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Reliability Engineer II - Drilling

Milwaukee Tool · Milwaukee, WI · Full time

Posted Sep 4, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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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

Tell me about a time your test data said a product was not ready, but the schedule said it had to launch.

What they are checking: Whether they can hold a data-backed position under schedule pressure and still help find a path forward.

Tell me about a time you talked directly with end users to understand how a tool was failing.

What they are checking: Whether they go to the source to learn real use cases rather than relying only on lab assumptions.

Tell me about a reliability problem you solved that saved warranty cost or returns. How did you prove it worked?

What they are checking: Whether they close the loop and verify a fix with data after it ships.

What would you do

The posting puts this role on the Product Support and Value Engineering team. How would you evaluate a cost reduction change to a drill without hurting reliability?

What they are checking: Balancing cost savings against durability risk with a clear test plan instead of opinion.

A competitor's drill seems to survive a drop test that ours fails. How would you dig into why?

What they are checking: Using teardown and benchmarking to learn design differences, then turning that into an action.

How would you run a DFMEA review with design engineers who are confident their design is fine?

What they are checking: Getting honest risk discussion from a team that may be defensive about its own work.

About the work

A drill is coming back from the field with failed gearboxes. Walk me through how you would find the root cause.

What they are checking: A structured failure analysis process from returned units to a confirmed cause, not a guess.

How would you design an accelerated life test for a hammer drill so the results actually predict what happens on a jobsite?

What they are checking: Whether they can tie lab stress levels to real user abuse instead of running tests that only look rigorous.

Explain how you would use Weibull analysis on a set of test failures, and what the shape parameter tells you.

What they are checking: Real working knowledge of reliability statistics and what they mean for product decisions.

How do you write a test plan that a lab technician can run without asking you questions?

What they are checking: Clear communication of test intent, setup and pass criteria to the people who execute it.

What is the difference between a failure you fix with a design change and one you fix with a process or supplier change?

What they are checking: Whether they can place a root cause correctly so the fix lands with the right owner.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Milwaukee Tool.

Job Description: Come be DISRUPTIVE with us! At Milwaukee Tool, our most valued resource is our dedicated team of employees - employees who work with a passion to be the best and an unparalleled pride in their work and in the Milwaukee brand. We know that the only way to sustain growth and success is to value the growth and success of each person within the organization that's why we invest in an individual's growth and development from day one. All our teams touch every step of the process, that is why our Engineering teams are some of the key contributors to our continuous innovations. The fast-paced, agile environment continuously delivers disruptive technologies by providing every team with the resources needed to excel and working directly with End Users to understand how to deliver heavy duty products with high performance. We create Best in Class products by leveraging advanced analysis tools, extensive testing regimes, state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and cross-functional agility. As a Reliability Engineer II for Milwaukee Tool, you will be located at our Downtown Office Location in Milwaukee, WI reporting to the Reliability / Quality Manager. The Reliability Engineer II is a critical member of the Product Support and Value Engineering Team contributing intermediate to advanced engineering skills. Throughout a product's development cycle, this position requires strong cross-functional communication skills and analytical expertise to help maintain exciting solutions that meet user needs. You will work in a fast-paced environment to refine new products as a member of a cross-functional post-launch team. Duties and Responsibilities Product Development: • Lead teams for new product designs and engineering changes with respect to product reliability, user requirements and warranty information • Isolate and identify “critical to quality” (CtQ) user need requirements on mechanical and electrical design features; and all product component interactions • Track multiple projects simultaneously to ensure adherence to schedule and the Milwaukee Tool process. • Participate and collaborate on project teams involving Marketing and Engineering leading in all aspects of reliability and testing Testing / Analysis: • Develop test plans and procedures based on new or established products, to ensure product meets customer requirements • Collaborate with test laboratories to implement test plans/procedures ensuring full test completion and best practices are utilized • Analyze, draw conclusions, report and present product information utilizing statistical techniques such as Weibull analysis, reliability distributions and matrices • Draw concise, logical, written conclusions from experiments based on data analysis • Ensure timely failure reporting root cause analysis and effective corrective/preventative actions (FRACA) Job Requirements • Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering or educational equivalent field • 2-5+ years of experience in related reliability and quality field • Experience with new product commercialization processes emphasizing design, manufacturing, quality, test or reliability activities • Experience including training in quality engineering fundamentals and proven experience leading a primary function within a project team • Previous relevant experience with Design of Experiments, life data analysis, and other related statistical tools and software (i.e. Minitab, Reliasoft) • Written and verbal communication skills and creative problem-solving capabilities • Ability to travel 10% of the time is required (travel includes Domestic and International) • Preferred: ASQ Reliability Engineering Certification (ASQ-CRE) or the ability and desire to achieve certification • Preferred: Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) or Six Sigma experience Milwaukee Tool is an equal opportunity employer.

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