Director of Engineering

The Director of Engineering provides hands‑on technical leadership and strategic direction across Design Engineering, R&D, Equipment Start-ups, and Electrical Engineering. This person takes direct, hands‑on ownership of equipment design quality and technical decisions, working closely in the details of design engineering with the design engineering manager, while relying on a strong electrical engineering lead, R&D engineering lead, and start‑up engineering lead for other functions.

A key part of this role is building engineering talent — mentoring and developing junior and mid‑level engineers into strong technical contributors and future leaders. This position is a member of the executive leadership team (ELT) and is expected to attend ELT meetings and functions to contribute to the overall leadership of the organization.

Objectives

• Complete a full skills assessment of the Design Engineering team within the first 60–90 days, identifying strengths, gaps, and individual development needs
• Establish a baseline BOM error rate reaching production and implement a review process to significantly reduce BOM mistakes within the first 6–9 months
• Establish and document company‑wide engineering design standards across Design Engineering, R&D, and Electrical Engineering by the end of year one
• Assess and update the engineering file structure and document management practices within the first 6 months
• Evaluate long‑term engineering software needs (CAD, PLM/PDM, and related systems) and present a scalability roadmap to leadership by the end of year one

Scope

• Authority over engineering strategy, technical standards, and design decisions across Design Engineering, R&D, Equipment Start-ups, and Electrical Engineering
• Personally own equipment design quality and serves as the final technical authority on design matters
• Rely on the R&D Engineering Lead for day‑to‑day R&D project execution
• Rely on the Start‑up Engineering Lead for day‑to‑day equipment start‑up and commissioning execution
• Rely on the Electrical Engineering Lead for day‑to‑day electrical/controls issues
• Own the engineering file structure and software infrastructure (CAD, PLM/PDM, and related systems) across all engineering functions
• Manage engineering budget, headcount, and resource allocation across all four functions
• Report directly to executive leadership team.

Responsibilities

• Take direct, hands‑on ownership of equipment design quality, standards, and technical decisions, working closely with the Design Engineering Manager
• Personally review and guide design work, ensuring designs meet functional, cost, manufacturability, and quality requirements
• Serve as the final technical authority on equipment design issues and design reviews
• Drive design standardization, documentation practices, and engineering best practices across the team
• Actively mentor and coach young/early‑career engineers, building technical skill and long‑term capability on the team
• Create structured pathways for engineer growth and build a pipeline of future engineering leads
• Partner with and rely on the R&D Engineering Lead to guide research initiatives and new technology development aligned with company strategy; oversee the R&D pipeline from concept to commercialization
• Partner with and rely on the Start‑up Engineering Lead to oversee planning and execution of new equipment installations and commissioning, ensuring start‑ups are completed safely, on schedule, and to spec
• Drive root‑cause analysis and continuous improvement for equipment start‑up issues
• Partner with and rely on the Electrical Engineering Lead to manage electrical/controls design and issues, maintaining enough technical fluency to make informed cross‑functional decisions
• Set overall engineering strategy and roadmap across Design Engineering, R&D, Equipment Start‑ups, and Electrical Engineering
• Own the engineering file structure and software infrastructure (CAD, PLM/PDM, and related systems), ensuring it can scale with business growth
• Own the engineering budget, headcount planning, and resource allocation
• Align engineering priorities with company goals and production/operations needs
• Represent engineering in leadership meetings and report on…