Project Associate Jobs in Freeport, IL (NOW HIRING)

Cognex is searching for a Project Manager with external customer facing experience who will flourish in our "Work Hard, Play Hard, Move Fast" culture. The Project Manager will be interacting and directing resources on projects involving the integration of Cognex designed solutions. Engaging within the pre-sales phase of potential project lifecycle's, you'll be responsible to prepare accurately, assess risks, and subsequently deliver the hottest technology in this market, ensuring we meet customer expectations for quality, delivery, and service, while delivering Cognex high standards for growth and profitability.
Essential Functions:

• Actively plan, organize, and align resources, both internal and external, in a cost-effective manner to win and execute against the project schedule.
• Maintain and develop effective relationship with customers both pre- and post-sale.
• Develop project schedules and track project progress against milestones while ensuring timely communications to internal and external stakeholders on project status.
• Identify, create simple, and track complex documented scope. Communicate scope changes to all key stakeholders, ensuring that project completion and customer acceptance is achieved, via all providers to the project
• Manage all project documentation through the lifecycle including providing all details on documentation to either the service team or customer to set them up for success.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Solid experience or familiarity with Project management processes and PMI standards
• Possesses strong written and verbal communication skills and someone who exhibits solid customer relationship maintenance skills with the ability to influence, through facts and fast action.
• Solid knowledge and understanding of appropriate industry segment and automation technology including the knowledge of design for the manufacturability, assembly, test and manufacturing test development on industrial, electro-mechanical products.
• Solid interpersonal skills with the ability to motivate, collaborate, and influence both internal and external stakeholders to achieve project objectives.
• Possesses strong time management and organizational skills to manage multiple projects with quality and efficiently in a dynamic, fact-based fast paced environment
• Solid understanding of complicated data analysis theory, project cost estimation, and profitability analysis.
• Capable of planning difficult schedules by breaking down tasks in efforts to avoid scope creep
• Solid decision making and problem-solving skills with the ability to sort through competing priorities, anticipate and manage risks, an develop effective mitigation plans to produce effective solutions in unexpected situations.
• Solid understanding of business process, order proceeding and basic project-finance knowledge.
• Ability to handle routine customer situations and has the proper discernment to escalate when necessary.
• Experienced using Project Management tools such as Microsoft Projects
• Ability to rapidly learn new technology and understand new markets

Minimum Education and Work Experience Required:

• BA degree in a technical discipline(preferred) or relevant equivalent professional experience
• Typically requires a minimum of3+years' experience as a project manager within the service high-tech industry or for projects in a related field
• Ability to be on-call and respond to customer emergencies. Availability to work evening and weekend hours or varying work patterns depending on project needs.
• Ability to travel between 20-50% of the time. Travel will vary depending on region, time of year, and customer needs.
• Must possess English language proficiency as a minimum for the role.
• Certifications related to Project Management are preferred (PMP, CSCP, etc.)

Salary Range:An estimate of the base salary range for this role is$74,000 - $100,000USD Annual. Please note that actual salaries may vary within the range based on factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, professional achievement, business need, and location. In addition to base salary, employees will participate in either an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance or a sales incentive plan.

This position provides a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) retirement plan with company matching; employer-paid disability, family leave, life insurance, paid time off (including holidays), optional voluntary benefits, and recognition and wellness programs.

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Equal Employment Opportunity

Cognex is an equal opportunity employer. Cognex evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, disability/handicap status or any other legally protected characteristic.