Director of Engineering
Milwaukee Electronics, Milwaukee, WI, United States
About Milwaukee Electronics – Products Division
Milwaukee Electronics is a privately held, family‑owned Electronics Manufacturing Services company with over 70 years of engineering and manufacturing excellence. In addition to our core EMS business, Milwaukee Electronics operates a proprietary Products Division serving the material handling and industrial automation markets.
Summary The Director of Engineering is responsible for the strategic leadership and technical oversight of product engineering operations, ensuring that the Product Realization Process delivers measurable value to the business. This role establishes engineering strategy, defines technical direction, and ensures consistent execution of scalable engineering processes aligned with organizational objectives.
The Director of Engineering leads and develops engineering teams while maintaining accountability for product development performance, quality, cost, schedule, and global scalability.
In partnership with executive leadership, this role evaluates and develops a strategic roadmap for engineering and product expansion into low‑cost global regions, ensuring product architectures, documentation standards, and development processes support multi‑site and international growth.
This position reports directly to the Vice President of Products.
Essential Duties And Responsibilities Engineering Strategy & Execution
Partners with executive leadership to establish long‑term product, engineering, manufacturing, and scalability objectives
Defines and implements scalable engineering processes and governance models
Leads end‑to‑end product development from concept through validation, production, and lifecycle support
Ensures compliance with internal engineering standards and quality system requirements
Leads cost‑reduction, design‑for‑manufacturability, and process optimization initiatives
Reviews project plans, schedules, and budgets to ensure alignment with business objectives
Develops and manages engineering operating and capital budgets
Global Strategy & International Expansion
Develops and supports a phased roadmap for engineering and product expansion into low‑cost global regions
Evaluates regional engineering capabilities, supplier ecosystems, regulatory requirements, and manufacturing readiness
Ensures product architectures, documentation standards, and engineering processes are designed for global replication and cost‑optimized multi‑site deployment
Establishes governance frameworks enabling consistent execution across domestic and international locations
Collaborate with Operations and Supply Chain to align product strategy with global sourcing and cost optimization initiatives
Supports international market entry through engineering risk assessment and localization planning
Supervisory Responsibilities
Provides strategic oversight of the product development portfolio, ensuring optimal allocation of engineering resources to maximize business impact
Establishes priorities and allocates resources to meet product, schedule, quality, and scalability objectives
Designs and evolves the engineering organizational structure to support business growth and global scalability
Establishes performance standards, drives accountability, and leads talent development and succession planning
Promotes cross‑functional collaboration and consistent execution of engineering processes
Qualifications Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related technical discipline
Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive engineering experience in product development environments
Minimum of seven (7) years of experience leading product‑focused engineering teams
Demonstrated experience supporting or leading engineering operations across multiple regions or international environments
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with Agile, Scrum, or other structured product development methodologies
Experience evaluating or establishing engineering or manufacturing capability in low‑cost global regions
Working knowledge of global regulatory compliance, import/export considerations, and region‑specific technical standards
Technical & Process Competence
Demonstrated experience leading the design and development of electronic hardware and software products, including IIoT‑based or connected systems
Demonstrated ability to define, implement, and maintain structured engineering processes across the product development lifecycle
Experience leading product‑centric engineering organizations with full lifecycle accountability
Ability to provide technical guidance and oversight on architecture, design decisions, and engineering tradeoffs
Experience designing scalable product architectures that support multi‑site or global manufacturing deployment
Leadership & Organizational Competence
Experience planning, directing, and coordinating the work of engineering staff
Experience recruiting, developing, and evaluating engineering personnel
Ability to align engineering priorities with business, operational, and product objectives
Ability to collaborate effectively with Product Management, Operations, and executive leadership
Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change and scale engineering capability in evolving business environments
Communication & Documentation
Ability to communicate technical and strategic information clearly to technical teams and executive stakeholders
Ability to ensure appropriate development and maintenance of engineering documentation, standards, and specifications
Required Skills/Abilities
Ability to establish and maintain engineering principles, methodologies, and development frameworks
Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
Strong organizational and planning skills
Demonstrated financial acumen, including the ability to evaluate ROI, cost structures, and capital investment decisions related to engineering initiatives
Proficiency with standard business and engineering software tools
Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The role requires the ability to sit, stand, and walk, and to use a computer and other standard office equipment for extended periods. Minimal physical exertion is required.
Work Environment This position is primarily performed in an office environment. Occasional travel to manufacturing facilities, customer sites, or other business locations may be required. When visiting manufacturing or industrial environments, the role may involve exposure to noise, moving equipment, temperature variations, or other typical industrial conditions.
Equal Opportunity Statement All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or age. If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact Human Resources at 414‑228‑5000 or hr@milwaukeeelectronics.com.
For more information about our commitment to equal employment opportunity, please see this government poster: https://www.eeoc.gov
Because this job has access to controlled technology, we must comply with ITAR. Any job offers will be contingent on verification that the candidate is a U.S. person (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent resident, or individual granted asylum/refugee status in the U.S.) or can otherwise satisfy ITAR compliance requirements. If applicable, if an individual is not a U.S. person, our policy is to not take the extra step of seeking approval from the federal government for that person to work in this position.
