Demo

Product Development Engineer

Charter Wire
Milwaukee, WI Full Time
POSTED ON 4/13/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 5/17/2026
Charter Manufacturing is a fourth-generation family-owned business where our will to grow drives us to do it better. Join the team and become part of our family!

Charter Wire is hiring a Product Development Engineer!

About Charter Wire:

Charter Wire is a leading Tier 1 supplier and manufacturer of Engineered Shaped Wire, Cold Finished Bar, and Cold-Headed and Stamped Components to various industries, including Automotive, Agriculture, Construction, Consumer, Industrial and Oil & Gas. Charter Wire is a member of the Charter Manufacturing family of companies.

Job Summary:

The Product Development Engineer coordinates cross‑functional efforts to develop product designs, specifications, and documentation that meet customer requirements. This role optimizes Tool Design quality and cost while aligning with manufacturing objectives to support competitive advantage and business profitability.

Position specifics:

  • Location: Milwaukee WI
  • Travel: Up to 10% for customer visits
  • Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. Charter Manufacturing is unable to sponsor for employment visas at this time

Key responsibilities:

  • Manage and/or coordinate customer quotations, inquiries, design reviews, and sample order requirements, in a timely and professional manner
  • Design tools for repeatable production orders
  • FEA and simulation analysis
  • Learn, operate, and communicate within customer designated systems
  • Analyze customers' needs, evaluate, select, and apply engineering techniques, procedures and criteria to the design or modification of products
  • Liaison between the customer and the business on engineering matters regarding product design
  • Make data driven design recommendations and improve area of competitive disadvantage
  • Design and proposes changes in products which match manufacturing feasibility, at optimum cost and performance
  • Design and coordinate the creation of tooling, including overall layouts and detail drawings of components
  • Design to include considerations of machine timing to maximize the speed of the operation
  • Assist Operations and Process Engineering to resolve production problems associated with tooling
  • Apply the procedures of the advanced quality system to the introduction of products when required, i.e. design FMEA, VA/VE, DVP&R, etc
  • Control and maintain Product Engineering records including ECN’s, design reviews, inquiries, prints, and specifications
  • Participate in manufacturing process analysis and continuous improvement activity
  • Keep up-to-date with the latest design tools and other changes in the engineering industry
  • Support locations in the NPD Process and PPAP of new parts, which may include travel and off-hours conversations
  • Ensure effective and timely communication across cultural boundaries
  • Directly interact with and support customers on projects, as required, to ensure that customers are highly satisfied with launch performance and reliability
  • Follow Environmental, Quality and Safety Management System procedures and requirements
  • Ability to meet the essential job requirements, with or without reasonable accommodation, as outlined in the job description

What you’ll need:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related degree
  • One plus years’ experience in an engineering discipline in a manufacturing environment
  • Strong interpersonal skills
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and Projects simultaneously
  • Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Organizational skills
  • Demonstrated ability to use CAD software
  • Proficient with the advanced features Microsoft Office Suite software and with PC application software
  • Demonstrated Disciplined Problem solving / CI work
  • Willingness to travel up to 10%

Nice to haves:

  • Automotive OEM experience, including product design, process engineering, or manufacturing engineering experience
  • Customer facing experience
  • SolidWorks, AutoCAD, ProE , CATIA or other CAD experience
  • Previous experience with Tool Design and FEA simulations.
  • Advanced quality system experience and application of methods, e.g. design FMEA, VA/VE, etc
  • Proven ability to educate and train employees
  • Project management experience, including the ability to coordinate and manage projects with multiple vendors and outside contractors
  • Foreign language proficiency, especially Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Korean or German

Take the next step in your career, apply today!

#CharterManufacturing

#CharterWire

#CharterCareers

#OneFamilyOneTeam

We offer comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits, along with a 401(k) plan that includes employer matching and profit sharing. Additionally, we offer company-paid life insurance, disability coverage, and paid time off (PTO).

Salary.com Estimation for Product Development Engineer in Milwaukee, WI
$81,695 to $97,926
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