Director, Engineering

Compensation: $150,000–$180,000 Base Salary
Location: New Hope, Mississippi

Position Overview

Our client is seeking an experienced Director of Engineering to lead a multidisciplinary engineering organization supporting a highly regulated manufacturing environment. This individual will oversee Manufacturing Engineering, Engineering Technicians, Test Engineering, and Configuration Management while ensuring engineering execution aligns with production, quality, cost, schedule, and compliance objectives.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on engineering leader with a strong background in manufacturing, new product introduction (NPI), process improvement, and aerospace or defense manufacturing. This role partners closely with Program Management, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality to ensure successful program execution and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Engineering Leadership & Execution
  • Lead and manage the day-to-day activities of Manufacturing Engineering, Engineering Technicians, Test Engineering, and Configuration Management.
  • Translate program requirements into executable manufacturing plans that achieve cost, quality, schedule, and compliance objectives.
  • Align engineering resources with production priorities and program ramp schedules.
  • Establish clear performance expectations, accountability, and engineering metrics across the organization.
• Manufacturing & Program Support
  • Serve as the primary engineering interface for Program Management, supporting proposal development, production planning, and execution.
  • Partner with Manufacturing leadership to ensure process readiness, production capacity, and efficient manufacturing flow.
  • Collaborate with Supply Chain on make-versus-buy decisions, tooling strategies, supplier readiness, and manufacturability.
  • Work closely with Quality leadership to ensure robust process controls, First Article Inspection (FAI) readiness, and compliance with quality management systems and customer requirements.
• New Product Introduction (NPI)
  • Lead engineering activities supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) from development through production.
  • Establish and facilitate formal NPI gate reviews to ensure engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain readiness.
  • Conduct manufacturability reviews, production readiness assessments, and technical risk evaluations.
  • Ensure tooling, fixtures, test equipment, and work instructions are developed, validated, and released prior to production.
  • Identify and mitigate technical, manufacturing, and schedule risks throughout the product lifecycle.
• Tooling, Automation & Continuous Improvement
  • Lead the development and implementation of production tooling, fixtures, automation, and test equipment.
  • Drive automation initiatives to improve quality, safety, productivity, and manufacturing efficiency.
  • Implement error-proofing (Poka-Yoke) strategies throughout manufacturing and testing operations.
  • Champion Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Configuration Management & Compliance
  • Ensure disciplined configuration management, engineering change control, and documentation practices.
  • Oversee engineering change implementation while minimizing production disruption.
  • Maintain compliance with AS9100, customer specifications, regulatory requirements, and internal engineering standards.
  • Support internal, customer, and regulatory audits.
• Leadership & Organizational Development
  • Mentor and develop engineering managers, technical leaders, and engineering staff.
  • Support workforce planning, recruiting, succession planning, and employee development.
  • Foster a collaborative culture focused on accountability, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.

Qualifications

• Required
  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
  • 12+ years of progressive engineering leadership experience within aerospace, defense, or highly regulated manufacturing environments.
  • Proven experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.
  • Strong knowledge of manufacturing engineering, production engineering, configuration management, First Article Inspection (FAI), and quality systems.
  • Demonstrated success leading New Product Introduction (NPI), tooling development, and manufacturing process improvements.
  • Experience working with ERP and MES systems.
  • Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Preferred
  • Master's degree in Engineering or Business Administration (MBA).
  • Experience with automation, robotics, and advanced manufacturing technologies.
  • Lean Six Sigma Certification or equivalent continuous improvement experience.
  • Experience supporting government or defense programs.

Leadership Competencies

• Hands-on, operational leadership style.
• Strong decision-making and prioritization skills.
• Ability to balance engineering excellence with production urgency.
• Collaborative leader capable of influencing cross-functional teams.
• Strong commitment to quality, safety, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Pay

$150,000–$180,000 Base Salary