LSS MU - Director Engineering

About the role

Dematic has an immediate need for a Director of Engineering who will lead the Engineering function of the Modifications and Upgrades Business Unit for the United States. This role is part of the North America Lifecycle Solutions and Services team (commonly referred to as Aftermarket) that works to support existing customer sites with modifications and upgrades to improve safety, lower costs, and increase productivity throughout the system’s lifecycle. The team delivers projects for a wide range of customers, including retail store distribution, food & beverage manufacturers, and e‑commerce, handling tasks such as updating PLC controls, rebuilding linear sorters, replacing worn components on Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems, or expanding shuttle system capacity.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing team of Mechanical and Electrical/Controls Engineers, fostering inclusion, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Set clear expectations, manage performance, and support career development of team members.
• Provide oversight for a large portfolio of concurrent mechatronic projects of varying scope and complexity, including controls software, WMS/WCS/WES, PLC updates, system upgrades, equipment rebuilds, system takeovers, and capacity expansions.
• Ensure effective transition from Sales to Operations, including pre‑contract support, estimating input, and leadership of project kickoff processes.
• Drive development and execution of comprehensive project plans, covering implementation, testing, acceptance, cut‑over, and launch strategies.
• Act as the primary point of escalation for sophisticated project, customer, financial, or technical issues, ensuring timely resolution.
• Coordinate across software, controls, electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, installation, vendors, subcontractors, and integrator partners.
• Own financial performance of the engineering project portfolio, including forecasting, revenue recognition, cost‑to‑complete, and profitability analysis.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks, ensuring proactive issue management and governance.
• Ensure accurate project closeout and turnover to service and support organizations.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets and business plans.
• Identify new business opportunities and direct sustaining engineering projects.
• Serve as a customer technical partner, building positive relationships and meeting or exceeding service standards.
• Support identification of follow‑on business opportunities in collaboration with sales and lifecycle services teams.
• Represent engineering in long‑term planning, operational reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or advanced degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of successful experience leading Project Engineering teams, preferably in automation, logistics, manufacturing, or software‑intensive environments.
• Proven experience leading large teams and large‑scale project portfolios with significant revenue responsibility.
• Strong understanding of automation systems, controls architectures, and systems integration; working knowledge of industrial and enterprise software systems.
• Experience with contract administration, procurement processes (RFP/RFQ), subcontractor management, and risk management.
• Proficiency with engineering tools and MS Office; SAP, Power BI, SharePoint or equivalent.

Pay

The base pay range for this role is estimated to be $159,000 – $233,200 at the time of posting. Final compensation will be determined by factors such as work location, education, experience, knowledge, and skills.

Schedule

Work schedules are highly variable, with most onsite work occurring over weekends and holidays around the clock to limit customer operational impact.