Product Development Manager Jobs in Illinois
Product Development Manager jobs in Illinois are actively sought across manufacturing, technology, consumer goods, and healthcare sectors, with openings at every level from associate product manager through senior director. Chicago is the primary hiring hub, with Downers Grove, Schaumburg, and the broader Chicagoland area generating strong demand from companies like Abbott, Kraft Heinz, and Motorola Solutions. The most sought-after specialties in Illinois include physical product development for packaged goods, medical device product management, and software-adjacent product roles tied to enterprise technology. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Title: Product Development Engineer
Location: North Chicago, IL
Hire Type: Contract 1+ yr
Compensation: $40/hr target
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.
Must have Skill Set:
- Medical Device / Combination Product Development: Hands-on experience developing, testing, and characterizing medical devices, drug-delivery systems, or combination products.
- DOE & Product Testing: Demonstrated experience designing and executing DOE studies, functional testing, and/or reliability testing.
- Design Verification & Validation: Experience supporting design verification, design validation, risk-based testing, and applicable design controls.
- Technical Data & Documentation: Strong ability to analyze experimental data and develop clear technical reports, protocols, and presentations.
Overview: A growing organization is seeking a Product Development Engineer to support the development, testing, and commercialization of medical devices, drug-delivery systems, and combination products. This role will combine hands-on laboratory testing, experimental design, data analysis, and technical documentation while partnering closely with cross-functional teams throughout the product development lifecycle.
Job Duties:
- Plan, design, and execute laboratory studies supporting new product development and product investigations.
- Design and conduct DOE studies to evaluate product functionality, manufacturability, reliability, accuracy, sensitivity, and selectivity.
- Perform hands-on testing, characterization, and evaluation of medical devices, drug-delivery systems, and related products.
- Support design verification, design validation, and risk-based testing activities.
- Develop test methods, protocols, and strategies for new product evaluations and product/process investigations.
- Analyze experimental data, identify trends, summarize findings, and prepare technical reports and presentations.
- Support product and process optimization, technology transfer, scale-up, and transition to commercial manufacturing.
- Troubleshoot product and manufacturing issues and participate in investigations related to deviations, failures, and process performance.
- Create and maintain technical documentation, including SOPs, test protocols, reports, batch records, and validation documentation.
- Partner cross-functionally with Quality, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Marketing, laboratory teams, and external manufacturing partners.
- Ensure development and testing activities comply with applicable cGMP, FDA, ISO, design control, and internal quality requirements.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
- 1–5 years of relevant experience in medical device, drug-delivery system, combination-product, or related product development.
- Hands-on laboratory experience supporting product development, testing, characterization, and/or manufacturing processes.
- Experience developing and executing DOE studies, functional testing, and reliability testing.
- Experience with experimental data analysis and technical reporting.
- Experience supporting design verification and/or design validation activities.
- Understanding of product development and commercial-scale manufacturing processes.
- Strong technical writing, documentation, data reporting, and presentation skills.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within cross-functional teams.
- Knowledge or experience with batteries utilized in medical devices or drug-delivery systems.
- Familiarity with design controls, human factors/usability, risk management, FDA requirements, and applicable ISO standards.
- Experience supporting technology transfer and process validation.
- Experience working with contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs).
- Experience using electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs).
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.
See All 57 Product Development Manager Jobs in Illinois
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Find JobsProduct Development Manager Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Product Development Manager Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
- Electronics & Hardware
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Fintech
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in product development manager jobs across Illinois.
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or a related field required by most Illinois employers
- Five or more years of end-to-end product development experience across ideation, prototyping, and launch
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams including engineering, marketing, and operations
- Proficiency with stage-gate or agile product development frameworks used by Illinois manufacturers
- Experience managing vendor relationships and supply chain partners common to Illinois's industrial sector
- Familiarity with FDA regulatory requirements preferred for Illinois medical device and life sciences roles
Product Development Manager Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a product development manager in Illinois?
Most product development manager roles in Illinois require a bachelor's degree in engineering, business, marketing, or a related field, and Illinois does not issue a state license for this role. Employers in the Chicago metro and throughout Chicagoland typically expect several years of progressive experience in product management, engineering, or a closely related function before hiring at the manager level. Certifications such as PMP or a Pragmatic Institute credential can strengthen a candidacy significantly.
Which companies hire product development managers in Illinois?
Employers hiring product development managers in Illinois right now include Molex, AbbVie, and Amphenol, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Illinois's concentration of Fortune 500 headquarters and major manufacturers in the Chicagoland corridor makes it one of the more active markets for this role in the Midwest.
Which Illinois cities have the most product development manager jobs?
Chicago, Schaumburg, and North Chicago have the most product development manager openings in Illinois. Chicago leads because of its dense cluster of consumer goods, technology, and healthcare headquarters, while suburban hubs like Downers Grove and Schaumburg generate steady demand from established manufacturers and enterprise technology firms anchored in the northwest and western corridors.
Are there remote product development manager jobs in Illinois?
Yes, and more than many comparable roles, since product development managers in technology and software-adjacent industries can manage roadmaps and coordinate teams effectively without being on-site. About 50% of product development manager openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting a mix of fully remote strategy work and hybrid schedules tied to manufacturing or lab environments. Physical product and medical device roles remain the most consistently on-site.
How can I get hired as a product development manager in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into product development from an adjacent Illinois role such as product analyst, project coordinator, or associate engineer, particularly within consumer goods or manufacturing companies in the Chicagoland area. Companies like Abbott and Kraft Heinz run rotational and associate programs that place early-career candidates in product-adjacent functions. Earning a Pragmatic Institute certification or building a portfolio of documented product projects can offset limited direct experience for Illinois employers considering internal promotions or recent graduates.
Where can I find and apply to product development manager jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to product development manager jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated regularly. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to the ones that match your experience level, preferred city, and industry focus.
See All 57 Product Development Manager Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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