Engineering Manager

Description

Southern Systems International (SSI) is seeking an experienced Engineering Manager to lead our engineering team in the successful execution of complex material handling and industrial automation projects. This role is responsible for providing technical leadership, managing engineering resources, developing team members, and ensuring engineering deliverables meet the highest standards of quality, accuracy, and schedule.

The Engineering Manager serves as the bridge between Engineering, Project Management, Fabrication, Field Operations, and Executive Leadership. This individual is expected to foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and technical excellence while supporting the long-term growth of the engineering organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the daily operations of the engineering department.
• Plan, prioritize, and assign engineering resources across multiple concurrent projects.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers and designers.
• Review engineering deliverables to ensure quality, completeness, and compliance with project requirements.
• Work closely with Project Management to establish engineering schedules and support overall project execution.
• Coordinate with Fabrication and Field Operations to ensure designs are practical, manufacturable, and installable.
• Identify technical risks early and develop effective mitigation strategies.
• Drive continuous improvement of engineering standards, processes, and design practices.
• Establish and maintain engineering procedures, design standards, and best practices.
• Support customer meetings by providing technical leadership and engineering expertise.
• Promote collaboration across departments while fostering accountability and ownership within the engineering team.
• Participate in recruiting, hiring, onboarding, performance management, and professional development of engineering personnel.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of engineering experience in industrial equipment, material handling, manufacturing, or related industries.
• Previous experience leading engineering teams or supervising technical personnel.
• Strong understanding of mechanical design, manufacturing processes, and industrial project execution.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high standards of quality and responsiveness.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD software such as Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Experience with conveyor systems, material handling equipment, structural steel, or industrial automation.
• Experience implementing engineering standards and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Familiarity with project scheduling, cost awareness, and cross-functional project execution.

What Success Looks Like

• Engineering deliverables are consistently accurate, complete, and issued on or ahead of schedule.
• The engineering team is engaged, accountable, and continuously developing both technically and professionally.
• Projects transition smoothly from Engineering to Fabrication and Field Operations with minimal rework or field modifications.
• Engineering resources are effectively prioritized to support multiple concurrent projects while meeting customer commitments.
• Engineering standards, processes, and documentation continue to improve, resulting in greater efficiency, consistency, and quality.
• Cross-functional collaboration with Project Management, Fabrication, Purchasing, and Field Operations is proactive and effective.
• Technical risks are identified early and resolved before impacting project cost or schedule.
• Customers have confidence in SSI's engineering capabilities and view the engineering team as a trusted technical partner.
• The department fosters a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, and problem-solving where team members are empowered to make sound engineering decisions.