Product Development Engineer Jobs in Illinois

Trident Manufacturing is a contract manufacturer of medical devices. We partner with startups, leading medical device OEMs, and top-tier component manufacturers to develop innovative and reliable manufacturing processes to bring medical devices to market and improve healthcare outcomes. By combining our expertise in medical device manufacturing with our automotive heritage and mindset of continuous improvement, we are uniquely positioned to help our customers drive out cost and manufacturing risk prior to design freeze and position ourselves for success in routine production.

You'll take medical devices from a customer's CAD model to a validated production line: reviewing designs for manufacturability, designing fixtures and test equipment, qualifying suppliers through PPAP, writing IQ/OQ/PQ, and standing on the floor at launch. At Trident you won't own one slice of one product. You'll touch the whole process across multiple customer programs.

This is an excellent opportunity for a technically skilled engineer looking to gain experience with a wide variety of medical device product development and manufacturing responsibilities. You'll own projects end to end and work directly with customers, suppliers, Quality, and company leadership. This role reports to the Engineering Manager.

Note: This is a 100% on-site position in Pingree Grove, IL with minimal travel. Only local candidates will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with customers and internal teams to take customer medical devices from concept through production launch.
• Review customer requirements and design specifications, providing detailed design for manufacturability (DFM) feedback that reduces cost and complexity.
• Design custom assembly fixtures and simple manufacturing automation, including PLC-controlled test fixtures and vision inspection automation.
• Work closely with the Quality Engineering team to establish and document quality control aspects of products, including test methods and process validation (IQ/OQ/PQ).
• Engage with sub-tier suppliers to ensure high-quality components and processes, from initial quotation through PPAP approval and production ramp-up.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive process documentation, including manufacturing instructions and validation studies.
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives and cost-saving projects post-launch.
• Provide technical support and troubleshooting for production manufacturing processes and equipment.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
• 1–4 years of experience in design, development, or manufacturing of mechanical products or equipment, preferably medical devices.
• Strong technical problem-solving skills with a hands-on approach to engineering challenges.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks or similar CAD software for product and fixture design, including reading drawings and applying GD&T and tolerance stack-ups.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Experience managing technical documentation with high attention to detail.

Nice to have:

• Familiarity with manufacturing processes such as injection molding of thermoplastics, die cutting, metal forming or machining, sterile barrier packaging, thermoforming of thermoplastics, ultrasonic welding, and UV cure adhesives.
• Exposure to ISO 13485 and FDA quality system requirements (QMSR).
• Statistics for validation: sampling plans, process capability (Cpk), and tools like Minitab.
• Experience with PLCs, machine vision, or simple automation.

Pay: $90,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person