Director, Engineering - Motors

About the role

The Director of Engineering - Motors is a senior technical and people leader responsible for shaping the strategy, design, and development of advanced motor systems across SharkNinja’s growing product portfolio. This is a player/coach role — you will lead and grow a team of motor engineers while staying hands-on with the most complex technical challenges.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of motor engineers — setting clear goals, fostering technical growth, and building a high-performing, collaborative engineering culture.
• Drive motor technology strategy, defining the roadmap for motor architectures across SharkNinja’s product portfolio including BLDC, universal, and switched reluctance motors.
• Provide technical oversight and guidance across end-to-end motor development from concept through prototype, validation, and production — working closely with motor manufacturers to ensure designs meet SharkNinja’s performance and quality requirements.
• Partner deeply with global motor suppliers to co-develop optimized motor solutions, driving detailed design collaboration, component optimization, and production readiness.
• Define and hold motor performance targets in partnership with cross-functional engineering teams — torque, speed, noise, vibration, efficiency, and thermal characteristics — aligned with product requirements.
• Conduct and guide advanced electromagnetic and electromechanical analysis in partnership with cross-functional engineering teams, including FEA and simulation for magnetic circuits and rotor/stator design.
• Collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical, controls, and firmware teams to ensure optimal motor integration, commutation algorithms, and drive efficiency.
• Guide motor material selection, including laminations, magnets, winding specifications, and insulation systems.
• Ensure design for manufacturability (DFM) and scalability in partnership with suppliers and manufacturing partners.
• Collaborate with airflow and mechanical design teams on system-level performance where fluid dynamics interact with motor behavior.
• Contribute to SharkNinja’s technology roadmap in motor and actuation systems, representing the motors function in senior leadership forums.

Requirements

• 15+ years of experience in motor design and development, ideally in consumer products, appliances, or electromechanical systems — with demonstrated experience in a technical leadership or management role.
• Proven people leadership skills — experience building, mentoring, and developing engineering teams.
• Expert-level understanding of electromagnetic theory, motor physics, and magnetic material properties.
• Hands-on experience with FEA tools (e.g., Maxwell, JMAG, Motor-CAD) for electromagnetic and thermal modeling.
• Strong background in electrical machine design, including stator winding, rotor dynamics, and torque ripple optimization.
• Deep knowledge of motor control principles, including sensorless and vector control, PWM techniques, and inverter systems.
• Extensive supplier partnership experience — driving detailed design collaboration, refinement, and production readiness with global motor suppliers.
• Experience working with Asian motor suppliers, particularly in managing design collaboration, communication, and development cycles across time zones and cultural contexts.
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes for motors (stamping, winding, potting, balancing).
• Airflow and fluid-dynamics experience is highly advantageous.
• Proven cross-functional collaborator across mechanical, electrical, and firmware disciplines.
• Strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to influence at senior levels.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering required; Master’s or Ph.D. preferred with emphasis in electromagnetics or motor systems.

Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. preferred with emphasis in electromagnetics or motor systems.

Skills

• Electromagnetic theory
• Motor physics
• Magnetic material properties
• FEA tools (Maxwell, JMAG, Motor-CAD)
• Electrical machine design
• Stator winding, rotor dynamics, torque ripple optimization
• Motor control principles
• Sensorless and vector control
• PWM techniques
• Inverter systems
• Supplier partnership experience
• Design for manufacturability (DFM)
• Manufacturing processes for motors (stamping, winding, potting, balancing)
• Airflow and fluid-dynamics experience
• Collaboration across mechanical, electrical, and firmware disciplines

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Health savings accounts (HSA) with company contribution
• 401(k) retirement plan with matching
• Employee stock purchase program
• Life insurance
• AD&D
• Short-term disability insurance
• Long-term disability insurance
• Generous paid time off
• Company holidays
• Parental leave
• Identity theft protection
• Pet insurance
• Pre-paid legal insurance
• Back-up child and eldercare days
• Product discounts
• Referral bonus program

Pay

The annual salary range for this position is displayed below. Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

Schedule

N/A