Director of Engineering

Director of Engineering – Grand Rapids, Michigan

DISHER is currently partnering with a leader in food stabilization in Grand Rapids, MI to fill their Director of Engineering position. In this role, you will lead a multidisciplinary engineering team, drive project execution, and align R&D/product development initiatives with business objectives. The role combines technical leadership, project management, and financial oversight to ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget.

This small machine design company is committed to reducing waste and improving the planet through transforming underused resources into nutritious, profitable materials. They have a strong commitment to their company values:
Selflessly Serve, Trail-Blaze, Direct Honesty, Never Settle, Work Hard Play Hard. All team members are driven by their desire to serve others and create a more sustainable way of living.

• Lead engineering projects including planning, scheduling, and execution.
• Define project scope, timelines, resource allocation, budget, and deliverables.
• Ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and to company and customer quality standards.
• Identify risks and implement mitigation strategies.
• Drive continuous improvement in project execution and processes.
• Provide technical direction across multidisciplinary engineering team.
• Review and approve engineering designs, drawings and specifications.
• Support design and development using CAD tools.
• Ensure adherence to industry standards, safety and regulatory requirements.
• Lead and participate in field activities such as installation, commissioning, and troubleshooting.
• Serve as technical escalation point for complex operational issues.
• Interface with customers, vendors, and internal stakeholders on technical matters.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a diverse engineering team across disciplines.
• Manage performance, training, and career development.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Allocate resources effectively across multiple projects.
• Develop and manage project and departmental budgets.
• Track financial performance, cost controls, and ROI on engineering initiatives.
• Support business strategy by aligning efforts with company goals.
• Collaborate with leadership on planning and forecasting.

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or chemical engineering, or related field required.
• 10+ years of experience, including hands on engineering, project management, field/plant/industrial experience, and direct people management.
• Strong leadership and mentorship skills.
• Familiar with Solid Works.
• Experience with design, manufacturing, or process systems.
• Experience with food, pharma, or relevant industry and safety regulations.
• Comfortable driving structure, accountability, and execution across multiple projects.
• Experience coaching, growing, and developing engineers through hands‑on support and guidance.
• Being Comfortable with the pressures of balancing demanding customers, projects, and internal R&D priorities simultaneously.