Manufacturing Engineer 2

Cullerton Group has a new opportunity for a Manufacturing Engineer 2 in Mapleton, IL. The work will be done onsite full time, with a first-shift schedule of four 10-hour days, Monday–Thursday, 5:00 AM–3:00 PM. This is a 12-month position that can lead to permanent employment with our client. Compensation is up to $38/hr + full benefits (vision, dental, health insurance, 401k, and holiday pay).The anticipated start date is October 12, 2026, with 0–25% domestic travel possible.

Job Summary

We are seeking a hands-on Manufacturing Engineer to support the development of manufacturing processes for centrifugal casting. This position combines R&D, manufacturing process development, and execution of Design of Experiments (DOE) to establish and optimize casting methods and manufacturing parameters. The engineer will spend significant time on the shop floor preparing equipment, conducting experiments, documenting results, troubleshooting issues, and working with the team to implement process improvements. The work is intended to improve manufacturing safety, enable single-piece product flow with full traceability, and generate significant cost savings.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and improve manufacturing processes for centrifugal casting.
• Prepare and start up manufacturing equipment and support daily shop-floor activities.
• Plan, execute, and document Design of Experiments (DOE) and analyze experimental findings.
• Apply GD&T, manufacturing safety practices, and structured problem-solving to process-development activities.
• Document results, recommend daily process adjustments, communicate technical roadblocks, and provide project updates to leadership.
• Collaborate with other engineers and manufacturing personnel to improve process performance, safety, traceability, and efficiency.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with 2–4 years of industrial experience.
• An Associate’s degree with 4+ years of relevant experience may also be considered.
• Candidates with a Master’s degree must have at least 2 years of experience.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing safety, GD&T, and problem-solving.
• Familiarity with foundry processes.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Comfortable performing hands-on engineering work in a manufacturing/shop-floor environment.
• Self-starter capable of working independently and communicating effectively with the broader team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with centrifugal casting or other foundry/manufacturing processes.
• Familiarity with machining processes.
• Experience with Power BI and/or Microsoft Power Apps.
• Experience conducting DOE, process-development, or manufacturing R&D activities.

Work Environment

This is a highly hands-on position, with approximately 75% of the work performed on the shop floor. Required PPE includes metatarsal-guard steel-toed boots, sealed safety glasses with a strap, FR pants and jacket, and a bump cap. Candidates must also be able to lift up to 35 pounds.

Why This Role?

This position offers an opportunity to work on a unique manufacturing-development project that combines R&D with hands-on process execution. The engineer will help develop centrifugal casting methods designed to reduce silica exposure risks associated with traditional casting, enable single-piece product flow with full traceability, and potentially deliver more than $1 million in annual cost savings per machine.