Vice President, Engineering (Reporting to the CEO)

THE COMPANY

Red Dot Corporation produces premium mobile HVAC units and components for heavy-duty commercial and military vehicles. Vertically integrating world-class engineering, rigorous testing, and operations with a global reach under one roof, Red Dot partners directly with customers from design through delivery to craft responsive climate control solutions that endure.
With facilities in North America, Europe and Asia, Red Dot ships to hundreds of aftermarket distributors and OE customers around the globe, spanning the construction, agriculture, defense, and trucking industries. Red Dot was founded in 1965 and is proud to be owned entirely by its employees.
Red Dot traces its beginnings to the late 1950's, when Harcourt G. “Harky” Runnings started a sideline business making heaters at his automotive radiator repair shop in West Seattle. Custom-made for mail trucks operating on the Alaska Highway, they were built for performance and durability. Harky’s reputation grew, and soon cooling and heating trucks was his principle line of work. In 1965, he incorporated Red Dot with a plan to develop heating and air conditioning products specifically for heavy-duty vehicles and off-highway equipment.
Red Dot Corporation is headquartered in Puyallup, WA.

THE HIRING EXECUTIVE

John Beering – Chief Executive Officer

John Beering is the Chief Executive Officer of Red Dot, bringing more than 30 years of experience as a transformational growth leader with deep roots in commercial vehicle development, mobility equipment, and energy storage solutions. Prior to Red Dot, John served as SVP/GM of Commercial Powertrain at Eaton Corp., COO of Trojan Battery, and led strategic growth at BraunAbility Arch Retail | United Access — the nation's second largest provider of wheelchair-accessible vehicles — expanding its footprint to 49 locations across 15 states. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and a Master's in Management from Purdue University.

THE POSITION

The Vice President of Engineering owns the full scope of the company’s engineering enterprise — from innovation strategy and new product development through customer-facing technical support, cost engineering, quality, and product management. The VP must be a visionary, hands‑on leader who applies emerging technologies and rigorous standard work to solve hard technical problems and build a world‑class product pipeline. Equally important, this leader drives cultural transformation: building high-performing teams, championing lean product development, and developing the next generation of technical leaders. The VP serves as a member of the Executive Leadership Team.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Strategy & Innovation

• Define and execute the company’s Product Innovation Strategy, building a robust new product pipeline.
• Drive innovation in engineering processes and outcomes across the organization.
• Leverage emerging technologies — including AI/ML tools, simulation, and electrification — to accelerate development cycles.
• Streamline the design and development process; implement Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) principles end-to-end.
• Harmonize existing product lines around standard components to reduce complexity and cost.

Execution & Delivery

• Establish performance objectives and measurable KPIs for the engineering team; drive year-over-year improvement.
• Deliver designs to agreed specifications within time, budget, and manufacturability constraints.
• Lead engineered cost‑reduction efforts and reliability improvements across the product portfolio.

People & Culture

• Build, develop, and retain a world‑class engineering team; set high standards for work quality and professional growth.
• Champion a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and customer focus.
• Develop technical leadership throughout the organization.

Other duties as assigned by the CEO or Board of Directors.

Experience

• 15+ years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment, including senior leadership responsibility.
• HVAC or thermal management background; severe-duty / mobile applications strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success implementing PLM systems and lean new product development processes.
• Track record of building, coaching, and retaining high‑performing engineering teams.
• Able to balance mechanical design with design-for-manufacturing requirements.
• Familiarity with battery / electrification technology.
• Ability to travel up to 35% as required.

Personal Attributes

• Self‑motivated, with a strong sense of urgency, accountability, and integrity.
• Comfortable with ambiguity; adapts quickly in a fast‑paced, high‑change environment.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Technical
  • Deep subject matter expertise in HVAC systems, components, software and controls, and customer system integration.
  • Experienced PLM implementer; proven ability to drive design‑for‑manufacturing principles.
  • Fluency in Lean and Total Quality methodologies.
  • Familiarity with battery technology and electrification trends.
• Leadership & Collaboration
  • Proven track record building world‑class engineering teams and leading transformational change.
  • High emotional intelligence (EQ); effective working with diverse teams and customers across cultures, nationalities, and geographies.
  • Skilled at influencing without authority and driving alignment across executive‑level stakeholders.
  • Balances creative thinking with disciplined execution.
• Business & Communication
  • Strong business acumen; understands how engineering decisions drive commercial outcomes.
  • Clear, direct, and transparent communicator — written, verbal, and presentational.
  • Strong analytical skills; able to diagnose complex problems quickly and make sound decisions.
  • Actively pursues continuing education; stays current on industry trends and shares knowledge broadly.

Education

B.S. in Mechanical, Electrical, or related Engineering required. Advanced degree preferred.