Director of Engineering

About the role

SIT is seeking a highly experienced Director of Engineering to lead the company's multidisciplinary engineering organization. This role requires a deep understanding of hydraulic, electric, and electrohydraulic systems, as well as experience in defense-related programs.

Responsibilities

• Engineering Leadership & Strategy: Participate in SIT's engineering leadership team to define and execute SIT's engineering strategy aligned with business objectives, market opportunities, and emerging technologies in electrification, automation, and fluid power systems.
• Technical Oversight: Provide senior-level technical guidance and design review for complex hydraulic, electric and structural projects, ensuring compliance with customer requirements, codes, standards, and best practices.
• Team Development: Build technical depth, promote knowledge sharing, and support succession planning.
• Project Execution & Accountability: Partner with project management and operations to ensure engineering deliverables support efficient fabrication, testing, installation, and commissioning.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with sales, system integration and engineering operation teams during pursuit and proposal phases to support solution development, technical risk assessment, and cost accuracy.
• Defense Compliance & Security Standards: Provide engineering leadership for defense-related programs by ensuring projects comply with CMMC 2.0 cybersecurity requirements and applicable MIL-SPEC standards. Partner with internal stakeholders, customers, and suppliers to uphold security, documentation, and technical compliance across the full project lifecycle.
• Process Improvement & Standards: Establish and maintain engineering processes, design standards, documentation practices, and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance quality, consistency, and scalability.
• Customer & Stakeholder Engagement: Serve as a technical interface with key customers, OEMs, classification societies, and regulatory bodies for high-visibility or technically complex programs.
• Technology & Innovation: Stay current on industry trends in electrification, controls, energy storage, and fluid power to guide technology adoption and future system architectures.
• Safety & Quality Leadership: Promote a culture of safety, quality, and accountability within the engineering team and across the project lifecycle.

Requirements

• Education: BSEE, BSME, BAET (ABET accredited university), or equivalent technical degree with relevant experience. MBA is a plus but not required.
• Experience: 10+ years of progressive engineering experience in hydraulic or electrohydraulic system design and integration. 5+ years in an engineering leadership or management role. Experience delivering engineered-to-order systems in marine, oil & gas, defense, civil infrastructure, or heavy industrial environments. Strong understanding of system-level engineering, design reviews, and lifecycle execution.

Desired Experience, Knowledge & Skills

• Deep knowledge of electric power systems, controls, PLC programming, and/or fluid power systems.
• Ability to read, interpret, and approve electrical, hydraulic, and control schematics.
• Proven ability to lead teams in a fast-paced, project-driven environment with shifting priorities.
• Strong communication skills—both written and verbal—with the ability to engage technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Results-oriented, hands-on leadership style with strong organizational and decision-making skills.
• High level of accountability, professionalism, and customer focus.
• Experience working in or supporting ISO-certified environments is a plus.

Benefits

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, and 401(k) plans with company match. A unique benefit SIT offers as part of Employee Owned Holdings, Inc. is an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). An ESOP is a special retirement program that allows employees to own stock in the company. When you join EOHI, you automatically begin investing in your future (without having to purchase shares). We are a high-growth company committed to training our employee-owners to develop their skills and advance in their careers. Studies also show that retirement account balances for ESOP companies are 2.5 times higher than those companies without employee ownership. Research shows employee-owned companies are superior in performance, employee benefits, and employee morale because everyone is working towards a common goal.