Engineering Manager

Engineering ManagerThe Engineering Manager leads and develops a growing team of engineers while overseeing engineering projects, design reviews, engineering changes, and process improvements. This role focuses primarily on improving and managing existing products, rather than ground-up design, and serves as the primary representative of the engineering function in cross-functional and leadership discussions. The Engineering Manager drives engineering efficiency, supports new product requests, and helps shape new processes and procedures to support the organization's continued growth.ResponsibilitiesLead, mentor, and support a team of 6 engineers, with responsibility for growing the team to approximately 10–12 members.Provide day-to-day direction, coaching, and performance guidance to engineers to ensure high-quality output and professional development.Review engineering designs, drawings, and technical documentation, offering clear feedback and technical guidance to the team.Modify and approve existing drawings and designs, with a primary focus on enhancing and managing existing products rather than creating new designs from scratch.Track and manage engineering projects on a daily basis to ensure timelines, priorities, and deliverables are clearly defined and consistently met.Serve as the voice of the engineering team in cross-functional meetings and leadership discussions, clearly communicating priorities, risks, and resource needs.Develop deep knowledge of company products, engineering workflows, and new product development processes to make informed decisions and recommendations.Support the implementation and execution of engineering changes and new product requests, ensuring proper documentation and alignment with business objectives.Visit installations and customer sites approximately 10–15% of the time to understand product performance, gather feedback, and identify opportunities for improvement.Partner closely with Supply Chain and other functional teams to ensure effective communication, alignment, and execution of engineering initiatives.Establish, maintain, and improve documentation control, engineering change processes, and Product Data Management (PDM) standards.Identify, propose, and implement opportunities to streamline workflows and improve engineering efficiency as the organization continues to grow.Apply design for manufacturability principles to ensure products are efficient to produce and meet quality and cost targets.Utilize PFMEA and DFMEA methodologies to assess and mitigate risks in processes and designs.Leverage experience in steel industry applications, including weldments, forming, and cutting, to guide design decisions and improvements.Essential SkillsBachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering.Strong leadership experience with direct management responsibility in a supervisory, managerial, or lead engineer capacity, including providing direction to engineers.Professional experience in mechanical engineering, with a focus on existing product support and improvement.Proficiency with SolidWorks for reviewing and modifying mechanical designs.Experience with SolidWorks PDM, including the ability to manage and improve PDM systems and standards.Working knowledge of PFMEA (Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) and DFMEA (Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis).Experience applying design for manufacturability (DFA) principles to mechanical products.Previous experience in the steel industry, including weldments, forming, and cutting processes.Ability and willingness to travel approximately 10–15% of the time to customer sites and installations.Strong project management skills, including the ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple projects, and meet deadlines.Experience with FEA (Finite Element Analysis) for evaluating and improving mechanical designs.Knowledge of sheet metal and steel design practices.Additional Skills & QualificationsExperience implementing or improving engineering processes, procedures, and documentation control systems.Demonstrated ability to act as a change agent, driving adoption of new processes and tools across an engineering organization.Strong communication skills, with the ability to represent engineering effectively in cross-functional and leadership forums.Ability to collaborate closely with Supply Chain and other functions to align engineering activities with operational and business needs.Interest in working in a growing organization where processes and procedures are evolving and can be shaped by the engineering leadership.Comfort working in an office-based environment with frequent interaction with a multi-disciplinary engineering team.Motivation to contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.Desire to work in an environment that offers significant opportunity for growth and increased responsibility as the organization expands.Work EnvironmentThis is an office-based role with standard hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., totaling approximately 40 hours per week with no regular overtime expected. The Engineering Manager works closely with a team of 6 engineers within a site of about 120 employees, collaborating frequently with Supply Chain and other functions. The position involves approximately 10–15% travel to installations and customer sites to observe product performance and support field-related initiatives. The environment emphasizes process improvement, implementation of new procedures, and the use of tools such as SolidWorks, SolidWorks PDM, FEA, and structured methodologies like PFMEA and DFMEA. The organization is in a growth phase, offering substantial opportunities to influence engineering workflows, introduce new processes, and shape the future state of the engineering function. Paid time off includes 3 weeks, supporting a healthy work–life balance.Job Type & LocationThis is a Permanent position based out of Grand Rapids, MI.Pay and BenefitsThe pay range for this position is $120000.00 - $150000.00/yr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.Eligibility is the 1st of the month following 30 days. In addition to the attached, we have Pet Insurance, mental health benefits (in the form of the CALM app), tuition reimbursement, disability, accident, critical illness. PTO – 3 weeks, starting in January 2027; 4 weeks after 5 years; 5 weeks after 10 years. (we can negotiate the first tier) Holidays – New Year's Day; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Thanksgiving Day; Day after Thanksgiving; Christmas Eve; Christmas Day; New Year's Eve. One company designated floating holiday. 401K – eligibility is 1st of the month after 6 months; Company matches 100% of 1st 4%; vested on day 1. We have a discretionary bonus plan dependent upon the company's performance. Typically we pay 5-10% of base salary when earned.Workplace TypeThis is a fully onsite position in Grand Rapids, MI.Application DeadlineThis position is anticipated to close on Sep 30, 2026.