Associate Director of Engineering

Overview

Associate Director of Engineering & Innovation Career Advising
—Northeastern University

The Associate Director of Engineering & Innovation Career Advising serves as the dedicated career specialist for students pursuing roles in mechanical, electrical, civil, chemical, industrial, and bioengineering, as well as robotics, advanced manufacturing, sustainable energy, and adjacent engineering and innovation disciplines. As a core member of the Career Education Center's sector-based advising team, this role brings deep, current knowledge of the engineering and innovation talent market to student career development from first-year exploration through full-time offer negotiation.

The position designs and delivers sector-specific programming, maintains active employer relationships with engineering firms, manufacturers, defense contractors, energy companies, and innovation-driven enterprises across scales and geographies, and uses labor market data and AI-enabled tools to give students a competitive edge. The role understands how engineering hiring is evolving with AI and automation, including changes to recruiting processes, evolving technical competency expectations, and emerging roles at the intersection of engineering, data, and systems thinking.

It translates that intelligence into practical, outcome-focused advising and workshops. The role is ideal for someone who has worked in or alongside engineering or innovation-driven industries, speaks the language of engineering hiring managers, technical recruiters, and project leads, and is energized by helping students land meaningful, high-quality opportunities and full-time employment in fields that are building the infrastructure, systems, and technologies of the future.

• A bachelor’s degree is required and a master’s degree is preferred; degrees and/or experience in engineering, applied sciences, higher education, counseling, engineering management, or related fields given preference. Familiarity with professional licensure pathways (e.g., FE/PE exam preparation) is a plus.
• Minimum of 4–6 years of experience in career services, engineering or technical recruiting, workforce development, or the engineering, manufacturing, defense, or energy industries, with demonstrated understanding of engineering sector hiring practices, co-op and internship pipelines, and role landscapes.
• Substantive knowledge of the engineering and innovation job markets including familiarity with hiring practices across mechanical, electrical, civil, chemical, and bioengineering disciplines; defense and government contracting recruiting norms; advanced manufacturing and robotics career pathways; and the growing demand for engineers with competencies in data, systems integration, and automation.
• Experience working with or advising students or early-career professionals in engineering or innovation-driven fields, with the ability to translate complex industry dynamics into accessible, actionable guidance (including technical interview preparation, licensure timelines, security clearance considerations, and evolving employer expectations).
• Experience managing others, including regular coaching and feedback, structured professional development, performance management, and engagement support that cultivates a high-performing, student-centered advising practice.
• Proficiency with career management platforms (e.g., Handshake), labor market intelligence tools (e.g., Lightcast, Linked In Talent Insights), and AI-enabled career development tools; familiarity with engineering-specific job platforms (e.g., Engineering Jobs, Dice, or defense/government hiring portals) is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain employer relationships with engineering firms, manufacturers, defense contractors, energy companies, and innovation-driven enterprises, and convert those relationships into co-op, internship, and full-time hiring opportunities for students.
• Data fluency: ability to interpret employment outcome data, labor market trends, and program metrics to evaluate effectiveness and inform programming decisions.
• Strong presentation, coaching, and interpersonal skills;…