Engineering Manager

Engineering Manager (Product Dev. & Applications Engineering)Location: Orange County, CA Type: Direct Hire – W2 - Benefited Comp: $200k-250k/yr.Our client is a privately held engineering and manufacturing company specializing in highly engineered mechanical components and assemblies used in demanding industrial, aerospace, medical, instrumentation, and fluid handling applications. They are seeking an Engineering Manager to lead product development, application engineering, manufacturing support, and continuous improvement initiatives while helping drive the company's technical strategy and future growth. This is a highly visible leadership position offering the opportunity to influence engineering, manufacturing, quality, and new product development activities within a collaborative and entrepreneurial environment.ResponsibilitiesServe as the primary technical interface for customers regarding product applications, performance requirements, and design solutions.Lead new product development efforts from concept, feasibility, prototyping, testing, validation, and production launch.Work directly with customers to understand operating environments, technical challenges, and product performance requirements.Develop product specifications, engineering standards, and technical documentation.Provide technical leadership for product performance, reliability, materials selection, and manufacturability considerations.Engineering LeadershipLead and mentor a team of mechanical, applications, and product development engineers.Establish engineering priorities, resource allocation, and project schedules.Drive technical excellence through design reviews, engineering standards, and continuous improvement initiatives.Participate in hiring, coaching, performance management, and professional development of engineering personnel.Manufacturing & Continuous ImprovementPartner closely with manufacturing, quality, and operations teams to improve product quality, throughput, and productivity.Support implementation of new manufacturing processes, tooling, automation, and process improvements.Lead root-cause investigations and corrective actions related to product or manufacturing issues.Drive design-for-manufacturing initiatives to improve quality, cost, and scalability.Customer & Project ManagementAct as technical lead on multiple customer projects simultaneously.Support business development activities through customer meetings, technical presentations, and engineering consultation.Coordinate engineering activities across manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and commercial teams.Ensure projects are delivered on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with customer requirements.Quality & RegulatorySupport engineering compliance within an AS9100 manufacturing environment.Participate in MRB activities, corrective actions, design reviews, and risk assessments.Ensure engineering documentation and records are maintained in accordance with company quality requirements.Support first article inspections, qualification activities, and validation efforts.QualificationsBachelor's OR Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Fluidics, or related engineering discipline.10+ years of product development, applications engineering, or manufacturing engineering experience.4 years previous leadership experience managing engineers, technical personnel, or engineering projects.Strong understanding of mechanical systems, fluid handling systems, pressure systems, materials, and manufacturing processes.Experience leading products through the full development lifecycle from concept through production.Ability to work effectively in a hands-on manufacturing environment.Strong communication, project management, and customer-facing skills.