Design Engineering Manager – Medical Packaging (Direct Hire)
Location – Huntley, IL (Onsite)
Requisition: 7714
Annual Pay Range: $140,000-$160,000 base salary plus annual bonus.
Individual salaries are based on education, geographic location, and alignment to the market data.
Summary
Our client is seeking a Design Engineering Manager to lead the design and development of innovative thermoformed medical packaging solutions. This position will oversee a team of design engineers responsible for product development, package design, tooling, and new product commercialization.
The ideal candidate will have strong experience within medical packaging, thermoforming, and plastics manufacturing, along with proven leadership capabilities and a track record of successfully bringing new products from concept through production. This role will partner closely with manufacturing, quality, sales, supply chain, and customers to deliver high-quality packaging solutions that meet demanding medical industry requirements.
Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing Design Engineering team.
- Establish departmental goals, priorities, and strategic initiatives aligned with business objectives.
- Foster a culture of safety, quality, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Support employee development through coaching, performance management, training, and succession planning.
- Promote collaboration across engineering, manufacturing, quality, sales, and supply chain teams.
Product Design & Development
- Lead the design and development of thermoformed medical packaging products, including trays, blisters, and related components.
- Drive innovation while optimizing designs for manufacturability, performance, and cost.
- Oversee product development activities utilizing CAD software and engineering design tools.
- Support concept development through 3D modeling, prototyping, reverse engineering, and design validation activities.
- Ensure packaging solutions meet customer requirements, regulatory expectations, sterilization requirements, and material compatibility standards.
Tooling & Commercialization
- Manage tooling development activities, including mold design and supplier coordination.
- Work closely with tooling vendors to accelerate project timelines and resolve technical challenges.
- Lead new product commercialization efforts from concept through production launch.
- Translate customer requirements into actionable engineering plans and technical solutions.
- Drive project execution through effective planning, resource allocation, and cross-functional communication.
Operational Excellence
- Improve engineering processes, systems, and documentation practices.
- Maintain oversight of engineering software, equipment, and technical capabilities.
- Ensure compliance with design standards, change control procedures, and quality requirements.
- Monitor emerging technologies, materials, and trends within thermoforming and medical packaging.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Packaging Science, Industrial Design, or a related technical field.
- 5+ years of experience within thermoforming, medical packaging, or a related plastics manufacturing environment.
- Prior experience leading engineering teams, projects, or product development initiatives.
- Strong knowledge of:
- Medical packaging design and development
- Thermoforming processes and tooling
- New product development and commercialization
- Project management methodologies
- Experience utilizing CAD software such as SolidWorks.
- Strong understanding of tooling design, mold development, and supplier collaboration.
- Experience working directly with customers during product development and design reviews.
- Knowledge of medical packaging regulations, sterilization methods, barrier systems, validation requirements, ISO 13485, and cleanroom environments is preferred.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Benefits
- Competitive medical, dental, and vision insurance options
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options
- 401(k) with company match
- Company-paid life insurance
- Company-paid disability coverage
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Paid vacation and holidays
- Tuition reimbursement
- Annual bonus opportunity
- Career growth opportunities within a global organization
