Jobs › Milwaukee Tool

Project Leader

Milwaukee Tool · Brookfield, WI · Full time

Posted Jun 22, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at Milwaukee Tool

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Walk me through an engineering project you led from concept to launch. What did the schedule look like and where did it slip?

What they are checking: Whether they have actually run a full product development cycle and can speak honestly about where it went wrong.

Tell me about a time you had to tell leadership a project would miss its launch date. How did you deliver that news?

What they are checking: Whether they raise bad news early with a recovery plan instead of hiding it until the last gate.

How do you run a project meeting so it ends with decisions and owners, not just updates?

What they are checking: Whether their meetings move work forward, since meeting facilitation and documentation are a core part of this job.

Tell me about a project that went over budget. What drove it, and what would you do differently?

What they are checking: Whether they track cost as closely as schedule and learn from overruns rather than blaming outside factors.

What would you do

You're running several projects at once and two of them need the same test lab time in the same week. What do you do?

What they are checking: How they prioritize across a portfolio and escalate with options instead of just reporting a conflict.

You review the work of designers and engineers, some more senior than you in their specialty. How do you give technical direction without overstepping?

What they are checking: Whether they can lead experts with credibility and good questions rather than pretending to know everything.

Part of your team is overseas and works a very different time zone. How do you keep them as engaged and informed as the people in Brookfield?

What they are checking: Whether they can lead global team members fairly, without letting distance turn into missed handoffs.

Midway through development, marketing asks for a feature that would add four weeks. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can lay out the real trade-off clearly so the business makes the call with full information.

About the work

How do you identify the critical path on a new product project, and how do you know when it has shifted?

What they are checking: Whether they manage a living schedule rather than a plan that was made once and then ignored.

How do you judge whether a design is truly mature enough to move to the next NPD phase, even when the team wants to move on?

What they are checking: Whether they can make an objective gate call and hold it, which the posting singles out as a key skill.

What project risks do you track on a power tool program, and how do you decide which ones need a mitigation plan now?

What they are checking: Whether they think ahead about risks like supplier tooling, certification and testing rather than reacting to surprises.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Milwaukee Tool from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Milwaukee Tool.

Job Description: Project Leader – Battery & Charger Development, PSE/VE The Senior Project Leader is responsible for managing multiple low to moderately complex engineering projects with minimal direction. This role provides project management and necessary technical direction to ensure successful and timely implementation of projects supporting Value Engineering and Product Support across the Battery Category. You’ll also be DISRUPTIVE through these duties and responsibilities: • Provides leadership over low to moderately complex design projects, offering direction, guidance, and engineering expertise to team members and reviewing their work. • Schedules, facilitates, and documents project meetings; tracks project schedules to ensure adherence to timelines. • Responsible for completion of assigned engineering projects within budgetary and scheduling guidelines. • Communicates effectively across teams to ensure all groups are working toward the goal of timely project completion. This includes daily team communication as well as high-level project summaries. • Drives design to meet market-driven requirements, including cost, timing, reliability, and high-volume manufacturing requirements. • Identifies project risks and implements risk reduction plans. • Analyzes, evaluates, and selects design execution alternatives to best meet specification objectives and implement them into mass production. • Oversees integration of complex components, material selection, packaging, safety, and regulatory compliance. • Conducts design and safety reviews to gain necessary approvals for product development phase progressions. • Complies with all Milwaukee Tool procedures across engineering and non-engineering departments related to project flow. • Consistently visualizes the entire scope of projects with minimal guidance. • Frames technical tradeoff discussions with Marketing and other cross-functional teams, and ensures milestone alignment. • Works with Operations, Quality, and Suppliers to confirm delivery of conforming products. • Motivates cross-functional team to achieve project objectives while maintaining focus on cost, performance, and schedule. • Oversees day-to-day activities of project team members. • Interacts extensively with manufacturing plants and suppliers to achieve project goals. • Reviews current procedures and implements improvements to enhance project outcomes. What TOOLS you’ll bring with you: • Bachelor of Science Degree or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related engineering field. Graduate studies in Project Management preferred; formal training in project management is also desirable. • Minimum 7 years of relevant engineering experience. • High level of Mechanical/Electrical engineering aptitude, with broad knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes used for power tools. • Proven experience managing critical path schedules and the ability to manage technical and schedule risks, including implementing preventative actions. • Experience leading cross-functional teams through problem-solving. • Skilled in preparing and presenting high-level engineering and project summaries. • Working design knowledge of technologies associated with Milwaukee products. • Ability to draft comprehensive test plans and specifications. • Experience with 3D CAD and tolerance analysis. • Familiarity with Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Design for Manufacturing (DFM), and Design for Assembly (DFA) • Proficient in Microsoft Office software, including Microsoft Project. • Ability to travel internationally (10-15%) required We provide these great perks and benefits: • Robust health, dental, and vision insurance plans. • Generous 401 (K) savings plan. • Education assistance. • On-site wellness, fitness center, food, and coffee service. Milwaukee Tool is an equal opportunity employer.

Apply at Milwaukee Tool