Vice President of Engineering

Position Summary The Vice President of Engineering provides strategic and operational leadership for Arning's ~30-person engineering division, encompassing the design, development and fabrication of steel structures as well as volumetric and panelized modular buildings. This role sets the direction for engineering quality, compliance, schedule performance, and talent development across a highly specialized workforce. The VP of Engineering is a key member of the leadership team, partnering with Operations, Sales, and Executive Leadership to align engineering capacity with business objectives and ensure all products and projects meet technical, regulatory, and client standards. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Leadership amp;

Strategy:

Define and execute the engineering department's strategic goals, performance metrics, and continuous improvement initiatives across all teams. Partner with executive leadership to align engineering capacity, hiring plans, and technology investments with company growth objectives. Represent Engineering in cross-functional discussions involving Operations, Sales, Estimating, and client management. Build and sustain a culture of accountability, technical excellence, and professional development throughout the department. Project Delivery amp;

Quality:

Oversee production drawing schedules, resource allocation, and workload balancing across all engineering teams to meet client delivery commitments. Establish and maintain engineering quality standards, checking procedures, and drawing review workflows for all product lines. Identify and mitigate technical risks on complex or high-value projects; serve as the senior escalation point for engineering design issues. Drive cycle time reduction and quality improvement through process standardization, template development, and workflow optimization. Monitor job cost performance relative to engineering budget; analyze trends and lead corrective action on overruns. Regulatory Compliance amp; Licensing Provide departmental oversight of multi-state modular building licensing, plan review, and regulatory compliance across all active project states. Ensure the Licensing amp; Permitting team has the direction, resources, and processes needed to manage regulatory submissions, agency relationships, and permitting status effectively. Ensure engineering documentation meets applicable codes and standards including

IBC, IECC, ASCE

7, and state-specific modular construction requirements. Support the maintenance of Arning's modular manufacturing certifications and escalate regulatory issues that require senior leadership involvement. People Management amp; Development Directly supervise department managers and supervisors; provide coaching, performance feedback, and career development planning across the full engineering org. Lead annual performance review cycles, goal-setting, and compensation planning for the engineering department. Recruit, onboard, and retain specialized technical talent including structural engineers, steel detailers, modular designers, and licensing professionals. Develop and maintain role-specific training programs, onboarding materials, and technical standards documentation. Manage contractor and vendor relationships within the engineering scope as needed. Process amp; Technology Own and continuously improve engineering workflows in the company's project management and scheduling systems. Evaluate and champion tools, automation, and AI-assisted workflows that improve detailing throughput, drawing quality, and compliance documentation. Oversee Ramp;D and manufacturing engineering initiatives related to new product development and production process improvements. Standardize client submittal packages, material specifications, and engineering documentation formats across all product lines and clients. Qualifications Required Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, or a closely related technical discipline; equivalent experience in lieu of degree will be considered. 7+ years of progressive experience in an engineering or technical environment, with at least 3 years in a people leadership role. Background in structural steel, modular/prefabricated construction, commercial construction, or a related manufacturing or fabrication discipline. Working knowledge of applicable building codes and standards (IBC, ASCE 7, IECC) and general familiarity with regulatory compliance processes. Demonstrated ability to manage concurrent projects across multiple clients with competing priorities and deadlines. Strong budget management skills; experience analyzing job cost performance and managing department-level financials. Excellent communication and organizational skills, with the ability to represent engineering credibly to executive leadership, clients, and external stakeholders. Preferred Experience with multi-state modular building or manufactured housing licensing and regulatory compliance. Familiarity with steel detailing, modular building design, or related technical production workflows. Experience leading or implementing process improvement, automation, or technology initiatives in an engineering environment. Prior experience in a manufacturing or fabrication setting. PE (Professional Engineer) license is a plus but not required.