Product Design Engineering Manager

Product Design Engineering Manager - Trailers

Waterloo, IA

This role leads a team of product design engineers responsible for a defined portion of standard product offerings within heavy haul trailer manufacturing. The position focuses on ownership, standardization, continuous improvement, and lifecycle support of existing product platforms, ensuring designs remain manufacturable, cost effective, compliant, and scalable. This is a hands-on, on-site leadership role that blends people management with technical oversight, working closely with Manufacturing, Warranty, Customer Service, Sales, Quality, and Supply Chain.

Schedule:

On-site position with regular hands-on engagement across production and engineering teams.

Compensation: $80,000 to $90,000 base salary, plus 15% annual bonus. Final offer depends on experience and qualifications.

This person will lead, develop, and manage a team of product design engineers supporting production and in-market products, owning product architectures, standards, and design intent across heavy haul trailer platforms. Work will be prioritized and assigned based on production needs, product improvements, cost reduction initiatives, and field feedback, with this person serving as the engineering owner for sustaining engineering, product changes, and platform evolution outside of new product development.

The role ensures engineering support for production, including rapid resolution of design, quality, and manufacturability issues, and partners closely with Manufacturing Engineering and Production to improve weldment, fabrication, and assembly methods, along with BOM accuracy, drawings, and release quality. This person will lead and participate in structured design reviews, approve engineering changes, and oversee ECN and ECO execution to ensure product changes are timely, accurate, and well documented, while ensuring compliance with FMVSS, DOT, and internal engineering and quality standards.

Using DFMEA, lessons learned, warranty data, and field feedback, this person will drive improvements to durability, safety, and product reliability, along with design-for-manufacturing, design-to-cost, and continuous improvement initiatives. The role also supports Sales, Service, and Operations with clear engineering guidance and technical explanations, maintains and improves engineering documentation, databases, and design tools, and assists in developing standard, pre-engineered product offerings to reduce custom engineering demands and improve schedule execution.

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline
• Experience in heavy haul trailers, heavy equipment, or fabricated mobile equipment
• Strong background in mechanical systems, structures, hydraulics, and manufacturing processes
• Proven experience supporting products in a production environment
• Strong problem-solving and root-cause analysis skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency with CAD tools, Excel, and engineering data systems
• Ability to balance cost, performance, manufacturability, and reliability

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline
• Prior experience leading or managing a team of engineers
• Familiarity with DFMEA processes and structured design review methodologies
• Experience with trailer OEM or similar fabricated equipment manufacturing environments

• $80,000 to $90,000 base salary, plus 15% annual bonus
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid time off

To apply, please submit your resume for consideration.