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Job Title: Project Development Engineering ManagerJob Description

The Project Development Engineering Manager will lead the design and delivery of innovative new products, technologies, and customer-facing solutions that drive company growth and deliver superior value to our customers. This strategic role is critical to differentiating from competitors and building a sustainable pipeline of innovative solutions in the foodservice space. The ideal candidate is highly creative, technically skilled, customer-focused, and process-driven—able to take concepts from ideation through to production launch with excellence and efficiency. There are potential growth opportunities to join the executive leadership team.

Responsibilities

+ Lead New Product Development (NPD) by driving the full lifecycle of product development from ideation and concept generation through prototyping, validation, production handoff, and market launch.

+ Own timelines, resources, budgets, and stakeholder coordination across multiple NPD projects to deliver results that meet both customer and company expectations.

+ Partner directly with customers to understand their needs, collect feedback, and deliver solutions tailored to real-world use cases.

+ Monitor market trends, competitive technologies, and foodservice innovation to position the company as a leader in next-generation solutions.

+ Use agile methods and quick iteration to validate ideas and reduce time-to-market.

+ Establish and improve scalable development processes, design standards, and best practices for repeatable success.

+ Collaborate with internal teams and external vendors to ensure product success.

+ Evaluate development investments through ROI modeling and cost analysis, ensuring designs are aligned with business goals.

+ Lead and support the technical integration of newly acquired technologies or product lines into systems and standards.

Essential Skills

+ Mechanical, electrical, or software product design experience.

+ End-to-end project ownership from concept to launch.

+ Process orientation with a focus on continuous improvement.

+ Strong interpersonal and customer engagement skills.

+ Experience in rapid prototyping and iterative design.

+ Analytical mindset with cost modeling and ROI focus.

+ Solid understanding of the foodservice equipment space is preferred.

+ 5+ years of NPD/R&D experience.

+ 5+ years of full product development lifecycle experience.

+ Bachelor's Degree.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

+ Creativity and vision to think outside the box and encourage new ways of solving problems.

+ Agility to thrive in fast-paced environments and adapt quickly to shifting priorities.

+ Results-driven with a consistent track record of meeting project goals and customer expectations on time.

+ Risk management skills to navigate innovation with structure and foresight.

+ Effective presentation and communication skills to convey ideas and solutions to internal stakeholders and external partners.

+ Industry knowledge with direct experience or familiarity with foodservice industry practices and customer needs is strongly preferred.

+ Direct report experience.

+ Experience with ERP systems.

Work Environment

The role operates within an office environment that includes a lab. The company is a third-generation family-owned business, offering room for growth and advancement. There is a relocation package available for out-of-state candidates, and potential considerations for in-state candidates.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Hicksville, Ohio.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $100000.00 - $130000.00/yr.

Benefits: 401(k) with company match, Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off,Employee Assistance Program, Employee Discounts, and more.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Chicago,IL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 20, 2025.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing due to a disability, please email [email protected] (%[email protected]) for other accommodation options.