Director of Custom Engineering

Position Summary

The Director of Custom Engineering provides technical, people, and quality leadership for the Custom Engineering function. This role is responsible for ensuring high‑quality, timely delivery of custom designs that meet customer, manufacturing, and business expectations. The Director establishes expectations for engineering standards, design rigor, and quality ownership across the custom lifecycle, supporting strong connections between pre‑sale concept development and custom operations. The Director leads and develops engineering leaders and teams, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and engagement consistent with LSI values. Through strong cross‑functional relationships, sound judgment, and a focus on long‑term capability and quality, this role advances engineering effectiveness, scalability, and customer confidence.

Job Duties

• Provide strategic and organizational leadership for the Custom Engineering function, aligning departmental objectives with overall business unit and company strategy.
• Establish and oversee long‑term capability planning for custom engineering, ensuring design practices, tools, and talent align with current and future manufacturing strategies.
• Set expectations for engineering quality, technical rigor, and design standards, ensuring consistency, scalability, and compliance with LSI best practices.
• Provide executive oversight for engineering systems, technology platforms, and upgrades, ensuring investments deliver measurable value to the business.
• Represent Custom Engineering at the business unit and enterprise leadership level, clearly communicating risks, opportunities, and performance.
• Support the planning and scheduling of design activities for custom products.
• Assess and determine design capabilities based on current manufacturing processes.
• Provide support to the project teams in scheduled concept design reviews.
• Drive a culture of quality, ownership, and continuous improvement, championing innovation and the evolution of engineering processes, systems, and tools to improve quality, speed, and customer satisfaction.
• Assist project teams in scheduled project reviews.
• Direct, review, and approve product designs and changes.
• Work with customers as needed to understand design requirements.
• Collaborate internally with custom presale, engineering, manufacturing, and installation support to ensure on‑time delivery, quality, morale, safety, and cost.
• Work with other value streams to create new operational capabilities and smooth processes.
• Lead, mentor, and develop engineering team members, building a strong leadership bench and succession pipeline to support business growth and complexity.
• Establish and monitor performance (individual and team), ensuring accountability, engagement, and alignment to strategic goals.
• Maintain ultimate accountability for engineering deliverables, outcomes, and the performance of all teams within scope.
• Act as a key leader within the Custom Leadership Team, contributing to business unit strategy, investment decisions, and enterprise initiatives.
• Other duties as assigned.

Competencies

• Dealing with ambiguity & paradox: can effectively cope with change and shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; comfortable with risk and uncertainty; flexible and adaptable when facing tough calls.
• Comfort around higher management: can deal comfortably with senior managers; present to them without undue tension; understand senior managers think and work.
• Command skills: relishes leading; takes unpopular stands if necessary; encourages direct and tough debate but knows when to end and move on; faces adversity head on.
• Decision quality: makes good decisions based on analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment; solutions turn out correct and accurate over time.
• Political savvy: negotiates skillfully in tough situations; settles differences with minimal noise; manages complex political situations effectively and respectfully.
• Organizational agility: knowledgeable about how organizations work; uses formal and informal channels; understands policies, practices, and procedures; understands cultures of organizations.
• Managing through systems: can design practices, processes, and procedures allowing management from a distance; lets things manage themselves without intervening; impacts people and results remotely.
• Evaluating & developing direct reports: judges talent, articulates strengths and limitations; projects talent potential; provides challenging assignments; holds development discussions; builds development plans.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.
• 15+ years of experience in engineering and manufacturing, with progressive responsibility across technical and people leadership roles.
• Proven ability to oversee complex engineering projects or portfolios, balancing quality, schedule, and business priorities.
• Strong working knowledge of mechanical design principles and 3D CAD tools (SolidWorks or equivalent); ability to set expectations and provide technical direction.

Compensation and Benefits

The starting target salary range is $151,350 – $192,000, depending upon qualifications and experience. The posted pay range reflects the expected compensation for a fully qualified candidate. In addition to base salary, the compensation package also includes eligibility for a profit‑sharing opportunity. Eligible full‑time employees receive a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits; vacation and paid holidays; a 401(k) retirement plan and employee stock ownership plan.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Landscape Structures is an equal‑opportunity employer. Landscape Structures participates in E‑Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I‑9 to confirm you are authorized to work in the United States.

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