Principal Engineering Automation

Director of Engineering
Confidential Industrial Automation Manufacturer Greater Philadelphia Region Reports to General Manager
A privately held industrial automation manufacturer is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead its engineering function during a period of strategic growth.
The company designs, engineers, builds, and installs custom material handling, process, and packaging automation systems for manufacturing environments, with particular depth in food processing and related industries. Solutions include conveyors and transport systems, production and processing equipment, robotic automation, packaging systems, and full system integration.
This is not a catalog equipment manufacturer. Each system is engineered to meet the specific operational, throughput, and facility requirements of its customers, from concept development through fabrication, installation, and commissioning.
The organization integrates mechanical engineering, controls engineering, system architecture, fabrication, and field execution under one roof.
The Role
The Director of Engineering provides strategic, technical, and operational leadership across Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Design, and Controls Engineering.
This leader ensures that all engineered systems are:

Technically sound
Manufacturable and installable
Compliant with safety and industry standards
Delivered on schedule and aligned with cost targets
The Director will elevate engineering discipline, strengthen design governance, and ensure alignment between engineering, project management, manufacturing, and field service.
As a member of the senior leadership team, this role contributes to resource forecasting, capital planning, staffing strategy, and long term technical capability development.
This is a hands on technical leadership position. The Director is expected to:

Conduct and authorize design reviews
Guide complex system architecture decisions
Surface and mitigate engineering risk early
Support customer facing technical discussions
Drive continuous improvement initiatives
This is not a purely administrative role. Technical credibility is essential.
Candidate Profile
We are open to leaders with experience in:

Food and Packaging Automation Specialists
Broad Electrified and Mechatronics Engineering Leaders
Ideal candidates bring:

• 10 or more years in custom machinery, industrial automation, or system integration environments
• Experience leading multi disciplinary engineering teams
• Strong understanding of mechanical systems, controls integration, and manufacturability
• Budget ownership and KPI accountability
• Experience working directly with customers in engineered to order environments

Compensation
Base salary is expected to fall within the $195,000 to $230,000 range, depending on experience, scope of leadership, and depth of technical expertise. Exceptional candidates with demonstrated enterprise level engineering leadership experience may be considered above this range.
Comprehensive benefits and incentive opportunities will be discussed with qualified candidates during the interview process.