Director of Engineering & Technology

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Director of Engineering and Technology

Department: Engineering
Reports To: President
Location: Manlius, NY
Position Type: Full-time, Exempt
Salary: $135,000–$165,000

Job Summary

The Director of Engineering and Technology provides strategic, tactical, and technical leadership to a cross-functional engineering team supporting mechanical, design, manufacturing, and application engineering functions.

Working within a highly regulated, FAA-certified manufacturing environment, this position is responsible for ensuring that new product development, continuous improvement initiatives, sustaining engineering, and custom customer applications are executed safely, efficiently, on schedule, within budget, and in full compliance with applicable aviation regulatory and certification requirements.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on technical leader who can bridge complex engineering concepts, rigorous quality and regulatory requirements, and efficient shop-floor execution. This individual will balance long-term engineering strategy with a resourceful, "hands-on" approach to problem solving, automation, lean manufacturing, and process improvement.

Key Responsibilities

1. Engineering Leadership & Execution

• Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, develop,      and allocate resources across a 4–8 person engineering team supporting      mechanical, design, manufacturing, and application engineering      disciplines.
• Product Development & R&D: Direct      the development, improvement, and optimization of LED airfield lighting      products and intelligent Airfield Lighting Control and Monitoring Systems      (ALCMS).
• Engineering Standards: Establish and      maintain consistent engineering standards, drawing control, configuration      management, change control, and technical documentation practices.
• Project Management: Establish priorities,      timelines, resources, and performance expectations to ensure engineering      projects are completed on time and within budget.
• Performance & Development: Establish      meaningful KPIs, conduct performance evaluations, identify development      opportunities, and foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and      continuous learning.
• Technology Strategy: Evaluate and      implement engineering technologies, tools, and processes that improve      product quality, efficiency, scalability, and overall business      performance.

2. FAA Regulatory Compliance & Design Control

• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure engineering      activities and product designs comply with applicable FAA production      requirements, Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) requirements, FAA Advisory      Circulars, including the AC 150/5345 series, ICAO Annex 14, Transport      Canada requirements, and other applicable standards.
• Certification Management: Manage and      support relationships with third-party certification and testing      organizations, including ETL, Intertek, Elite, and other applicable      agencies.
• Design for Compliance: Guide engineering      teams through concept development, prototyping, testing, validation, and      production release while ensuring products meet applicable performance,      environmental, safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Environmental & Product Testing:      Ensure designs are appropriately evaluated for environmental and      operational conditions, including thermal, vibration, ingress protection,      electrical, and other applicable testing requirements.
• Audit Readiness: Partner closely with      Quality to support third-party audits, conformity assessments,      certification activities, and maintenance of engineering records, design      history files, and supporting documentation.
• Change Control: Ensure engineering      changes are properly evaluated, documented, approved, and implemented in      accordance with established procedures and regulatory requirements.

3. Manufacturing Integration & Shop-Floor Support

• Design for Manufacturability: Partner      with Manufacturing and Production to ensure new designs can be efficiently      and consistently manufactured, minimizing assembly challenges, rework,      scrap, and production bottlenecks.
• Production Support: Provide timely      engineering support for production issues, technical questions, process      challenges, and product discrepancies.
• Automation & Technology: Identify      opportunities to automate processes, improve testing capabilities, develop      automated test fixtures, program PLCs and machinery where appropriate, and      implement technology that improves production efficiency.
• Lean Manufacturing: Partner with      Manufacturing to identify and implement lean manufacturing, process      improvement, and waste-reduction initiatives.
• Root Cause Analysis: Lead or support      engineering investigations related to production discrepancies, product      failures, and field issues using structured problem-solving methodologies      such as 8D, FMEA, and 5-Why analysis.
• Corrective Actions: Develop and implement      effective engineering solutions and permanent corrective actions to      prevent recurring issues.

4. Applications & Customer Engineering

• Technical Sales Support: Oversee      application engineering activities, including the review of customer      specifications, technical requirements, and project feasibility.
• Customer Solutions: Translate customer      requirements into practical engineering solutions, product configurations,      and design proposals.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work      closely with Sales, Quality, Production, and other departments to ensure      customer requirements are clearly understood and successfully executed.
• Sustaining Engineering: Manage      engineering modifications and improvements to existing product lines in      response to component obsolescence, supply chain changes, manufacturing      requirements, product performance, and evolving regulatory standards.
• Technical Problem Solving: Provide      technical leadership for complex customer or product issues and ensure      timely resolution.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering,      Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or      a closely related technical field.
• Equivalent combination of education,      technical training, and relevant experience may be considered.

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of hands-on      engineering experience in a highly regulated manufacturing environment,      preferably Aerospace/Defense, Medical Device, Automotive, or another      similarly regulated industry.
• Minimum of 2 years of supervisory,      management, or technical team leadership experience.
• Experience leading cross-functional      engineering projects from concept through production is strongly      preferred.
• Experience with product certification,      testing, or regulatory compliance is highly preferred.

Regulatory & Quality Knowledge

• Strong understanding of FAA requirements      and aviation-related standards is preferred.
• Familiarity with ISO quality management      systems and regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting regulatory,      certification, or third-party audits.
• Understanding of configuration      management, engineering change control, and design documentation      requirements.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency with 3D CAD modeling software      such as SolidWorks, Autodesk, or similar.
• Strong understanding of Geometric      Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T).
• Experience with PLM and ERP systems      preferred.
• Experience with automation, PLC      programming, electrical controls, or automated testing is strongly      preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving      skills with the ability to evaluate complex technical issues and develop      practical solutions.

Leadership & Communication

• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and      develop a multidisciplinary technical team.
• Strong communication skills with the      ability to translate complex technical information for executive      leadership, production employees, customers, and other non-technical      stakeholders.
• Ability to establish priorities, manage      competing demands, and make sound technical and business decisions.
• Collaborative, hands-on leadership style      with a strong focus on accountability, continuous improvement, and      practical execution.
• Ability to work effectively in a      fast-paced manufacturing environment and respond to changing business and      customer needs.

Additional Responsibilities

• Maintain current knowledge of applicable      engineering standards, regulatory requirements, technologies, and industry      best practices.
• Participate in strategic planning and      long-term product and technology development.
• Collaborate with company leadership to      identify opportunities for new products, technologies, process      improvements, and operational efficiencies.
• Promote a culture of safety, quality,      accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Maintain confidentiality of company,      customer, and proprietary technical information.
• Perform other duties as assigned.