Hardware Engineering Manager

Insight Global is seeking a candidate for their client's job opening as a Manager, Tech Enablement within the manufacturing and hardware engineering industries.

Position Summary:

The Manager, Tech Enablement is responsible for driving innovation, technology adoption, and engineering capability growth across the global Hardware Engineering organization, which includes Mechanical, Hydraulics, Electrical, Electronics, Firmware, Systems, Test, QA, Engineering Operations, and Hardware Tools teams. Although this role does not include direct people management, it requires a high degree of leadership, influence, and cross-functional coordination.

This position will create and own the end-to-end innovation framework used by the hardware organization—spanning idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, validation, and execution. The Manager will steward the innovation backlog, align stakeholders, ensure cross-functional participation, and drive measurable outcomes that support product strategy and engineering productivity.

The ideal candidate brings a Tech Enablement mindset with strong organizational awareness, systems thinking, and the ability to translate technology trends into actionable engineering capabilities. This role requires exceptional communication skills, strategic vision, and the ability to guide teams toward long-term technology investment while managing short-term execution

Position Responsibilities:

· Develop, implement, and maintain the Hardware Engineering Innovation Framework, defining processes for idea intake, prioritization, validation, and execution.

· Own and manage the innovation initiative backlog, ensuring strategic alignment with product roadmaps, engineering needs, and long-term technology direction.

· Evaluate global technology trends and identify opportunities to enhance mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, electronic, firmware, test, QA, and engineering operations capabilities.

· Coordinate with engineering managers, technical leaders, and global stakeholders to ensure appropriate resourcing, cross-team alignment, and timely progress on innovation initiatives.

· Facilitate structured innovation activities including workshops, design sprints, hackathons, reverse engineering reviews, and technology scouting sessions.

· Define and track KPIs for innovation performance, engineering velocity improvements, adoption rates, and business impact.

· Guide teams through prototyping, experimentation, and validation phases using structured frameworks for decision-making and risk assessment.

· Partner with product management to ensure innovation aligns with customer needs and supports long-term business value.

· Communicate innovation strategies, opportunities, and results to engineering leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

· Promote a culture of curiosity, continuous learning, knowledge sharing, and responsible experimentation across engineering teams.

· Identify opportunities to introduce tools, automation, simulation, or process enhancements that increase engineering effectiveness.

· Provide coaching, mentorship, and thought leadership to engineers and technical leads on innovation best practices—even without direct managerial authority.

· Demonstrate strong leadership qualities including influence, prioritization, decision-making, and

accountability.

Qualification Requirements:

· Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, Computer, Systems, or related field) required. Master’s degree preferred.

· 10 years of experience in hardware, embedded systems, or multi-disciplinary engineering fields, with increasing levels of responsibility. Expectation is 2 to 3 years of Managerial or other leadership experience Such as Product Management and experience working an leading cross functional engagements.

· Proven success leading innovation initiatives, technology research, or emerging technology adoption.

· Strong understanding of multiple engineering domains (mechanical, electronics, firmware, testing, tools, or systems-level integration).

· Experience creating frameworks, processes, or structured methods for innovation or engineering performance improvement.

· Excellent facilitation, communication, and influence skills, with the ability to work across global teams and senior stakeholders.

· Strong analytical skills, including evaluating technologies, building business cases, and defining measurable KPIs.

· Demonstrated ability to lead without authority and collaborate across organizational boundaries.

· Experience managing cross-functional initiatives in a global engineering environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with engineering excellence methodologies (Lean, Agile, DFX, DFSS, FAST, Systems Thinking).

• Knowledge of advanced prototyping methods, simulation tools, and engineering automation platforms.

• Familiarity with R&D or innovation portfolio management.

• Prior experience working across Mechanical, Electrical, Firmware, or Systems Engineering teams.

• Strong understanding of engineering toolchains, development workflows, and hardware/software co-design processes.

• Experience running workshops, ideation sessions, or innovation programs.

Essential Functions:

· Serve as the innovation lead and strategic technology advisor within the Hardware Engineering organization.

· Represent Hardware Engineering in cross-functional and executive-level discussions related to technology investment and capability development.

· Manage multiple innovation and capability initiatives simultaneously while maintaining alignment to organizational priorities.

· Work independently while collaborating effectively with global teams across multiple time zones.

· Exhibit strong leadership presence, initiative, and the ability to influence complex decisions without direct reports.

· Maintain a high level of organization, flexibility, and adaptability in a dynamic environment.

· Fluent English is required.