Director of Engineering

🚀 Director of Engineering

📍 Sarasota, FL | Onsite

💰 Up to $175K Base 10–25% Bonus

Ready to lead engineering for complex manufactured products that make a real difference in people’s lives?

LHH Recruitment Solutions is partnering with an established U.S. manufacturer to find a hands-on Director of Engineering to lead its Sarasota engineering operation.

This is not a strategy-only leadership role. We’re looking for someone who has personally led New Product Development (NPD) and taken physical products from concept through commercialization and launch.

🔧 What You’ll Own

• Lead NPD, NPI & Sustaining Engineering
• Drive the full product lifecycle: concept → design → verification/validation → manufacturing release → launch → post-launch support
• Lead and develop an engineering team of approximately 8
• Own engineering priorities, schedules, budgets, resources & technical risks
• Drive design quality, manufacturability (DFM), cost reduction & continuous improvement
• Partner across Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Product Management & Sales

🎯 What We’re Looking For

• 10 years of progressive engineering experience
• 7 years leading NPD and sustaining engineering teams
• Strong manufactured-products background
• Proven experience taking products from concept through launch
• Hands-on engineering leadership and day-to-day operational ownership
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field

⭐ Backgrounds That Translate Well

Experience with medical devices, mobility/accessibility products, industrial equipment, electromechanical products, durable goods, or other complex engineered products is especially relevant.

Regulated-product or formal quality-system experience is a plus.

💡 The Candidate Who Will Stand Out

You can walk us through a product you personally led from concept to market, explain exactly what you owned at each stage, and show how you partnered with manufacturing to successfully commercialize it.

If your experience has been primarily strategy or people management without hands-on product development ownership, this likely isn't the right fit.

💰 Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary up to approximately $175K
• 10–25% discretionary bonus potential
• Medical, dental & vision
• 401(k) with company match
• PTO sick/personal days
• Floating holiday
• Wellness incentive
• Annual merit reviews

📍 Sarasota, Florida

This is a fully onsite leadership role with occasional travel. Relocation may be considered for candidates genuinely interested in establishing themselves long term in the Sarasota area.

👉 If you're an Engineering Director, Engineering Manager, NPD Leader, or Product Development Engineering Leader who still likes being close to the product and the work, we'd like to hear from you.