Engineering Manager

Position Overview: Provide leadership, mentorship and direction to the engineering team of 6-12 people, fostering collaboration and high performance. Oversee day-to-day operations of the engineering team, ensuring alignment with business goals. Work with sales team to meet new design criteria and approve those modifications to existing designs needed to meet customer requirements. Work with production management to design for manufacturability, safe and efficient. Works with product management on the development of new designs.

Essential Functions:

• Complete all design related functions and provide necessary guidance so that work is performed accurately, on-time and in accordance with best engineering practices and all State and Federal DOT Regulations.
• Design products to maximize manufacturability.
• Establish plant engineering standards for product lines. Revise as necessary.
• Maintain continuing program of research and development in new products and in improved current product designs, consolidation of variants, products and models.
• Meet with sales representatives and customers concerning sales presentations.
• Provide guidance to manufacturing and quality control regarding design issues.
• To assist manufacturing and consult on any matters that relate to product design when new methods of manufacture are considered.
• To advise specialty sales in matters related to trailer modifications, repairs, etc. or engineering aspects related to products other than our normal product line.
• To make off-site visits to advise on modifications, repairs, potential sales, or any other aspect where technical assistance and consultation will benefit the company.
• To inform, advise and explain technical related matters and design policies.
• To advise and assist with the handling of problems with vendors when quality of products supplied are in question or impact design.

Requirements:

• Experience on designing trailers through a full system development life cycle
• Experience in evaluating and providing guidance on engineering cost and schedule baselines/estimates
• Experience with functional and/or technical aspects of enterprise commercial off the shelf software packages and custom development
• Deep understanding and experience with Finite Element Analysis simulations for safety critical applications.
• Organizational Skills: Can plan and prioritize work, both their own and that of project team. Follows tasks to their logical conclusion and makes sure that everything has been done to the right standard. Good attention to detail.
• In-depth understanding of Federal Code - 49CFR.
• Team Work: Able to enthuse and maintain team interest. Comfortable working both individually and as part of a team. Prepared to challenge ideas within a group in a constructive way. Ability to influence others and move a team toward a common vision or goal.
• Leadership: Acute business acumen and understanding of organizational issues and challenges. Able to work effectively at all levels in an organization.
• Communications: Ability to communicate clearly and efficiently to team members and clients, verbally and in writing. Able to present ideas in a variety of ways depending upon audience and context. Excellent active listening skills.
• Quantitative Management: Ability to determine process measures and track to determine process effectiveness and efficiency.
• Problem Solving: Natural inclination for planning strategy and tactics. Ability to analyze problems and determine root cause, generating alternatives, evaluating and selecting alternatives and implementing solutions.
• Expert in CAD drafting principles, practices, methods, techniques, and engineering principles with the ability to create models and drawings for complete trailers.
• Consults with manufacturing on ways of improving product lines and answer and resolve shop questions/challenges relating to DOT compliance.
• Check orders completed by others in department for accuracy and DOT compliance.
• Use product and system knowledge to make process improvements within the department.
• Develop new products and product improvements, including supporting CAD data and BOM in ERP system.
• Manage standard change implementation.
• Understanding and desire for VAVE process.
• Project management applications and execution.
• Ability to interpret customer requirements and translate into product design.
• Assist and advise with sales quotation process
• Control data and information through ERP system

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in mechanical engineering from an accredited college or university with 7+ years of continuous and progressive experience.
• Strong working knowledge of material properties - especially Steel.
• Strong working knowledge on basic hydraulics, pneumatics and electrical systems.
• Experience with 3D modeling software (Inventor preferred), Auto CAD 2D, Solidworks & Vault or similar applications.
• Strong working knowledge of revision control, configuration management, and change order process
• Strong working knowledge of Material Resource Planning (MRP)
• Experience with ISO 9001 certification
• Six-Sigma and lean experience preferred

Work Environment:

• The performance of this position will require exposure to the manufacturing areas where certain areas require the use of personal protective equipment such as safety glasses with side shields and mandatory hearing protection.
• For the most part, ambient room temperatures, lighting and traditional office equipment as found in a typical office environment.

Physical Demands:

• Sit or stand as needed.
• Walking primarily on a level surface for periodic periods throughout the day.
• Reaching above shoulder heights, below the waist or lifting as required to reach documents or store materials throughout the workday.
• Proper lifting techniques required.
• Typing and sitting at a computer for long periods of time.

Safety and Policy Practices:

The employee in this job must be knowledgeable regarding the safety policies and procedures of the Company as described in the Company safety manual. The employee must adhere to all said policies and procedures while supporting the goals and objectives of the organization and recognize the Company's need to achieve its business objectives. Employee is responsible for complying with company hazardous waste disposal procedures

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.