Project Engineer

Job Description

Title : CAPEX Project Engineer

Location : Hanover Park, IL

Hire Type : Direct Hire

Compensation : $85k - $115k

Must have Skill Set : 2-5 years of project management expertise leading capital expenditure (CapEx) projects

Job Duties :

Lead front-end project development activities, including conceptual design, layout creation, cost estimation, equipment research, project timelines, and contingency planning.

Manage CapEx projects from initial scope definition through implementation, including budget creation, schedule development, user requirements validation, and refinement of estimates during preliminary engineering.

Create and maintain detailed project schedules and AutoCAD layouts to coordinate installation activities across Facilities, Maintenance, and Operations teams.

Research, evaluate, and select vendors through competitive bidding processes; support procurement through purchase requisitions, contract management, and ongoing vendor communication.

Partner with technical and commercial teams to generate accurate capital estimates for new business opportunities.

Monitor vendor and contractor performance to ensure compliance with schedules, safety standards, and contractual obligations.

Participate in Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), equipment validations, and vendor site audits.

Oversee equipment installation, commissioning, and startup, ensuring smooth handoff to Maintenance and Production once systems are stabilized.

Provide clear, timely project updates to leadership and key stakeholders.

Collaborate with Process and Reliability Engineering to identify improvement opportunities that increase throughput, reduce scrap and downtime, optimize labor, and enhance product quality.

Support CapEx sponsors through the approval process, including business case development, ROI analysis, and post-project evaluations.

Maintain facility-wide AutoCAD layouts, equipment capacity data, and demand-monitoring documentation.

Qualifications :

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Technology, or related field from an accredited institution.

2–5 years of experience managing capital projects within a manufacturing or industrial environment.

Proficiency with AutoCAD or similar 2D CAD design software.