Director of Engineering

Job Title: Director of Engineering

Location: On Site - Nappanee, Indiana

Salary: $190,000-$210,000

Skills: Vehicle Engineering, Leadership, CAD/CAE, Regulatory Compliance, Supplier Management

About the Company / The Opportunity:

This is a unique leadership opportunity to impact the design, development, and integration of advanced interior, exterior, and electrical systems for vehicles. As Director of Engineering, you'll drive technical excellence and innovation, championing a culture of continuous improvement, productivity, and strategic differentiation in a dynamic environment that celebrates extraordinary mobile experiences and exploration.

Responsibilities:

• Lead functional engineering teams to design, develop, and integrate vehicle systems and features.
• Drive discovery, development, and evaluation of new product ideas and enhancements, ensuring marketable solutions aligned with customer expectations and industry trends.
• Collaborate across business units and enterprise engineering teams to develop strategic plans for new product designs and launches.
• Establish clear organizational structures, roles, and priorities that promote a high-performing engineering culture.
• Communicate engineering vision, objectives, and strategies to internal stakeholders and key business leaders.
• Hire, coach, and develop engineering talent to nurture a team focused on achieving business objectives.
• Foster a culture of delivering high-quality, on-time, and on-budget projects.
• Champion adoption of emerging technologies, including lightweight materials, EV architectures, connected vehicle systems, and smart interiors.
• Drive continuous improvement efforts with a focus on design for manufacturability (DFM), design for serviceability (DFS), and cost optimization.
• Review, anticipate, and plan for future technology needs within the department.

Must-Have Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering.
• 10 years of experience in vehicle engineering, including 5 years in a leadership role.
• Expertise in vehicle systems and lifecycle development, ideally within automotive, truck, or RV sectors.
• Strong proficiency with CAD/CAE tools and PLM systems (NX/Team Center preferred).
• In-depth knowledge of regulatory requirements and homologation processes for vehicles.
• Outstanding leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven experience in supplier management and global engineering collaboration.

Nice-to-Have Skills:

• Master’s degree in engineering or MBA.
• Experience in the luxury RV, truck, or automotive industries.
• Background in deploying emerging technologies, including EV architectures and connected vehicle systems.
• Exposure to design for manufacturability (DFM), serviceability (DFS), and cost optimization methodologies.
• Ability to drive strategic differentiation and continuous improvement in a growth-oriented and innovative environment.