Engineering Manager

Engineering Manager - Controls & Manufacturing Engineering

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Salary: Circa $170,000 Base

We are looking for a highly experienced Engineering Manager to join a growing Packaging Materials US based business.

Reporting to the VP of Technology this would be working alongside the Corporate Engineering and New Product Development side of the company. This is a high-impact technical leadership role focused on turning new product concepts into reliable, scalable manufacturing operations across the business.

You’ll work across business units, plants, vendors and customers to make sure new products can be manufactured efficiently and that the equipment and production lines required to do it perform at their best.

This is an ideal opportunity for a hands-on engineering leader who has spent much of their career in a plant environment and has developed deep expertise in controls, electrical engineering and web-handling manufacturing systems.

What You’ll Do

• Lead engineering projects supporting the development and commercialization of new products across multiple business units.
• Build out and optimize machines, converting equipment and production lines so they are ready to manufacture new products at scale.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex equipment, controls and production issues.
• Partner closely with mechanical engineers, plant teams, vendors and customers to deliver successful projects.
• Provide high-level technical leadership on electrical and controls systems.
• Support the installation, commissioning, startup and optimization of equipment and production lines.
• Help ensure converting lines and manufacturing processes run smoothly and reliably.
• Translate R&D and new product requirements into practical manufacturing solutions.
• Travel to plants and project locations, approximately 25-30%, depending on project needs.

What We’re Looking For

The successful candidate will bring 12–15 years of substantial engineering experience, with a significant portion of their career spent working directly in plant/manufacturing environments.

Key requirements:

• Very strong controls focused engineering background.
• Strong electrical engineering expertise.
• Mechanical engineering knowledge and the ability to work effectively with mechanical engineers.
• Deep experience with manufacturing equipment, production lines and industrial automation.
• Web-handling experience is an absolute must.
• Experience in flexibles, nonwovens, plastics, textiles or packaging is highly desirable.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem solving skills.
• Comfortable working hands-on with plants, vendors and customers.
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 25-30%.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering preferred, but extensive relevant experience will be considered.

Why This Role?

This isn't a traditional people management position. There are no direct reports. Instead, you'll operate as a senior technical leader, working alongside senior engineers and more junior engineers and serving as a key technical resource across the organization.

You’ll have visibility across the business and the opportunity to influence major capital, manufacturing and new product initiatives. The role also provides a strong long-term career path, with potential to progress into a Director-level Engineering or business unit leadership position.

Relocation

• Relocation support available for the right candidate, including a potential 24-month relocation package
• Approximately 25-30% travel, primarily to manufacturing plants and project locations

The Opportunity

If you're an experienced Controls/Electrical Engineer who knows manufacturing from the plant floor up, this is an opportunity to move into a high visibility corporate engineering role without losing the hands-on, project-driven nature of the work.

You'll help take the next generation of products from development through commercialization and make sure the manufacturing systems are ready to deliver.

If you have deep controls expertise, strong web handling experience and a track record of solving complex manufacturing challenges, we'd like to hear from you.