
Director, Manufacturing Engineering
Stryker · Cary, IL
- Level
- Director+
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $156k–$260k
- Travel
- 10%
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 15+ years
- Industry
- Medical devices
- Posted
- 11 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A director-level manufacturing role at Stryker (medical devices) in Cary, IL. Manage $55M+ capital portfolio planning and execution, including business case development, project justification, budget adherence, resource allocation, risk management, vendor engagement and cross-functional stakeholder alignment.
- They ask for
- 15+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Lean, Root cause, FMEA, Control plans, FDA / GMP, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ)
- Base pay
- $156k–$260k
- Day to day
- about 10% travel
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 $156k–$260k.
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 78% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (15+ vs 5+)
Typical $89k–$145k, from 16 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 FDA / GMP, 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 Stryker
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?
- The posting says about 10% travel. Between which sites?
- 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 StrykerAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
- ◆Lead the Manufacturing Engineering and Maintenance organization (over 100 engineers, technicians and leaders) responsible for sustaining, improving and advancing high-volume, highly automated medical device assembly, packaging, pharmaceutical mixing and converting processes.
- ◆Translate site and business objectives into engineering and maintenance strategies, long-term roadmaps, team priorities, measurable goals and individual performance objectives that improve safety, quality, service, cost, productivity and compliance.
- ◆Lead prioritization, planning and execution of complex engineering projects, automation programs, equipment upgrades, capacity expansions, cost reduction initiatives and business growth projects, balancing long-term capability development with urgent operational support needs.
- ◆Manage $55M+ capital portfolio planning and execution, including business case development, project justification, budget adherence, resource allocation, risk management, vendor engagement and cross-functional stakeholder alignment.
- ◆Provide technical leadership and decision-making support for manufacturing equipment, automation, controls, process performance, manufacturability, equipment reliability, asset lifecycle management and continuous improvement initiatives.
- ◆Develop and improve maintenance strategy, asset reliability practices, preventive and predictive maintenance approaches, spare parts strategies and equipment lifecycle plans that reduce manufacturing loss, improve uptime and strengthen production continuity.
- ◆Partner with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, EHS, Supply Chain, Finance and other functions to identify and resolve manufacturing issues, mitigate technical and operational risk, improve operating performance and ensure engineering work complies with safety, GMP, quality, regulatory and company standards.
- ◆Lead and coach teams through structured problem solving, root cause analysis and continuous improvement efforts that address systemic safety, quality, compliance, equipment reliability, productivity and business continuity issues.
- ◆Provide oversight for process FMEAs, control plans, change requests, SOPs, work instructions, manufacturing documentation, nonconformances, corrective and preventive actions, audit observations and other quality system deliverables where engineering ownership or support is required.
- ◆Provide direction and coaching for equipment, process and cleaning validation strategies, protocols, execution, documentation and issue resolution in a regulated manufacturing environment.
- ◆Establish and sustain engineering, automation, maintenance and documentation standards, best practices and governance processes that improve execution consistency and enable knowledge sharing across teams and sites.
- ◆Manage relationships and performance expectations with equipment suppliers, automation integrators, contractors and technical service providers supporting capital projects, operational support and specialized engineering work.
- ◆Partner with Advanced Operations to support new product introductions, process transfers, and launch readiness. Own capacity expansion and manufacturing scale-up activities by ensuring engineering, maintenance, validation, documentation and production support
requirements
are effectively planned and executed.
- ✓Plan organizational capacity, define capability needs, allocate internal and external engineering resources, and build, coach and develop a high-performing technical organization that supports current site needs, succession planning and future business growth.
- ✓Communicate complex technical plans, project status, risks, tradeoffs and recommendations to site leadership, cross-functional partners and senior stakeholders while modeling accountability, collaboration, urgency, sound judgment, inclusive leadership and a relentless focus on quality, compliance and business results.
Required Qualifications
- ✓This role is based at the Cary, IL site and requires a full-time on-site presence Monday through Friday.
- ✓Bachelor's degree in Engineering or required; Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or Manufacturing Engineering preferred.
- ✓15+ years of engineering and manufacturing experience, including significant expertise in manufacturing engineering, automation, and process improvement.
- ✓10+ years of leadership experience within medical device, pharmaceutical, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.
- ✓Proven success leading manufacturing engineering organizations supporting high-volume, automated operations, including development of engineering talent across multiple levels.
- ✓Extensive experience leading large-scale automation initiatives and capital investment portfolios, including business case development, resource prioritization, budget management, and project execution.
- ✓Strong technical expertise in manufacturing technologies, automation, controls, and mechanical systems, with the ability to translate technical concepts into operational results.
- ✓Demonstrated success deploying Lean, continuous improvement, and structured
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Summary
The Director, Manufacturing Engineering and Maintenance provides strategic and operational leadership for a large technical organization responsible for advancing manufacturing capability, asset reliability and operational performance across high-volume, highly automated regulated manufacturing operations. This role sets the engineering and maintenance strategy, directs capital portfolio execution, drives automation and reliability roadmaps, and partners cross-functionally to deliver sustained improvements in safety, quality, service, cost, compliance and productivity. As a senior site leader, the Director builds organizational capability, develops technical talent and enables long-term business growth through disciplined execution, sound technical judgment and enterprise-level collaboration.
