Product Design Engineering Manager

This onsite leadership role is based in Waterloo, IA and directs a team of product design engineers tasked with sustaining and improving heavy haul trailer platforms, ensuring manufacturability, cost-efficiency, and regulatory compliance while collaborating across production, sales, service, and operations. Compensation ranges from USD 80,000 to 90,000 per year.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to a product design engineering team that supports ongoing production and current product lines.
• Direct the management of product architectures, standards, and design intent across the heavy haul trailer platforms.
• Prioritize engineering initiatives based on production requirements, product enhancements, and cost-reduction efforts.
• Act as the engineering owner for sustaining engineering, engineering changes, and platform evolution.
• Ensure timely resolution of design, quality, and manufacturability issues.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve manufacturing processes and product quality.
• Lead design reviews, authorize engineering changes, and oversee product updates.
• Ensure adherence to industry standards and regulations while enhancing durability and safety of the products.
• Drive ongoing continuous improvement initiatives and support cross-functional collaboration.
• Offer engineering guidance and technical support to sales, service, and operations teams.
• Maintain and improve engineering documentation, databases, and design tools.
• Support the development of standardized product offerings to boost efficiency.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Experience with heavy haul trailers, heavy equipment, or fabricated mobile equipment.
• Solid background in mechanical systems, structures, hydraulics, and manufacturing processes.
• Proven track record supporting products within production environments.
• Practical, hands-on engineering judgment.
• Strong problem-solving and root-cause analysis abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to balance cost, performance, manufacturability, and reliability.
• Proficiency with CAD tools, Excel, and engineering data systems.

Technologies

• CAD tools
• Excel
• Engineering data systems