Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Timeline
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Nilda Rios

CHICAGO

Summary

Experienced Project Manager Professional with a strong engineering foundation seeking a challenging role where I can lead cross-functional teams, drive results through effective planning, communication, and technical problem-solving

Overview

2026
2026
years of professional experience

Work History

Technical Project Manager

Sloan Valve Company
Franklin Park
10.2020 - Current
  • Lead end-to-end execution of product development initiatives, including chrome flushometers and commercial restroom systems.
  • Manage 5–10 simultaneous projects with cross-functional teams including engineering, manufacturing, quality, and external vendors.
  • Develop and monitor detailed project charters, schedules (MS Project), and status dashboards to ensure alignment with strategic goals.
  • Lead daily standups, engineering reviews, and pre/post Gate 5/6 meetings to track deliverables and resolve roadblocks.
  • Implement risk management plans, ensuring mitigation actions for scope, timing, and cost challenges.
  • Partner with regulatory, sales, and marketing teams to ensure alignment across product lifecycle.
  • Coordinate ERP (SAP) project inputs for engineering change notices, cost tracking, and production readiness.

Project Manager (Contract)

Kustom Seating N.A.
Bellwood
08.2019 - 10.2020
  • Oversaw the design and manufacturing of custom seating systems for transportation and entertainment venues.
  • Defined contract activities, schedule milestones, and deliverables across engineering, procurement, and fabrication.
  • Mitigated supply chain risks, led root cause sessions, and maintained cost controls under tight delivery windows.
  • Conducted customer-facing meetings and prepared formal project updates for executive reviews.

Project Manager

Grundfos
Aurora
04.2016 - 05.2019
  • Managed design and build of engineered water pump systems for municipal, industrial, and commercial clients.
  • Reviewed customer specifications and translated requirements into technical BOMs.
  • Led kick-off meetings and guided engineering through pump sizing, component selection, and testing.
  • Tracked KPIs on customer satisfaction, schedule adherence, and cost performance.
  • Partnered with sales engineers to prepare RFQs, client presentations, and project estimates.

Project Engineer

BakerCorp
Alsip
04.2014 - 04.2016
  • Managed pump builds, upgrades, and validation testing across fleet equipment for industrial and environmental clients.
  • Performed field support and remote technical consultation for setup, troubleshooting, and performance optimization.
  • Provided hydraulic system calculations and recommendations for site-specific applications.
  • Interfaced with purchasing on vendor selection, lead time tracking, and spec documentation.
  • Authored maintenance manuals, service guides, and troubleshooting documentation.

Project Engineer

Concentric AB
Rockford
05.2012 - 08.2014
  • Led $3M+ engineering projects for North American OEM clients in powertrain components.
  • Designed and validated fuel, oil, and water pumps using CAD, CFD, and thermal analysis.
  • Supported new business acquisition with quotation support, prototypes, and feasibility studies.
  • Conducted internal quality audits, supported APQP documentation, and resolved PPAP issues.
  • Coordinated with European teams and global suppliers on timeline alignment and process quality.

Project Engineer

Navistar, Inc.
Melrose Park
03.2005 - 05.2012
  • Directed thermal system integration for diesel powertrains in vocational trucks, buses, and military platforms.
  • Collaborated with engine, chassis, and controls teams to optimize cooling systems for efficiency and emissions compliance.
  • Wrote technical specifications, performed thermal system mass balances, and conducted field validation tests.
  • Created DVP&R plans and led cross-functional FMEA workshops to improve system reliability.
  • Investigated warranty claims, led 8D root cause reviews, and presented design changes to senior management.

Summer Intern

Navistar
06.2002 - 08.2003
  • Collected NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) test data and interpreted system response trends.

Summer Intern

Chevron Chemical Company
06.2000 - 08.2001
  • Designed polyethylene piping systems for high-performance fluid applications.
  • Selected materials and dimensions based on flow/pressure criteria and safety standards.
  • Received Chevron Merit Scholarship Award for exceptional performance and innovation.

Senior Design Engineer

Navistar
  • Led CFD and FEA studies using Kuli and Pro/E to validate system design integrity.
  • Worked directly with military and OEM customers to define custom cooling packages.

Cooling System Design Engineer

Navistar
  • Developed key cooling system components from scratch to production: water pumps, thermostats, and hoses.
  • Ran fluid dynamic simulations, bench tests, and vehicle integration reviews.
  • Reduced warranty claims through robust design enhancements; awarded Navistar “Bold Gold” Award for excellence.

Education

MBA - Project Management

Saint Xavier University (SXU)
Chicago, IL
05.2019

BS - Mechanical Engineering

Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT)
Chicago, IL
05.2004

Skills

  • Project planning and scheduling (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid)
  • Budget management and ROI analysis
  • Risk management and analysis
  • Test development and documentation
  • Flow simulation and system analysis
  • Software proficiency (Pro/Engineer, MATLAB, Mathcad, AutoCAD, C, SAP ERP)
  • Microsoft Office Suite expertise
  • Six Sigma Green Belt certification
  • Presentation and stakeholder engagement
  • Cross-functional team leadership

Affiliations

  • Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
  • Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
  • Business Students Association (BSA)

Timeline

Technical Project Manager

Sloan Valve Company
10.2020 - Current

Project Manager (Contract)

Kustom Seating N.A.
08.2019 - 10.2020

Project Manager

Grundfos
04.2016 - 05.2019

Project Engineer

BakerCorp
04.2014 - 04.2016

Project Engineer

Concentric AB
05.2012 - 08.2014

Project Engineer

Navistar, Inc.
03.2005 - 05.2012

Summer Intern

Navistar
06.2002 - 08.2003

Summer Intern

Chevron Chemical Company
06.2000 - 08.2001

Senior Design Engineer

Navistar

Cooling System Design Engineer

Navistar

MBA - Project Management

Saint Xavier University (SXU)

BS - Mechanical Engineering

Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT)
Nilda Rios