Engineering Manager

End-to-End Project Ownership Own the full lifecycle of new projects , from quoting and concept development through launch and ongoing production support. Lead and actively manage high-profile, complex customer programs , ensuring successful execution against cost, quality, timing, and performance objectives. Establish and maintain clear project plans, milestones, risk management strategies, and communication routines. Serve as the engineering escalation point for project challenges, ensuring rapid issue resolution. Project Estimating & Sales Support Play a hands-on role in project estimating , including labor, tooling, automation, capital equipment, and process assumptions. Partner closely with Sales to support technical proposals and feasibility assessments. Ensure estimates are accurate, competitive, and aligned with manufacturing capabilities and business objectives. Support customer-facing technical discussions as needed. Automation & Process Improvement Drive manufacturing automation initiatives to improve safety, efficiency, quality, and cost competitiveness. Guide and manage plant renovations, expansions, and capital projects, including coordination with external contractors and vendors Identify, prioritize, and execute process improvement and automation opportunities across engineering and manufacturing. Lead the evaluation, justification, and implementation of automation, tooling, and advanced manufacturing technologies and advanced project management software. Champion standardization and best practices across programs and facilities. Support testing and evaluation of new or advanced materials for processability. Partner with manufacturing managers and leadership to align priorities and drive cross-departmental initiatives. Resource & Priority Management Plan and allocate engineering resources to align with customer commitments, operational priorities, and strategic initiatives. Balance short-term production support with long-term improvement, automation, and growth-focused projects. Establish clear prioritization frameworks to ensure optimal focus and throughput. Monitor and report on cost savings and efficiency gains from implemented projects Cross-Functional Leadership Ensure tight integration between Sales, Engineering, Tooling, Production, Supply Chain, Quality and Support teams , creating a seamless and accountable project delivery model. Facilitate effective handoffs between quoting, design, launch, and production phases. Promote transparency, accountability, and disciplined execution across all project stakeholders. Team Leadership & Development Model and reinforce LINDAR's core values of initiative, integrity, relationships and teamwork by setting clear expectations, holding the team accountable and leading by examples in all interactions and decisions. Instill and foster a customer-focused mindset within the engineering team, reinforcing the importance of responsiveness, transparency, and delivering on commitments. Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing engineering team. Set clear expectations, performance goals, and development plans for direct reports. Support hiring, onboarding, training, and succession planning within the engineering organization. Promote and uphold a positive safety culture, ensuring personal and team compliance with all safety protocols, including those involving vendors and contractors. Foster a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, and collaboration. Qualifications & Experience Required Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Electrical, or related field). 7+ years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment. 3+ years of engineering leadership or management experience. Proven track record managing complex, customer-facing manufacturing projects. Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, tooling, automation, and production systems. Experience developing project estimates and managing capital budgets. Preferred Experience in plastics manufacturing, metal stamping, forming, assembly, or automated manufacturing environments. Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement experience. Proven experience in thermoforming or plastics manufacturing strongly preferred; Familiarity with robotics, PLCs, controls, or advanced automation technologies. Project Management Professional (PMP) or similar certification. Key Competencies Strong project and program management skills Strategic thinker with hands-on execution capability Excellent cross-functional communication and leadership skills Data-driven decision-making and financial acumen