Welding Engineer Jobs in Illinois

Why Join Mi-Jack?

This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of manufacturing within a growing organization known for building some of the largest and most complex material handling equipment in the industry. You'll have the ability to influence welding strategy, manufacturing processes, and operational excellence initiatives that directly impact our success.

Position Summary:
The Senior Welding Manufacturing Engineer is responsible for developing, implementing, and optimizing welding and fabrication processes for large structural steel assemblies. This role will provide technical leadership for welding operations, support facility expansion initiatives, drive capital equipment projects, and ensure world-class quality, safety, and productivity standards.

The ideal candidate combines extensive manufacturing engineering experience with deep expertise in structural steel fabrication, welding process development, weld quality systems, and production optimization.

What You'll Do:

Welding & Fabrication:

• Serve as the subject matter expert for structural steel welding and fabrication processes.
• Develop, implement, and optimize welding procedures for large weldments and heavy fabricated components.
• Evaluate and improve welding processes including MIG, Flux-Core, TIG, submerged arc, and robotic welding applications as appropriate.
• Support weld quality initiatives, defect reduction, and process standardization across manufacturing operations.
• Partner with quality teams to establish and maintain compliance with AWS standards and welding best practices.

Manufacturing Process Development:

• Design and optimize fabrication and assembly workflows for large structural steel products.
• Develop manufacturing standards, routings, work instructions, and process documentation.
• Improve throughput, labor efficiency, equipment utilization, and process repeatability.
• Drive Design for Manufacturability (DFM) initiatives in partnership with Product Engineering teams.

Capital Equipment & Facility Expansion:

• Lead the specification, selection, and implementation of fabrication and welding equipment.
• Support facility expansion and manufacturing readiness initiatives.

New Product Introduction (NPI):

• Support the transition of new products from engineering design through production launch.
• Develop manufacturing processes capable of meeting quality, cost, and delivery objectives.
• Participate in prototype builds, process validation, and production ramp-up activities.

Quality & Compliance:

• Establish welding quality control standards and inspection requirements. Develop and maintain: Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS), Standard work instructions, Manufacturing Bills of Material (MBOM), Process documentation
• Support root cause investigations and corrective action implementation related to weld quality and fabrication performance.

Multi-Site Technical Support:

• Provide technical guidance and best practices to fabrication and welding operations across multiple manufacturing locations.
• Support training, process standardization, and implementation of manufacturing improvements throughout the organization.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, Welding, or related Engineering discipline.
• 7+ years of Manufacturing Engineering experience in heavy industrial, construction equipment, material handling equipment, agricultural equipment, transportation equipment, or similar manufacturing environments.
• 5+ years of direct experience in heavy structural steel fabrication and welding operations.
• Demonstrated expertise developing and implementing welding processes for large fabricated assemblies.
• Experience supporting capital equipment projects and manufacturing process improvements.
• Proven success driving measurable improvements in quality, productivity, capacity, safety, or cost.
• Strong knowledge of AWS welding standards and welding quality systems.
• Experience developing Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS) and fabrication process documentation.
• Experience with ERP systems, Bills of Material, and manufacturing routings.
• Proficiency with engineering drawings, CAD systems, and manufacturing documentation.

Travel:

Approximately 10–15% travel to manufacturing locations, suppliers, and customer sites.

COMPENSATION/BENEFITS: We foster a collaborative team environment that values innovation and encourages creative solutions to drive positive organizational impact. Our employees are the key to our success and help us stand out from our competitors. The final compensation offer may vary based on factors such as experience, education, skills, and location. We offer competitive pay, paid time off, and comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and a 401(k) plan.

Lanco is an equal opportunity employer. All employment-related decisions, including but not limited to hiring, compensation, promotion, discipline (including termination), evaluation, training and development opportunities, etc., are made without discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender-related identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, military status, protected disability, citizenship, genetic information or any other category protected by applicable law.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.