Senior Design Engineer in Mundelein, Illinois at Carter Hoffmann, LLC

Company Overview:

A leading manufacturer dedicated to delivering innovative food holding, transporting, and Artisan baking solutions to the foodservice industry. Carter-Hoffmann is an industry expert in food holding and transporting solutions whereas Doyon/NU-VU is the recognized leader in “On-Premise” Baking. Both Carter-Hoffmann and Doyon/NU-VU manufacture a wide variety of equipment for use in Commercial & Non-Commercial Food Service, including chain restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores and independent bakeries.

Position Summary:

The Senior Design Engineer leads New Product Development (NPD) and continuous improvement projects from concept through production. This role creates production-ready 3D designs, applies design for manufacturability and serviceability, leads verification and validation, and works cross-functionally to deliver reliable, compliant, and cost-effective products.

Key Responsibilities:

· Lead assigned NPD and continuous improvement projects through requirements, concept development, design reviews, prototyping, validation, production release, and launch support.

· Create and maintain accurate 3D models, assemblies, production drawings, and bills of material using SOLIDWORKS.

· Design products for manufacturability, assembly, reliability, and serviceability, including sheet metal fabrication, welding, component access, maintenance, and production efficiency.

· Plan and execute prototype builds, design verification, and validation testing; document product performance, safety, reliability, and compliance.

· Work with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Technical Service, Sales, and Product Management to define requirements, resolve risks, and implement products into production.

· Support manufacturing and field issues through troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, corrective action, and design improvements.

· Lead cost reduction, standardization, modular design, and product optimization efforts without compromising safety, quality, performance, or serviceability.

· Prepare and maintain engineering documentation for production release and regulatory certification, including UL, NSF, and other applicable requirements.

Qualifications:

· Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related field.

· Five or more years of engineering experience in a manufacturing or product development environment.

· Advanced 3D mechanical design and modeling experience; SOLIDWORKS experience is strongly preferred.

· Experience creating production-ready parts, assemblies, drawings, and bills of material, preferably involving sheet metal, fabrication, welding, and tolerancing.

· Working knowledge of a structured NPD process, including stage-gate reviews, prototyping, verification and validation, and production release.

· Practical experience applying design for manufacturability, assembly, and serviceability principles.

· Experience leading cross-functional projects and solving product or manufacturing issues.

· Experience with thermal or temperature-controlled equipment, electrical controls and schematics, commercial foodservice equipment, or UL/NSF compliance is preferred.

· Working Conditions: Work is performed largely in office and manufacturing environments. Hours of work will generally be during regular business hours with at least 40 hours a week but may vary according to special projects, deadlines, or other concerns. Ability to lift 40-50 lbs. and a variety of postures (bending, stooping, etc.) when handling product while training or investigating technical issues. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Salary: $100,000 to $130,000 annually