Sustaining Engineering Manager
Pentair · Hanover Park, IL
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $96k–$177k
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 12+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 15 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management manufacturing role at Pentair (industrial) in Hanover Park, IL.
- They ask for
- 12+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Root cause, FMEA, Injection molding, Casting, Extrusion, SolidWorks
- Base pay
- $96k–$177k
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in Illinois: typical posted base $96k–$155k. This one lists $96k–$177k.
Median of the low and high ends of 18 live postings that list pay, out of 34 manufacturing 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 33 other live manufacturing postings in Illinois.
- Base pay
- About 22% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (12+ vs 5+)
Typical $89k–$134k, from 15 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Root cause 59%
- Automation 53%
- Lean 50%
- ✓ New product launch 32%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 32%
- ✓ Cost reduction 26%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Injection molding, Casting, Extrusion, SolidWorks, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with 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 Manufacturing team at Pentair
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?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- 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 PentairAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
- ✓8 to 12+ years of experience in mechanical engineering, design, and analysis, preferably within a Food service/Water industry.
- ✓Strong fundamentals in mechanical design, materials, and manufacturing processes, Experience with CAD tools (SolidWorks, Creo, NX, etc.)
- ✓Experience designing components for mass production including, but not limited to, injection molding, casting, extrusion, sheet metal, or fabrication.
- ✓Experience working with manufacturing to deploy launches, NPD understanding is an added advantage.
- ✓Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions for field issues, failures, and quality concerns. Manage Engineering changes through ECR/ECN Process.
- ✓Identify and implement cost reduction (VA/VE) initiatives without compromising value or performance.
- ✓Understanding of Fluid Dynamics and integration of electromechanical and pneumatic components.
- ✓Knowledge of sealing design, actuation mechanisms, and tube fittings.
- ✓Ability to identify root causes of issues (RCA) and bring design and/or process solutions to the table.
- ✓MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook).
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Job Description
Sustaining Mechanical Engineering Manager - Hanover Park, IL
At Pentair, you will work alongside passionate problem-solvers who are committed to the future of our planet. We put our mission into practice, helping the world sustainably move, improve and enjoy water, life's most essential resource. From our residential water filtration to industrial water management to pool products and more, our 9,000 global employees serve customers in more than 150 countries, working to help create a better world for people and the planet through smart, sustainable water solutions.
Based out of Hanover Park, IL, we have an opportunity for a Sustaining Mechanical Engineering Manager to lead our Commercial Water Filtration Sustaining Engineering team, providing both technical and people leadership to drive portfolio optimization, design for manufacturability, and value-driven product improvements. The Manager will set priorities, coach and develop talent, and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement aligned to Pentair leadership competencies, while partnering cross-functionally to deliver high-quality, cost-effective, and scalable solutions to the business.
You will
- •Lead and mentor a team of mechanical engineers and designers at varying levels of experience and follow & sustain existing portfolio using best practice through Pentair processes.
- •Coordinate, assign, and monitor work to ensure scope, schedule, and quality goals are achieved.
- •Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking, Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders.
- •Define project scope and engineering approach; allocate staff and resources to meet project objectives.
- •Experience in Derivative, CI & VA/VE projects, should be well versed with Engineering change notice process. Lead Engineering change notices ECR/ECN and drives the process.
- •Drive DFMEA sessions and derive DVPR, Carry out and lead design reviews regularly. Develop and carry out test plans, matrices, and reports.
- •Evaluate performance and recommend development or training opportunities to enhance technical capability and career growth.
- •Work with specialized vendors to perform manufacturing analysis and determine design optimizations.
- •Excellent communication (technical and executive level).
Key
Benefits
As a Pentair employee, you would enjoy a wide array of benefit options to help keep you and your family healthy and protected, health benefits, a generous 401(k), employee stock purchase program, disability benefits, life insurance, critical illness insurance, accident insurance, parental leave, caregiver leave, tuition reimbursement, plus paid time off and wellness programs to encourage a healthy work/life balance.