Director of Engineering
Frederick, MD (open to relocators!)
About the Company
A global leader in mission-critical cooling solutions, serving data centers and high-performance industries with innovative, energy-efficient systems. With operations across North America and strong ties to international engineering teams, the organization is committed to driving growth, sustainability, and technical excellence in a rapidly evolving market.
About the Role
The Director of Engineering will oversee all aspects of the design engineering function, leading a high-performing team to deliver innovative products and solutions that meet the demands of customers in critical infrastructure markets. This role combines technical leadership with strategic planning, budget management, and cross-department collaboration, ensuring that engineering programs are executed on time, within budget, and aligned with company objectives.
Key Responsibilities
Provide leadership, mentorship, and direction to the design engineering team, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Develop and implement training programs to advance technical expertise across the department.
Drive innovation through design improvements, patentable concepts, and adoption of advanced engineering tools.
Collaborate closely with R&D, sales, and product management to translate customer requirements into effective solutions.
Oversee project planning, scheduling, and resourcing to ensure timely delivery of designs and engineering outputs.
Review and approve product designs, engineering changes, and specifications to ensure compliance with standards and customer expectations.
Champion automation tools, rule-based configuration, and standardized workflows to improve efficiency and reduce design errors.
Maintain product data accuracy within ERP systems to support production and costing.
Manage departmental and project budgets, monitoring expenditures and justifying capital investment.
Represent the engineering function in executive-level meetings and coordinate with global engineering counterparts to align on design practices.
Ensure that all quality assurance, testing, and compliance standards are met.
Key Qualifications & Skills
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field.
7+ years of experience in engineering management, project management, or product design.
Proven ability to lead diverse technical and non-technical teams.
Strong understanding of design engineering best practices and formal development processes (e.g., PMP).
Experience with Lean manufacturing principles and process improvement initiatives.
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence at all organizational levels.
Demonstrated success in delivering on-time, on-budget engineering programs in a high-growth or mission-critical industry.