Manufacturing Engineering Manager
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About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Manufacturing Engineering Manager to lead a multidisciplinary engineering team focused on the design, development, improvement, and execution of advanced conveyance and automation systems used in manufacturing, warehouse, and distribution environments.
This role is ideal for a hands-on engineering leader who understands how mechanical systems, electrical design, controls, automation, fabrication, assembly, and installation all come together to deliver reliable material handling solutions. The Engineering Manager will be responsible for guiding engineering projects from concept through completion while ensuring quality, efficiency, cost control, and on-time delivery.
The right candidate will be comfortable leading people, solving technical problems, supporting production and project teams, and improving engineering processes. This person should bring strong technical knowledge, project management ability, and a continuous improvement mindset.
Key Responsibilities
Lead, mentor, and manage a team of engineers, designers, and technical staff across mechanical, electrical, systems, and controls engineering disciplines.
Oversee the design and development of conveyance, automation, and material handling systems for manufacturing, warehouse, parcel, and distribution applications.
Provide technical direction on system layouts, equipment design, automation concepts, electrical/control requirements, and project execution strategies.
Review engineering designs, drawings, calculations, specifications, and project documentation to ensure accuracy, manufacturability, safety, and compliance with customer requirements.
Work closely with project management, manufacturing, fabrication, controls, purchasing, field installation, and customer-facing teams to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget.
Support the full project lifecycle, including concept development, estimating support, design reviews, production handoff, installation support, system startup, troubleshooting, and final project closeout.
Manage engineering resources, project priorities, timelines, and workloads to ensure productivity and alignment with business needs.
Identify and resolve technical issues related to equipment layout, conveyor design, system integration, controls, installation challenges, production constraints, and customer requirements.
Drive continuous improvement within the engineering department, including improvements to design standards, documentation practices, communication flow, project handoffs, and overall engineering efficiency.
Support lean manufacturing initiatives and help improve processes that reduce waste, improve quality, shorten lead times, and increase consistency.
Collaborate with leadership to develop department goals, improve team performance, and support long-term business growth.
Ensure engineering practices align with applicable safety standards, industry regulations, quality expectations, and best practices related to material handling and automation systems.
Day-to-Day Responsibilities
A typical day may include meeting with engineering and project teams to review active automation or conveyance system projects, checking progress against schedules, resolving design or production questions, and helping prioritize engineering resources.
This person may review conveyor layouts, system drawings, equipment specifications, control requirements, or change requests to make sure designs meet customer expectations and can be manufactured and installed effectively.
The Engineering Manager may spend time working with mechanical engineers, controls engineers, designers, and project managers to solve technical problems, improve system designs, or address issues discovered during fabrication, assembly, installation, or commissioning.
This role will also involve regular communication with manufacturing, purchasing, field service, and leadership teams to ensure engineering work supports project timelines, budget requirements, and overall operational goals.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field is required. An advanced degree is preferred.
Minimum of 8 years of engineering experience, preferably within material handling, automation, manufacturing, distribution systems, industrial equipment, or a related environment.
At least 3 years of experience in an engineering leadership or management role.
Strong technical understanding of mechanical systems, electrical systems, automation equipment, controls, and system integration.
Experience with conveyor systems, sortation equipment, material handling systems, automated production equipment, or distribution center automation is strongly preferred.
Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering teams and manage complex technical projects.
Strong project management skills, including planning, scheduling, budgeting, resource allocation, and timeline management.
Familiarity with lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, root cause analysis, and process improvement methods.
Ability to read, review, and interpret technical drawings, layouts, schematics, specifications, and engineering documentation.
Excellent problem-solving skills with a hands-on, practical approach to engineering and operations support.
Strong communication skills with the ability to work effectively with internal teams, customers, vendors, and leadership.
Knowledge of applicable industry standards, safety requirements, and regulations related to automation, conveyor systems, and material handling equipment.
Preferred Experience
Experience supporting engineered-to-order or custom automation projects.
Background working with manufacturing, fabrication, assembly, or field installation teams.
Experience with CAD tools, engineering documentation systems, ERP/MRP systems, or project management software.
Understanding of PLCs, sensors, motors, drives, control panels, and automation system architecture.
Experience improving engineering workflows, design standards, and cross-functional handoff processes.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a strong technical leader who can balance engineering detail with big-picture project execution. This person should be comfortable leading a team, making decisions, solving problems quickly, and working closely with multiple departments to keep complex automation projects moving forward.
This role is a great fit for someone who enjoys building better systems, developing engineering talent, improving processes, and contributing directly to the successful delivery of automation and material handling solutions.
Pay: $150,000.00 - $175,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Do you have existing knowledge of manufacturing in material handling environments?
Education:
Experience:
- engineering management: 5 years (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Columbia, MD 21046 (Required)
Work Location: In person