Upon hire, the successful candidate must present acceptable proof of identity and current authorization to work in the U.S., as required on Form I-9. We do not provide sponsorship support for employment‑based visas such as H‑1B.
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Summary The Director of Engineering is responsible for the strategic leadership and technical oversight of product engineering operations, ensuring that the Product Realization Process delivers measurable value to the business. This role establishes engineering strategy, defines technical direction, and ensures consistent execution of scalable engineering processes aligned with organizational objectives.
The Director of Engineering leads and develops engineering teams while maintaining accountability for product development performance, quality, cost, schedule, and global scalability.
In partnership with executive leadership, this role evaluates and develops a strategic roadmap for engineering and product expansion into low‑cost global regions, ensuring product architectures, documentation standards, and development processes support multi‑site and international growth.
This position reports directly to the Vice President of Products.
Essential Duties And Responsibilities Engineering Strategy & Execution
Partners with executive leadership to establish long‑term product, engineering, manufacturing, and scalability objectives
Defines and implements scalable engineering processes and governance models
Leads end‑to‑end product development from concept through validation, production, and lifecycle support
Ensures compliance with internal engineering standards and quality system requirements
Leads cost‑reduction, design‑for‑manufacturability, and process optimization initiatives
Reviews project plans, schedules, and budgets to ensure alignment with business objectives
Develops and manages engineering operating and capital budgets
Global Strategy & International Expansion
Develops and supports a phased roadmap for engineering and product expansion into low‑cost global regions
Evaluates regional engineering capabilities, supplier ecosystems, regulatory requirements, and manufacturing readiness
Ensures product architectures, documentation standards, and engineering processes are designed for global replication and cost‑optimized multi‑site deployment
Establishes governance frameworks enabling consistent execution across domestic and international locations
Collaborate with Operations and Supply Chain to align product strategy with global sourcing and cost optimization initiatives
Supports international market entry through engineering risk assessment and localization planning
Supervisory Responsibilities
Provides strategic oversight of the product development portfolio, ensuring optimal allocation of engineering resources to maximize business impact
Establishes priorities and allocates resources to meet product, schedule, quality, and scalability objectives
Designs and evolves the engineering organizational structure to support business growth and global scalability
Establishes performance standards, drives accountability, and leads talent development and succession planning
Promotes cross‑functional collaboration and consistent execution of engineering processes
Qualifications Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related technical discipline
Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive engineering experience in product development environments
Minimum of seven (7) years of experience leading product‑focused engineering teams
Demonstrated experience supporting or leading engineering operations across multiple regions or international environments
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with Agile, Scrum, or other structured product development methodologies
Experience evaluating or establishing engineering or manufacturing capability in low‑cost global regions
Working knowledge of global regulatory compliance, import/export considerations, and region‑specific technical standards
Technical & Process Competence
Demonstrated experience leading the design and development of electronic hardware and software products, including IIoT‑based or connected systems
Demonstrated ability to define, implement, and maintain structured engineering processes across the product development lifecycle
Experience leading product‑centric engineering organizations with full lifecycle accountability
Ability to provide technical guidance and oversight on architecture, design decisions, and engineering tradeoffs
Experience designing scalable product architectures that support multi‑site or global manufacturing deployment
Leadership & Organizational Competence
Experience planning, directing, and coordinating the work of engineering staff
Experience recruiting, developing, and evaluating engineering personnel
Ability to align engineering priorities with business, operational, and product objectives
Ability to collaborate effectively with Product Management, Operations, and executive leadership
Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change and scale engineering capability in evolving business environments
Communication & Documentation
Ability to communicate technical and strategic information clearly to technical teams and executive stakeholders
Ability to ensure appropriate development and maintenance of engineering documentation, standards, and specifications
Required Skills/Abilities
Ability to establish and maintain engineering principles, methodologies, and development frameworks
Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
Strong organizational and planning skills
Demonstrated financial acumen, including the ability to evaluate ROI, cost structures, and capital investment decisions related to engineering initiatives
Proficiency with standard business and engineering software tools
Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The role requires the ability to sit, stand, and walk, and to use a computer and other standard office equipment for extended periods. Minimal physical exertion is required.
Work Environment This position is primarily performed in an office environment. Occasional travel to manufacturing facilities, customer sites, or other business locations may be required. When visiting manufacturing or industrial environments, the role may involve exposure to noise, moving equipment, temperature variations, or other typical industrial conditions.
Equal Opportunity Statement All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or age. If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact Human Resources at 414‑228‑5000 or hr@milwaukeeelectronics.com.
For more information about our commitment to equal employment opportunity, please see this government poster: https://www.eeoc.gov
Because this job has access to controlled technology, we must comply with ITAR. Any job offers will be contingent on verification that the candidate is a U.S. person (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent resident, or individual granted asylum/refugee status in the U.S.) or can otherwise satisfy ITAR compliance requirements. If applicable, if an individual is not a U.S. person, our policy is to not take the extra step of seeking approval from the federal government for that person to work in this position.
Upon hire, the successful candidate must present acceptable proof of identity and current authorization to work in the U.S., as required on Form I-9. We do not provide sponsorship support for employment‑based visas such as H‑1B.
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