Demo

Senior Director, Hardware Engineering

Lensa
Des Plaines, IL Full Time
POSTED ON 4/3/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 5/2/2026
Lensa is a career site that helps job seekers find great jobs in the US. We are not a staffing firm or agency. Lensa does not hire directly for these jobs, but promotes jobs on LinkedIn on behalf of its direct clients, recruitment ad agencies, and marketing partners. Lensa partners with DirectEmployers to promote this job for Kranze Technology Solutions. Clicking "Apply Now" or "Read more" on Lensa redirects you to the job board/employer site. Any information collected there is subject to their terms and privacy notice.

KTS develops complex, cutting-edge avionics and ground hardware and software solutions supporting digital interoperability, survivability, situational awareness, and data collection. We have a proven track record of delivering high quality products throughout the defense industry.

KTS is seeking a Senior Director of Hardware Engineering to lead a functionally diverse engineering organization in the development of military grade products. The Hardware Engineering Director position is a highly technical role although a managerial skillset is also essential to success. The position will report directly to the Vice President of Engineering.

Technical areas of expertise of the Hardware Engineering team include mechanical engineering (product design and structural/thermal analysis), electrical engineering (digital, analog, RF and power), and wiring design (digital, RF and power).

Responsibilities

  • Direct ownership of the execution of projects to ensure performance, cost, and schedule criteria are met
  • Provide effective leadership to a multi-disciplinary hardware engineering team
  • Manage staffing and project prioritization for the hardware engineering group
  • Communicate effectively with other entities of the engineering team (Systems and Software) as well as other organizations of the company (Program Management, Operations, Quality, etc.)
  • Own the product lifecycle from conceptualization through sustainment
  • Support new business capture, proposals, and company strategic planning

Required Qualifications & Skills

  • Master’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or applicable engineering field with a minimum of 15 years relevant experience
  • Proven history of developing electromechanical military grade products for aviation and/or ground applications
  • Technical cognizance of all elements of hardware design (mechanical, electrical, embedded software, etc.)
  • Experience with all elements of product development to include requirements definition, conceptual design, component analysis, prototyping, integration and test, manufacturing/fabrication, and design verification
  • Experience with multiple facets of hardware design such mechanical design, structural/thermal analysis, circuit card layout, electrical load analysis, etc.
  • Knowledge of military standards such MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-704, and MIL-STD-810
  • Experience with ISO 9001, AS9100 or similar quality standards
  • Demonstrated success in leading and developing cross functional teams of varying degrees of skillsets
  • Familiarity with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) tools
  • Strong organizational and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with all levels of management and individual contributors
  • Ability to travel (
  • Ability to obtain a U.S. Security Clearance

  • Other Preferred Skills

    • Proven history of installing complex avionics systems on military aircraft
    • Experience with communication systems to include RF component selection such as antennas and cabling
    • Familiarity with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tools (e.g. Oracle or SAP)

    We recognize that attracting the best talent is key to our strategy and success as a company. As a result, we aim for flexibility in structuring competitive compensation offers to ensure we are able to attract the best candidates. As required by law in this state, the estimated salary range for this position is $145,000-$244,000and represents our good faith estimate as to what our ideal candidates are likely to expect. We tailor our offers within the range based on organizational needs, internal equity, market data, geographic zone, and the selected candidate’s experience, education, industry knowledge, location, technical and communication skills, and other factors that may prove relevant during the selection process.

    Benefits

    Kranze Technology Solutions is proud to provide extremely competitive benefits to all full time employees including:

    • Comprehensive Leave Plan (Paid Time Off)
    • Comprehensive Health Care package including Medical, Vision, Dental, Health Savings Account (HSA), and more
    • 401(k) retirement plan
    • Paid Overtime
    • Flex Time and Flexible Scheduling
    • Opportunities to travel
    • Tuition Reimbursement options
    • Casual work environment

    About Kranze Technology Solutions

    We are part of SPX Technologies’ Communication Technologies platform in the Detection & Measurement business segment. KTS is focused in the defense industry specializing in Infrared Countermeasures (IRCM) systems, digital interoperability and networking, and program support for the US Navy, US Marine Corps, and Special Operations Command. We provide hardware and software product development, systems integration, system test and evaluation support, modeling and simulation analysis, and other engineering services to support the Warfighter.

    Each team member has significant opportunities to solve a variety of complex technical challenges in small teams while working hand in hand with our defense customers.

    KTS is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All applicants will be considered for employment without regards to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status, or any other segmenting characteristics protected by law.

    If You Require Reasonable Accommodation In Completing This Application, Interviewing, Completing Any Pre-employment Testing, Or Otherwise Participating In The Employee Selection Process, Please Direct Your Inquiries To

    Human Resources

    847-737-7299

    resumes@kranzetech.com

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    If you have questions about this posting, please contact support@lensa.com

    Salary : $145,000 - $244,000

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