🚀 Director, Product Engineering

Director, Product Engineering 8990 S Kyrene Rd, Tempe, AZ 85284, USA ● Phoenix, AZ, USA ● Tempe, AZ, USA Req #4807 Monday, July 21, 2025

Job Summary

The Director of Product Engineering is a strong leader with a proven track record of directing and planning the activity of multi-disciplined and cross-functional teams to success. This individual sets the engineering group’s standard for engineering judgment and best practices. The Director of Product Engineering provides complete systems engineering resource planning (mechanical, electrical, and software where applicable) ensuring all engineering elements are working as intended as a system and on schedule according to roadmaps developed with Product Management. The Director of Product Engineering assures the overall output quality and efficiency of the engineering team, continuously improving the engineering process infrastructure, and growing internal talent while driving the company’s vision for growth through successful execution of multiple large-scale projects.

Essential Job Functions *

• Develop innovative new products to expand and secure Hillman’s position in the marketplace by collaborating with Sales and Marketing teams to understand market trends and develop product solutions in accordance with the New Product Development (NPD) process.
• Translate new product opportunities into robust (NPD) project roadmaps, with individual resource plans to ensure the roadmap can be supported and sustained. Resource and drive continuous improvement of existing products with effective product life roadmaps.
• Achieve product development goals including product quality, cost, and delivery through application of Engineering project management and process best practices.
• Fully plans and manages the Engineering team’s annual budget down to project and resource level, ensuring overall budget is met and owning responsibility for finding creative solutions when unplanned expenses/needs arise.
• Assure intellectual property is captured and protected during the product development cycle.
• Develop and maintain engineering technical acumen necessary to develop world–class products by maintaining an effective technical training program teaching best design and development practices.
• Assures new product reliability and perceived quality through rigorous DFMEA risk management, product qualification testing and Design reviews.
• Assures all relevant regulatory, safety, environmental and compliance requirements are met by the team and works to improve team effectiveness.
• Continually work to improve Hillman’s overall NPD project lead-times, from concept through to launch, with interdepartmental collaboration and buy-in.

• Direct Supervision of senior level engineers including goal setting, performance reviews and career development planning. Provides mentorship to reinforce sound engineering procedures/best practices and develops succession plans and skill set development plans for engineering team.

* This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Employees are expected and encouraged to participate in safety and health program activities including immediately reporting hazards, immediately reporting unsafe work practices and incidents to supervisors, wearing required personal protective equipment, and participating in and supporting safety committee activities.

Education & Experience

• BS/BA in Mechanical, Electrical or Manufacturing Engineering and 15+ years’ experience in a related field.
• 10+ years proven experience leading multidiscipline teams, as well as managing multiple new product/manufacturing projects with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to expertly teach others in NPD process and related tasks (including non-technical tasks).

• Excellent mechanical design experience in new product development and/or manufacturing; able to deliver complete mechanical product solutions and integrate multifunctional team inputs (software, electrical) with no supervisory technical input.

• Experience handling highly complex issues and problems, and in most cases is the final decision-maker in design questions within the segment Engineering team.

• Experience building new teams, rebuilding/retooling existing teams, and managing teams remotely.

Competencies – Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong Microsoft Office - Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Strong SolidWorks or other similar 3D modeling/CAD software packages
• Strong Finite Element Analysis (preferably SolidWorks Simulation, ANSYS, or ABAQUS)
• Strong Oracle Agile or other similar PLM/PDM software package
• Experience in engineering the following types of parts with no assistance and able to train others how to accurately estimate part costs based on experience:
  • complex machined parts
  • plastic injection molded parts
  • zinc and aluminum alloy die castings
  • sheet metal stampings
  • products/assemblies with consideration for Design for Manufacturability; expert in segment's products' related manufacturing processes.
• Advanced understanding of basic part dimensional inspection methods; fully understands related industry standards.
• Ability to teach related knowledge of engineering analysis, mechanics, gear design, and stress and strain.
• Expert working knowledge of drawing tolerancing and GD&T; as well as tolerance stack-up analysis (TSA) and able to fully teach the related subject matter.
• Able to lead project assignments and project team through to successful implementation.
• Able to present solution concepts through sketch, verbal and formal presentation means to Executive Leadership.

• Possesses excellent working knowledge of engineering design principles related to the position, regarded as resident and even possibly an industry expert.

• Must possess strong leadership, coaching, and/or mentoring skills through proven experience.
• Excellent team player skills: persuasive and able to work well with others and support internal/external customer needs and drive consensus within the organization.

Operational Equipment

• N/A

Work Environment and Physical Demands

Work Environment

Office: Office setting. Seldom exposed to fumes or airborne particles. Loud working environment of the shop area. Functional vision and hearing required.

Physical Demands

Office: Sedentary.

The Hillman Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, protected veteran or military status, genetic information, citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. The information collected by this application is solely to determine suitability for employment, verify identity and maintain employment statistics on applicants. Other details

• Job Family Engineering
• Job Function Eng: Mechanical
• Pay Type Salary

Apply Now #J-18808-Ljbffr