Manufacturing Engineer-Mechanical
Advastar · Sycamore, IL
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Reliability
- Base pay
- $110k–$135k
- Degree
- Preferred
- Experience asked
- 10+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 14 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level reliability role at Advastar (industrial) in Sycamore, IL.
- They ask for
- 10+ years · degree preferred
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, FMEA, DOE, PLC, Robotics
- Base pay
- $110k–$135k
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Reliability Engineer roles in Illinois: typical posted base $100k–$125k. This one lists $110k–$135k.
Median of the low and high ends of 6 live postings that list pay, out of 10 reliability engineer openings in Illinois, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Illinois plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 9 other live reliability postings in Illinois.
- Base pay
- About 13% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (10+ vs 5+)
Typical $98k–$120k, from 5 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Root cause 60%
- ✓ PLC 50%
- ✓ Automation 40%
- Team leadership 30%
- EHS / safety 30%
- ✓ Lean 30%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Reliability team at Advastar
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
Full description from AdvastarAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
This is a well-established, globally operating industrial manufacturer that produces large-scale engineered equipment for infrastructure and industrial storage applications. The Illinois facility is a high-volume production site running stamping and punch presses, laser cutting, and automated conveyance systems. The company needs a Manufacturing Engineer – Mechanical to own process design and equipment optimization across fabrication, coating, and assembly operations. This is a hands-on engineering seat with direct visibility to plant leadership and real capital-project ownership — not a desk-only design job.Anticipated $110,000–$135,000, based on experienceFull suite of benefits: Health/Dental/Vision, PTOOverviewOwn process design and equipment selection for stamping, laser cutting, and automated production linesCut production cost without giving up quality on new and existing product linesLead capital equipment projects from justification through implementationTroubleshoot and improve mechanical and electrical performance of production equipmentTurn plant-floor problems into standardized work procedures that actually get usedTrain production teams on new equipment and processesUse production data to find and close performance gapsPreferred Skills/ExperiencesBachelor's degree in Mechanical or Manufacturing Engineering10+ years designing manufacturing equipment, tooling, and fixturesExtensive 3D CAD design experienceHands-on experience with CNC, punch presses, fiber lasers, robotics, and PLCsEquipment programming experience (lasers, robots, sensors, PLCs)Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, and Six SigmaExperience with facility layout, process design, PFMEA, and DOETrack record leading cross-functional teams to project completionComfortable communicating from shop floor to executive levelUp to 10% travelKEYWORDS:Manufacturing Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Manufacturing Engineering, Process Engineering, 3D CAD, AutoCAD, CNC, Punch Press, Fiber Laser, Laser Cutting, Robotics, PLC Programming, Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Six Sigma, PFMEA, DOE, Facility Layout, Capital Projects, Tooling Design, Fixture Design, Equipment Design, Production Engineering, Automation, Cross-Functional LeadershipEEO
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