building activities and growth opportunities operating as One Molex Team
- Help lead the organization in identification, evaluation, and implementation of new technologies and methodologies to enable next generation products, improve costs, quality and New Product Development (NPD) processes.
- Provide leadership, support, and guide less experienced team members on multiple NPD projects.
- Responsible for follow-up, documentation, publishing, and expediting all action items of a new product program.
Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)
- Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering
- 5+ years of experience in mechanical product design and development with proven technical leadership
- Experience creating prototypes and simulations
- Expert use of Tolerance Analyses
- Experience with Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
- Design experience with products manufactured using some of the following processes: progressive die stamping, injection molding, die casting and insert molding
- Experience with GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing)
- Experience with advanced parametric 3D CAD systems
What Will Put You Ahead
- Master's degree or PhD in Mechanical Engineering or other related engineering field
- Siemens NX experience
- Design experience with high-speed, high-density connectors, cable assemblies, and interconnect products
- Design experience with products manufactured utilizing electroplating and automated assembly
- Good understanding and practical knowledge of Six Sigma quality development tools and principles (DOE, FMEA, etc.)
- Understanding and application of sound project management techniques managing projects to timelines, due dates and deadlines
- Design experience with products manufactured using some of the following processes: progressive die stamping, injection molding, die casting and insert molding
- Knowledge of regulatory agency testing requirements (e.g., UL/CSA, EIA, Telcordia requirements).
For this role, we anticipate paying $100,000 - $130,000 per year. This role is eligible for variable pay, issued as a monetary bonus or in another form.
At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.
Hiring Philosophy
All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here .
Who We Are
At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.
Our Benefits
Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes - medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, and may also include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance. Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region. If you have questions on what benefits apply to you, please speak to your recruiter.
Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.
Equal Opportunities
Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify. Please click here for additional information. (For Illinois E-Verify information click here , aquà , or tu ).
#LI-RL1
See All 22 Product Design Engineer Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Product Design Engineer JobsProduct Design Engineer Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Product Design Engineer Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Electronics & Hardware
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in product design engineer jobs across Illinois.
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, industrial design, or a closely related engineering discipline
- Proficiency in 3D CAD software such as SolidWorks, CATIA, or Creo for part and assembly modeling
- Experience with design for manufacturability and tolerance analysis in production environments
- Familiarity with product development lifecycle processes from concept through production release
- Ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams including manufacturing, quality, and program management
- Knowledge of relevant industry standards such as GD&T per ASME Y14.5 and applicable regulatory requirements
Product Design Engineer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a product design engineer in Illinois?
Most employers in Illinois require a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, industrial design, or a related field from an ABET-accredited program. Product design engineers in Illinois are not required to hold a Professional Engineer license for most private-sector roles, but earning an Illinois PE license through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation strengthens competitiveness for senior positions. Building a portfolio of CAD work and design projects is equally important for getting hired.
Which companies hire product design engineers in Illinois?
Employers hiring product design engineers in Illinois right now include Molex, Amazon, and JLL, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Illinois's concentration of medical device manufacturers, defense contractors, and industrial equipment companies means demand for product design engineers is distributed across both the Chicago metro and manufacturing-heavy downstate regions.
Which Illinois cities have the most product design engineer jobs?
Chicago, Lisle, and Skokie have the most product design engineer openings in Illinois. Chicago and its northern suburbs drive the largest share of listings because of the dense cluster of medical device, consumer electronics, and industrial equipment companies headquartered there, while Rockford's long-established precision manufacturing base accounts for strong demand outside the metro.
Are there remote product design engineer jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they are rare. Product design engineers typically work with physical prototypes, lab equipment, and manufacturing floors, which limits fully remote arrangements. About 33% of product design engineer openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, and those postings tend to cover the requirements-writing, CAD modeling, and design-review phases of development rather than hands-on build and test work.
How can I get hired as a product design engineer in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a new-graduate or rotational engineering program at a large Illinois manufacturer. Companies like Caterpillar and Abbott run structured new-grad programs that place candidates in design and product development rotations without requiring prior industry experience. Applying as a design intern or mechanical engineering associate, building a SolidWorks or CATIA portfolio through coursework or personal projects, and targeting smaller contract manufacturers in the Chicago suburbs or Rockford area for first roles are all concrete starting points.
Where can I find and apply to product design engineer jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to product design engineer jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated regularly. Search by city or region to see roles in Chicago, Rockford, and surrounding areas. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to the employer through each listing.
See All 22 Product Design Engineer Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Product Design Engineer Jobs