$110,000–$130,000 Per Year
Capital Equipment, Continuous Improvement, Cross-Functional, Heavy Equipment/Vehicles, Leadership, Manufacturing Operations, Mechanical Design, Mechanical Engineering, Mentoring, Problem Solving Skills, Project Engineering, Project Execution, Team Lead/Manager
Location: Naperville, IL
Type: Direct Hire
Compensation: $110k-130k, based on experience
Overview
We’re partnering with a well-established, globally backed manufacturer of large-scale industrial equipment to hire an Lead Mechanical Engineer. This is a high-impact role created due to evolving business needs—not a backfill—offering strong visibility, stability, and a clear path to future leadership.
This opportunity is ideal for a hands-on engineering who still enjoys design work but is ready to guide projects, mentor engineers, and grow into a broader leadership role over time.
Key Responsibilities
Lead engineering efforts for large, custom industrial machinery (steel-based equipment)
Provide technical direction and mentorship to engineering team members
Drive design, development, and continuous improvement initiatives
Collaborate cross-functionally with manufacturing, operations, and leadership
Support project execution including timelines, design reviews, and problem-solving
Maintain a balance of hands-on design work and team leadership
What We’re Looking For
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field
Experience designing heavy equipment, capital machinery, or large mechanical systems
Prior leadership or project leadership experience (formal or informal)
Strong background in mechanical design, fabrication, and steel structures
Comfortable working in an office-based engineering environment (not a plant-floor role)
Someone who enjoys design work but is motivated to grow into leadership
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.
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Sterling Engineering, Inc.
Sterling Engineering has been a trusted partner for engineering, project management, and staffing solutions for over five decades. We provide exceptional engineering/technical recruitment and engineering project services to clients nationwide:
- Engineering & Technical Recruitment - With our focus on engineering, technical, and IT, Sterling has the in-depth knowledge, industry expertise, and robust employee pipeline it takes to rapidly find talent for even the most difficult to fill positions. Sterling’s extensive recruitment methodology allows us to engage the most talented employees in the marketplace. We offer exciting work and career-building opportunities for our candidates, along with expert support at every step of the process.
- Engineering Project Services – Our experienced, multi-disciplined team of project managers, engineers, and designers, led by licensed Professional Engineers (PE), provide project management, engineering, design, and Commissioning, Qualification, and Validation (CQV) to manufacturing, OEM, and R&D customers. We work on complex, highly technical projects across a number of industry sectors, and our ability to scale and seamlessly integrate at multiple levels of your organization is what differentiates us.
Sterling offers a unique combination of engineering solutions and Best of Staffing level service to help our clients and talent achieve their goals.
500 to 999 employees
Staffing/Employment Agencies
http://www.sterling-engineering.com