Lead Project Engineer

Position:  Lead Project Engineer

Supervisor: Director of Global Accounts

Location:  Libertyville, IL - Hybrid

Description:  We are seeking a customer-obsessed, highly motivated Lead Project Engineer to lead customer-facing mechanical design and water treatment projects from concept development through execution and post-installation support. This role collaborates with Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing, Field Service and customers to develop engineered solutions, create technical documentation, ensure design-for-manufacturing principles, and deliver successful project outcomes. The position manages project scope, schedules, costs, and cross-functional coordination while supporting continuous improvement, operational efficiency, and guarantees customer satisfaction for industrial and data center applications.

Responsibilities:

• Lead various phases of customer-facing water treatment projects from initial concept development and proposal support through detailed design, fabrication, startup, and post-installation support for strategic and global accounts.
• Develop and maintain 3D models, 2D drawings, P&IDs, general arrangement drawings, BOM’s, equipment layouts, and fabrication assembly instructions using Autodesk/SolidWorks and related engineering tools.
• Partner with Sales, Customers, Manufacturing, Procurement, and Project Management teams to deliver technically sound, cost-effective solutions while balancing schedule, quality, and commercial objectives.
• Coordinate cross-functional project execution, manage priorities, monitor scope, identify risks and dependencies, facilitate technical reviews, and communicate project status to internal and external stakeholders using MS Projects or similar tools.
• Support financial performance by monitoring project costs, change orders, margins, revenue recognition, and engineering hours while maintaining accurate documentation and project records.
• Drive continuous improvement through standardization, process optimization, training, documentation development, and implementation of new technologies, automation tools, and AI-enabled engineering workflows.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support departmental and organizational goals.

Requirements:

• Education & Background: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Industrial Engineering or related technical field. PMP, PE certification, and experience with PLC architectures is a plus.
• Experience & Technical Skills: 5-10 years of industry-specific experience in capital equipment design, project management, industrial engineering in hydronics or water treatment applications. A strong foundation in process modeling, hydraulics, and engineering fundamentals and high level of CAD proficiency. Knowledge of Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Python, or AI tools is a plus.
• Professional Capabilities: Strong EQ, highly organized, polished presentation, business acumen, analytical and problem-solving skills, effective communicator, collaborative team player, high energy and proactive mindset, strong work ethic, and integrity.
• Other Requirements: This role typically requires four (4) days per week on-site, in addition to occasional customer visits. Ability to travel up to 25% required.

Competencies: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies in this position: Integrity, Resourcefulness, Customer Focus, Team Player, Adaptability, Excellence

As the world’s leading water experts, we are dedicated to delivering high-quality water solutions to residential, commercial and industrial customers. Headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, Culligan International offers technologically advanced, state of the art water filtration products, including: water softeners, water filtration systems, industrial water treatment solutions, drinking water systems and whole-house filtration systems.

We offer competitive compensation including base & benefits including: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, 401(k), Paid time off, Additional voluntary benefits