Reliability Engineer Jobs in Illinois
Reliability Engineer jobs in Illinois are consistently active, with demand concentrated in manufacturing, chemical processing, utilities, and heavy industry across a range from entry-level roles to senior principal engineers. Chicago, Rockford, and the Joliet-Bolingbrook corridor are the primary hiring hubs, where major employers such as Abbott Laboratories, Caterpillar, and Exelon maintain substantial engineering operations. The most in-demand specialties are predictive maintenance, asset management, and process reliability in industrial and energy settings. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Reliability & Manufacturing Engineer
St. Charles, IL | Full-Time
At TIGER, we’re always looking for ways to make our operation safer, smarter, and more reliable. We’re looking for a hands-on Reliability & Manufacturing Engineer who enjoys solving problems, improving processes, and turning ideas into real improvements on the manufacturing floor.
What You’ll Do
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for equipment and manufacturing issues.
- Improve equipment reliability, OEE, uptime, and production efficiency.
- Develop and improve preventive, predictive, and condition-based maintenance programs.
- Support equipment upgrades, automation, commissioning, and capital projects.
- Design and improve equipment, work cells, layouts, and material flow using CAD.
- Analyze production and maintenance data, including MTBF, MTTR, and downtime.
- Work closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality, and other teams to solve problems and drive continuous improvement.
- Support Lean Manufacturing, 7S, CAPA, and operational excellence initiatives.
- Develop SOPs, maintenance procedures, technical documentation, and KPI reports.
- Provide technical training and support to operators, maintenance, and engineering teams.
What You Bring
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Process Engineering, or a related field.
- 1–3 years of experience in a manufacturing, reliability, or engineering role.
- Strong problem-solving, analytical, and project management skills.
- Experience with manufacturing equipment and industrial systems.
- Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles.
- CAD experience (AutoCAD, SolidWorks, etc.) or willingness to learn.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work across teams.
- MS Office knowledge; SAP experience is an asset.
- Experience in chemical processing, plastics, paint, or twin extrusion is an asset.
- Spanish is an asset.
The TIGER Opportunity
This is a great opportunity to work on projects that directly impact reliability, productivity, safety, quality, and continuous improvement while growing your engineering skills in a hands-on manufacturing environment.
Ready to make things better? Come grow with TIGER!
See All 36 Reliability Engineer Jobs in Illinois
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Find Reliability Engineer JobsReliability Engineer Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Reliability Engineer Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Investment & Asset Management
- Technology & Software
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Manufacturing
- Chemicals & Materials
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in reliability engineer jobs across Illinois.
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical, industrial, or electrical engineering from an accredited program
- Professional Engineer license issued or recognized by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation preferred for senior roles
- Hands-on experience with reliability methodologies such as RCM, FMEA, or RCA
- Proficiency with computerized maintenance management systems such as SAP PM or Maximo
- Certified Reliability Engineer credential from the American Society for Quality strongly preferred
- Experience with predictive maintenance technologies including vibration analysis and thermography
Reliability Engineer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a reliability engineer in Illinois?
Start with a bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, or industrial engineering from an accredited Illinois program. From there, most employers expect some hands-on maintenance or engineering experience before a reliability-specific title is granted. Pursuing the Certified Reliability Engineer credential through the American Society for Quality strengthens candidacy significantly. Senior roles and those involving public infrastructure may also call for a Professional Engineer license through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
Which companies hire reliability engineers in Illinois?
Employers hiring reliability engineers in Illinois right now include Ripple, The Hartford, and thyssenkrupp, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Illinois's concentration of large-scale manufacturing, chemical, and utility operations means demand is spread across both global corporations with Illinois headquarters and regional industrial facilities.
Which Illinois cities have the most reliability engineer jobs?
Chicago, Peru, and Peoria account for the most reliability engineer openings in Illinois. Chicago and its southwest suburbs, including Joliet and Bolingbrook, anchor demand through large manufacturing campuses and refinery operations, while Rockford's deep machining and aerospace manufacturing base consistently generates openings independent of the Chicago metro.
Are there remote reliability engineer jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they're rare. Reliability engineering is fundamentally a hands-on discipline tied to physical assets and plant floors, so fully remote roles represent a small fraction of openings. About 61% of reliability engineer openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, and those positions tend to be concentrated in data analysis, reliability program management, or corporate oversight functions rather than site-level work.
How can I get hired as a reliability engineer in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a maintenance technician, process engineer, or manufacturing engineer role at a large Illinois industrial employer, then transitioning into reliability work internally. Companies such as Abbott, Exelon, and major chemical manufacturers in the Chicago metro run structured new-graduate engineering programs that rotate candidates through reliability functions. Completing a Certified Reliability Engineer exam preparation course and building familiarity with a CMMS platform like Maximo or SAP PM gives candidates a measurable edge even without direct reliability experience.
Where can I find and apply to reliability engineer jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to reliability engineer jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated regularly. Search the available roles, find the ones that match your experience and location, and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 36 Reliability Engineer Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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