A U.S.-based manufacturer of engineered fastening products backed by a global industrial organization, is seeking a Product Development Engineer - Fasteners to join their onsite team in Little Rock, Arkansas. This hands-on role offers significant ownership over new product development, tooling, manufacturing improvements, and product qualification in a lean environment with limited bureaucracy and direct access to decision-makers.
What You'll Do as the Product Development Engineer - Fasteners:
- Lead new product development projects from initial concept through production launch
- Design and modify fastening products using SolidWorks, CAD, CATIA, or similar 3D modeling software
- Create and revise engineering drawings, product specifications, and manufacturing documentation
- Develop tooling, fixtures, replacement components, and equipment improvements
- Support maintenance teams by designing machine parts and tooling needed to keep production running
- Manage private-label product launches, including tooling, packaging, labeling, testing, and production implementation
- Evaluate product designs for manufacturability, cost, quality, and production feasibility
- Develop testing procedures and oversee product validation and qualification
- Ensure products meet applicable ICC, FM, customer, and internal quality requirements
- Coordinate with domestic and international suppliers
- Work directly with customers on product specifications, technical requirements, and launch needs
- Partner with Manufacturing, Maintenance, Quality, Operations, and leadership teams
- Support continuous improvement projects across the facility
- Analyze manufacturing costs and recommend process or design improvements
- Manage multiple engineering projects while meeting deadlines, budgets, and quality expectations
- Troubleshoot product, tooling, and manufacturing issues
- Help shape future engineering processes, priorities, and department capabilities
Must-Haves as the Product Development Engineer - Fasteners:
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, or a related technical field
- Experience in metal manufacturing, steel products, fasteners, or a comparable industrial manufacturing environment
- Strong mechanical aptitude
- Experience managing engineering projects from concept through production
- Ability to read, create, and revise engineering drawings
- Experience with 3D CAD or product design software
- Strong problem-solving and project management skills
- Ability to work independently with limited supervision
- Ability to manage multiple technical priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
- Willingness to work onsite in Lonoke
- Ability to relocate to the area, with relocation assistance available
Nice-to-Haves as the Product Development Engineer - Fasteners:
- Fastener manufacturing experience
- Concrete anchor product experience
- Cold heading experience
- Metal forming experience
- Stamping experience
- CNC machining experience
- Tooling or fixture design experience
- SolidWorks experience
- CATIA experience
- Product validation and testing experience
- Quality systems experience
- ICC compliance knowledge
- FM compliance knowledge
- Vendor management experience
- Manufacturing process improvement experience
- New Product Introduction experience
- Lean Manufacturing or Continuous Improvement experience
- Experience supporting private-label products
- Experience working with international suppliers or customers
The Company Offers:
- Base salary of $110,000-$150,000 or more, depending on experience
- Consideration above the stated range for exceptional candidates
- Relocation assistance
- Spot bonus opportunities
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- 401(k) plan
- Paid time off
- Flexible work environment
- Limited work-from-home flexibility when appropriate
- High level of engineering autonomy
- Significant decision-making responsibility
- Minimal corporate bureaucracy
- Direct impact on product strategy and manufacturing operations
- Small, collaborative engineering team
- Backing from a global industrial organization
- Strong company culture and employee tenure
- Long-term career growth opportunity
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Civil, Metallurgical Engineering or related technical field
- Experience in metal manufacturing, steel products, fasteners, or comparable industrial manufacturing
- Strong mechanical aptitude
- Experience managing engineering projects from concept through production
- Ability to read, create, and revise engineering drawings
- Experience with 3D CAD or product design software
- Strong problem-solving and project management skills
- Ability to work independently with limited supervision
- Ability to manage multiple technical priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
- Willingness to work onsite in Lonoke (Little Rock area)
- Ability to relocate to the area (relocation assistance available)
What We Do
Who are we? As an independent, full-service marketing and consulting business based in Portland, Maine, we provide strategy, content and design for businesses, nonprofits and individuals in Maine and throughout the world. What do we do? Everything we do revolves around ROI—improving your bottom line. Through a rock-solid communication and branding strategy, we show you how to support and engage your employees, build your workforce, find new clients and support existing business. Here’s a snapshot of our services: Strategy: Branding and rebranding; mission statement; search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine results page (SERP); hiring and retention; fundraising; communicating with board members; personal branding (for executives); events and PR; advertising campaigns; product launches; social media campaigns and management. Design: Websites; logos; promotional material (digital and print); event guides; employee photos; drone video footage; custom magazines; advertisements. Content: Website text; speeches and keynotes; promotional text; employee bios; custom articles; social media posts; newsletters and internal emails; corporate reports. Custom Publishing: Vanguard, Equity, Toggle, Blueprint, Vision, Terra Firma What’s our mission? We want to help you solve real challenges—like growing your business, hiring and retaining employees, fundraising and keeping existing business. Our mission is to do this with honesty and integrity. Authenticity—it’s a good look on you. Why do we do this? We want to reimagine marketing. We want it to be less about the perfect image, and more about using good communication and branding as a way to engage with your employees and clients in successful and lasting relationships. Ultimately, we believe this approach will create a world where people come before profit, where the environment is respected and given back to, and where good business is synonymous with the best intentions.
