R&D Manager

Curt G. Joa, Inc., 100 Crocker Avenue, Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, United States of America

Posted Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 6:00 AM

Lead innovation. Build capability. Drive results.

We’re seeking a dynamic and highly visible R&D Engineering Manager to lead the growth and evolution of our engineering organization. This role is for a leader who thrives at the intersection of strategy, innovation, and execution—someone who can build strong teams, advance cutting-edge processes, and turn bold ideas into real-world results.

Job Summary:

The R&D Engineering Manager is a bold, high-impact leader at the forefront of innovation and execution. Highly visible and influential, this role accelerates corporate strategy by shaping world-class engineering talent and continuously evolving processes that drive excellence. The R&D Engineering Manager identifies opportunities, launches transformative initiatives, and leads change that elevates quality, maximizes value, and delivers exceptional customer outcomes. With a strong focus on organizational growth and technical excellence, they turn vision into action and strategy into measurable results.

Job Responsibilities & Essential Functions of the Job:

• Drive communication within the team to ensure understanding of the business, alignment to the strategic plan (and their role in achievement of that plan) and other appropriate team communications.
• Provide strategic leadership towards continuous quality improvement of people, processes, technology, and policies among the engineering talent pool.
• Workforce/People Management, including but not limited to:
  • Develop and maintain a high performing organization through recruitment, growth opportunities and retention of team.
  • Evaluate and develop knowledge, skills, and abilities of engineering talent pool.
  • Develop goals for the department and individuals in support of strategic plan.
  • Drive talent development initiatives within department and organization.
  • Evaluate employee performance, compensation, and career development objectives.
  • Mentor experts and leaders within the engineering department utilizing experiential learning.
• Collaborates with other departments and corporate management to improve inter-department and organizational operational efficiencies.
• Fosters continuous improvement projects targeted toward functional and operational excellence.
• Monitor, control, and report results, progress, and activity per budget allowances and agreed-upon KPI’s.
• Assign and prioritize departmental tasks that ensure an efficient use of resources per budget guidelines.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent practical experience) in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline. A master’s degree in business (MBA) is preferred.
• 6+ years of previous engineering experience.
• Ability to adapt to change and adjust priorities accordingly.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience in management and/or leadership roles. Experience leading large groups preferred.
• Project management certification preferred.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, and the ability to present findings in a group setting.
• Strong analytic skills.
• Ability to travel to customer facilities both domestically and internationally.
• Knowledge and use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, etc.) software.
• Knowledge and use of Solid Edge software.

Physical Requirements:

• Safety glasses and hearing protection are required while present on the assembly floor.
• Ability to work a full day on a computer.
• Ability to lift and/or move objects up to 50 pounds in weight.
• Ability to use hand tools and monitoring/testing equipment.
• Ability to occasionally climb a ladder or maneuver into tight spaces.
• Accommodate (15-20%) international and domestic travel for company business via driving a car or on an airplane.
• The primary (75%) work area is a typical climate-controlled office cubicle environment.
• The secondary work area is an assembly floor environment that is loud and without air conditioning.