Job Details
The Engineering Director - Product Development is responsible for driving innovation and excellence in the development of products related to distributed energy resources (DERs) and power distribution products for the renewable energy, microgrid, EV charging, crypto mining, and data center markets. The Director will be responsible for day-to-day management of the Product Development Engineering team, driving new product initiatives from idea to production.
This position will be responsible to build, develop, and lead all aspects of the Product Development Engineering team that will take products from concept through development, prototyping, certification and release to manufacturing, as well as life cycle management as it relates to power system assemblies, DERs, microgrids (both AC based and DC based) , energy storage systems (ESS), data center industry products and EV infrastructure solutions. This position will further be responsible for managing external partners, departmental development projects, budgets, and schedules.
Must have strong leadership skills and the ability to inspire and guide teams, excellent communication and negotiation abilities, a visionary mindset with a focus on innovation in-depth knowledge of Design for Manufacturing and Product Development processes and product applications. Knowledge of relevant technologies and industry best practices, familiarity with relevant product industry standards, NRTL, electrical/control systems (power system, load mgmt., controls, software, PE, ES, renew/adv generation assets, power distribution), and certification of relevant products, and a proven track record of driving product development and solutions through an organization to achieve a portfolio of standard products.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
- Education: Bachelors degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or related field (Masters degree preferred).
- Experience: 15 years experience in engineering leadership. Experience in leadership role within product, with a track record of managing complex technical projects.
- Previous experience in scaling product development teams in Distributed Energy Resource (DER) sector.
- Understanding of power distribution, distributed energy technologies & microgrid systems and devices.
- Familiarity with reciprocating engine CHP products.
- Familiarity with energy storage systems; renewable energy products, power generation systems hydrogen and geothermal technologies.
- Travel: 25-50%
- Work Schedule: This position works between the hours of 7 AM and 5 PM, Monday- Friday. Works a sufficient schedule to meet the expectations of the role.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Strategic Leadership:
- Develops and communicates a clear strategic vision for the product development team, aligned with the overall company strategy.
- Collaborates with business leadership to define and execute the product roadmap.
- Leads the development of products defined by Product Manager(s), while aligning with industry trends.
- Team management:
- Builds and develops Product Development Engineering team.
- Leads and mentors a multidisciplinary team of engineers and designers.
- Fosters a culture of innovation, efficiency, and excellence within the team.
- Provides guidance and mentorship to team members, encouraging professional development and growth.
- Product Development:
- Oversees the end-to-end development of new products from ideation through delivery ensuring reliability, efficiency, manufacturability with focus on performance and cost.
- Collaborates closely with R&D teams to drive technological advancements into the products.
- Collaborates closely with Software & Controls teams to ensure design requirements are met.
- Oversees all related product certification requirements, perform certification to product standards throughout the life of the product.
- Ensures that product development projects are well-defined, properly scoped and delivered on schedule.
- Develops solutions with consideration for Design for Service and Design for Manufacturability.
- Implements best practices for development and continuous improvement.
- Technical Leadership:
- Provides technical guidance and expertise to the engineering team.
- Stays abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices.
- Implements innovative technologies that enhance productivity and drive growth.
- Ensures compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Utilizes FMEA processes to optimize design.
- Supports Enterprise initiatives in processes and capability implementation (ERP, PDM, BoM, change management) as subject matter expert.
- Collaboration:
- Collaborates with product management, sales, and marketing teams to ensure products meet the market demands and align with product requirements.
- Collaborates with supply chain to build vendor relationships in support of product performance and cost objectives.
- Works closely with product management to translate business requirements into technical specifications.
- Quality Assurance:
- Implements robust quality assurance processes in the product development process.
- Conducts regular assessments to ensure products meet industry standards and maintain certification.
- Resource Management:
- Prepares and manages the engineering departments budget.
- Designs strategies for future development projects based on available resources.
- Identifies opportunities for collaboration and partnerships to enhance product development capabilities.
- Risk Management:
- Identifies and mitigates risks associated with product development.
- Develops contingency plans to address challenges and ensure project timelines are met.
- Performs other related duties as required and assigned.