Automotive Product Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: Product Engineer
Location: McConnelsville, OH 43756
Schedule: Full-Time | 1st Shift | Monday-Friday

Product Engineer - Solutions Team

Shape Innovative Products from Concept to Production:

• Our client is seeking an experienced Product Engineer to join their growing Solutions Team. This role is instrumental in supporting customer programs from the initial quotation phase through product development, prototyping, validation, and full-scale production.

• As a Product Engineer, you will serve as the primary technical liaison between customers, engineering, manufacturing, suppliers, and internal business units. Your expertise will help ensure products are technically sound, manufacturable, cost-effective, and delivered to the highest quality standards.

• This opportunity is ideal for an engineering professional with experience in product development, manufacturing processes, and customer-facing engineering within a fast-paced industrial or automotive environment.

Position Overview:

• The Product Engineer is responsible for leading technical activities throughout the product development lifecycle. Working closely with customers and cross-functional teams, you will evaluate technical feasibility, develop manufacturing concepts, coordinate prototype builds, support process development, and help launch new products into production.

• Success in this role requires strong analytical skills, excellent communication abilities, and a passion for solving complex engineering challenges while balancing quality, cost, timing, and customer expectations.

Key Responsibilities:

Customer & Technical Support:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with customer engineering teams and key technical decision-makers.

• Identify customer requirements, emerging technologies, industry trends, and future project opportunities.

• Support implementation of customer strategies across internal business units.

• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, suppliers, and global teams throughout the product lifecycle.

• Participate in technical discussions and customer meetings as required.

Product Development & Engineering:

• Conduct technical feasibility studies for new products and customer applications.

• Develop manufacturing concepts, production methods, and process strategies.

• Select appropriate materials and manufacturing processes.

• Evaluate product tolerances, manufacturability, production capacity, and environmental considerations.

• Prepare functional specifications for products and manufacturing processes.

• Support equipment design, tooling development, and production concept implementation.

• Coordinate prototype builds and off-tool part production.

• Conduct or support prototype testing, validation, and engineering evaluations.

• Develop setup documentation, dimensional reports, and technical records.

• Define packaging and labeling requirements for new products.

Cost Analysis & Continuous Improvement:

• Support product cost optimization initiatives.

• Perform economic feasibility studies and cost analyses.

• Develop assumptions for quotations and project costing.

• Investigate opportunities to improve manufacturing efficiency and product performance.

• Drive continuous improvement within engineering and product development processes.

Supplier & Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Support supplier identification and technical evaluation.

• Work closely with Purchasing and Supplier Management on outsourced services.

• Participate in new product kick-off meetings.

• Coordinate engineering activities across multiple departments.

• Maintain product-related technical documentation throughout the project lifecycle.

Quality & Risk Management:

• Identify product and process risks and develop mitigation strategies.

• Support implementation of safety requirements throughout product development.

• Prepare prototype and production control plans.

• Participate in PPAP activities and quality planning.

Apply Automotive Core Tools throughout development and launch, including:

• APQP

• PPAP

• PFMEA

• MSA

• SPC

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.

Experience:

• 4+ years of professional engineering experience.

• Experience in Product Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or Automotive Manufacturing preferred.

• Experience supporting new product development from concept through production.

• Knowledge of manufacturing processes and material selection.

• Experience evaluating technical feasibility and manufacturability.

• Understanding of automotive product development processes.

Technical Skills:

Candidates should possess experience or knowledge in:

• Product Development

• Technical Feasibility Studies

• Manufacturing Processes

• Materials Selection

• Cost Analysis

• Process Optimization

• Engineering Documentation

• Prototype Development

• Technical Drawings & GD&T

• Manufacturing Tolerances

• Engineering Change Management

• Continuous Improvement

Professional Skills:

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong analytical and engineering problem-solving skills

• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities

• Customer-focused mindset

• Strong organizational and project coordination skills

• Ability to work effectively across multiple departments

• Continuous improvement mentality

• Ability to balance technical, commercial, and operational priorities

Why Join Our Client?

This is an outstanding opportunity to join an innovative manufacturing organization where engineers play a direct role in developing new products and supporting customer success. You'll collaborate with talented professionals across engineering, quality, manufacturing, purchasing, and operations while contributing to exciting projects from concept through production.

If you enjoy solving technical challenges, working directly with customers, and bringing innovative products to market, this role offers excellent long-term career growth.