Director of Product Engineering
High Bar Brands
Location: Remote (United States)
Travel: Approximately 35% (sites, customers, suppliers, trade shows)
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer
The Opportunity
We are looking for a hands-on engineering leader who can turn customer problems into products that win. This role owns the product engineering function across all HBB brands: new product development, applications engineering, and the project management discipline that gets products launched on time, on cost, and ready for production.
What You'll Do
Lead New Product Development
- Drive product development activities from concept through production launch.
- Establish and manage a disciplined stage-gate development process.
- Partner with Product Management, Sales, and Marketing to prioritize and execute product roadmaps.
- Lead innovation initiatives, identifying new technologies, materials, and product opportunities.
- Manage intellectual property activities, patents, and engineering partnerships.
- Champion value engineering initiatives to improve product performance and profitability.
Drive Cross-Functional Execution
- Collaborate closely with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing, and Product Management teams.
- Ensure engineering decisions support operational capabilities, customer requirements, and business objectives.
- Lead engineering support for acquisitions, product integrations, and standardization efforts.
- Build strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and external engineering resources.
Own Project & Portfolio Management
- Lead and strengthen project management disciplines across the engineering organization.
- Manage multiple concurrent projects across brands, facilities, and product lines.
- Oversee project schedules, resource planning, budgets, and launch readiness activities.
- Provide leadership visibility into project status, priorities, risks, and resource needs.
- Track and report key performance indicators including launch timing, project spend, cost reduction efforts, and product vitality metrics.
Support Customers & Applications Engineering
- Lead technical evaluations for new customer opportunities and custom applications.
- Assess feasibility, cost, manufacturability, and project risks.
- Translate customer requirements into engineering specifications, validation plans, and product designs.
- Oversee prototype development, testing, and product validation activities.
Partner with Operations
- Collaborate with manufacturing leaders to drive Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles.
- Support make-versus-buy decisions and vertical integration initiatives.
- Lead engineering change management processes and product launch readiness activities.
- Drive continuous improvement efforts focused on quality, efficiency, and cost reduction.
Develop People & Teams
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of product engineers, designers, and applications engineers across multiple locations.
- Build organizational capability through hiring, mentoring, and succession planning.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Education & Experience
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, manufacturing, materials, or a related engineering discipline. Master’s degree is a plus.
- 10+ years of product engineering experience, with 5+ years leading engineers or engineering teams.
- Experience in automotive, heavy-duty truck and trailer, or industrial vehicle components (OE, Tier 1/Tier 2, or aftermarket).
- A track record of taking new products from concept to launch, with measurable commercial results.
- Hands-on applications engineering experience working directly with customers.
- Strong project management skills: running multiple projects at once, holding dates, and managing budgets.
- Working knowledge of APQP, PPAP, DFMEA/PFMEA, GD&T, DFM/DFA, and engineering change management.
- Solid business sense: product costing, ROI and business case development, and competitive analysis.
- Experience leading customer-facing engineering, NPI, or quoting functions.
- Proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks, Creo, or similar) and PLM/PDM systems.
- Willingness to travel to sites and customers.
Preferred
- Commercial vehicle aftermarket experience with truck and trailer accessories and components (for example mud flaps, fenders, and protective components).
- Experience with polymer and steel materials and processes (injection molding, rotomolding, thermoforming, extrusion, forging and stamping)
- PMP or equivalent project management certification. Lean or Six Sigma training.
- Experience with FMVSS, SAE, or DOT standards relevant to commercial vehicle components.
Why Join High Bar Brands?
- Lead engineering across a growing portfolio of respected industry brands.
- Influence product strategy and business growth at the leadership level.
- Drive innovation from concept through commercialization.
- Work with cross-functional teams across manufacturing, sales, operations, and supply chain.
- Shape processes, build teams, and leave a lasting impact on the organization.
- Enjoy the flexibility of a remote leadership role while maintaining strong engagement with customers and operations throughout North America.
High Bar Brands is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.
— Sarah J.
·
Marketing Manager
★★★★★
Verified
