Serve as the technical liaison between engineering teams and business leadership: translate business requirements into technical specs and WBS, coordinate cross-functional engineering efforts, manage risks, capacity, budgets, PLM lifecycle, QA/compliance, vendor relationships, and deliver clear technical communication to stakeholders.
An Engineering Project Manager (EPM) acts as the bridge between technical engineering teams and business leadership. Unlike a general PM, an EPM must possess enough technical depth to understand complex system constraints while managing the traditional "triple constraint" of scope, time, and cost.
Core Roles & Responsibilities
- Technical Planning & Scoping: Translating high-level business requirements into detailed technical specifications and Work Breakdown Structures (WBS).
- Cross-Functional Coordination: Synchronizing efforts between hardware, software, mechanical, and electrical engineering teams to ensure system integration.
- Risk Management & Mitigation: Identifying technical "blockers" early—such as supply chain delays for components or software dependencies—and developing contingency plans.
- Resource & Capacity Planning: Managing engineering bandwidth and specialized equipment (labs, prototypes) using tools like Jira or Microsoft Project.
- Product Lifecycle Management (PLM): Overseeing the journey from R&D and prototyping to manufacturing and final release, often utilizing PLM software like Autodesk Fusion 360 or Siemens Teamcenter.
- Quality Assurance & Compliance: Ensuring all engineering outputs meet industry standards (e.g., ISO 9001 or IEEE) and internal safety protocols.
- Budget & Vendor Management: Tracking R&D spend, managing specialized engineering consultants, and overseeing procurement of technical components.
- Technical Communication: Distilling complex engineering updates into clear, actionable status reports for non-technical stakeholders and executives.
Essential Technical Stack
- Project Management: Jira, Linear, or Azure DevOps.
- Documentation: Confluence or Notion for technical wikis and API documentation.
- Version Control Awareness: A baseline understanding of GitHub or GitLab to track development velocity.
Top Skills
Jira,Linear,Azure Devops,Microsoft Project,Confluence,Notion,Github,Gitlab,Autodesk Fusion 360,Siemens Teamcenter
Similar Jobs
Professional Services
Lead capital and improvement projects for manufacturing clients in Food & Beverage or Paper Converting industries, ensuring successful execution from development to installation.
Top Skills:
EngineeringProject Management
Artificial Intelligence • Software
The Engineering Project Manager will coordinate projects, refine processes, and ensure successful communication across technical and non-technical teams in a fast-paced environment.
Top Skills:
ConfluenceJIRASlackTicketing/Project Management Tools
Food
The Project Engineering Manager plans, directs, and coordinates project activities to ensure goals are met within budget and on schedule.
Top Skills:
Automation SystemsChemical EngineeringElectrical EngineeringIndustrial EngineeringMechanical EngineeringProcess Controls
What you need to know about the Chicago Tech Scene
With vibrant neighborhoods, great food and more affordable housing than either coast, Chicago might be the most liveable major tech hub. It is the birthplace of modern commodities and futures trading, a national hub for logistics and commerce, and home to the American Medical Association and the American Bar Association. This diverse blend of industry influences has helped Chicago emerge as a major player in verticals like fintech, biotechnology, legal tech, e-commerce and logistics technology. It’s also a major hiring center for tech companies on both coasts.
Key Facts About Chicago Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 245,800; 5.2% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: McDonald’s, John Deere, Boeing, Morningstar
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, software, logistics technology
- Funding Landscape: $2.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Arch Venture Partners, MATH Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
