Director of Engineering

Fieldpiece Instruments; Orange (CA); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Matching 401k up to 4% with immediate vesting

Excellent medical benefits including an HSA plan

Supplemental Term Life and Disability Insurance

Onsite music program with lessons

Personal career development plans

Job summary

Fieldpiece Instruments in Orange, CA is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead the R&D team in developing innovative tools for HVACR professionals. The ideal candidate brings over 12 years of engineering leadership experience and a strong technical background, driving product innovation through collaboration and problem-solving.

This role requires a hands-on leader who can align engineering goals with company objectives, manage cross-functional teams, and drive operational excellence. A hybrid work schedule and excellent benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive engineering and R&D leadership experience, including managing cross-functional teams.
• Proven success leading new product development and managing supplier/ODM partnerships.
• Experience with Lean product development or similar continuous improvement methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the long-term engineering and technical strategy.
• Lead a multi-disciplinary R&D engineering team.
• Build organizational capacity and technical depth for product pipeline.
• Drive seamless New Product Development (NPD) from concept through launch.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Planning

Cross-functional Collaboration

Technical Judgment

Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or electrical engineering or similar STEM field

Master’s or MBA preferred

Job description

We're hiring a new Director of Engineering to lead our growing team of mechanical, electrical, system and test engineers in a matrixed environment. You'll be a visible, empathetic leader who balances strategic vision with hands‑on engagement in problem‑solving and decision‑making.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, hands‑on R&D leader who thrives at the intersection of innovation, execution, and people leadership. You bring a deep and broad engineering background and have led teams to develop complex, electro‑mechanical products (not components) from concept to launch with a firm understanding of mechanical, electrical, and firmware requirements. You bring exceptional technical judgment and problem‑solving skills with the ability to collaborate across the organization and with outside suppliers and vendors. You have scaled teams to build internal capabilities and enjoy coaching your team through change and transformation. Finally, you’re innovative, customer driven, curious, and work well in ambiguous environments.

Fieldpiece is on a mission to make the lives of HVACR professionals easier, faster, and better with tools that set new standards for performance and reliability. We’ve been delivering rugged, feature‑rich tools like meters, manifolds, leak detectors, pumps and more since 1990 and lead the industry in the way we think, work, collaborate, and remain laser‑focused on creating products that empower HVACR professionals – today and tomorrow.

Recognized as one of Southern California’s Best Places to Work (2023, 2024, 2025 & 2026), we provide a Hire‑to‑Retire philosophy, a hybrid work schedule, and a culture of curiosity – a place where you’ll have the support to innovate boldly, grow continuously, and make a tangible impact on an industry that powers everyday life.

Based in Orange, CA today—with an exciting move to a brand-new Tustin office in mid‑2027.

What You’ll Do

• Define and execute the long‑term engineering and technical strategy aligned with company growth objectives and product innovation goals.
• Lead a multi‑disciplinary R&D engineering team – build, coach, and inspire – in a matrixed environment.
• Build organizational capacity and technical depth to deliver a sustainable pipeline of differentiated products.
• Partner cross‑functionally with Product, Marketing, Quality, and Operations to drive seamless New Product Development (NPD) from concept through launch.
• Drive operational excellence and innovation through Lean product development, process optimization, and accountability.
• Be a visible, empathetic leader balancing strategic vision with hands‑on engagement in problem‑solving and decision‑making.
• Manage budgets, resources, processes, metrics and strategic priorities across simultaneous programs.
• Strengthen relationships with ODMs and strategic suppliers to expand innovation capacity and accelerate time‑to‑market.
• Develop and oversee the R&D budget, ensuring optimal allocation of financial and human resources across projects and teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or electrical engineering or similar STEM field; Master’s or MBA preferred.
• 12+ years of progressive engineering and R&D leadership experience, including managing cross‑functional and matrixed teams.
• Proven success leading new product development and managing supplier/ODM partnerships.
• Expertise in strategic planning, budgeting, and performance management.
• Experience with Lean product development or similar continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and leadership skills – a motivator who connects strategy to execution.

Benefits

• Matching 401k up to 4% with immediate vesting.
• Excellent medical benefits including an HSA plan and monthly HSA contributions.
• Supplemental Term Life, Employee Assistance Programs (EAD), Disability, and more.
• Hire to Retire philosophy that includes personal career development plans.
• Onsite music program with lessons from guitar, piano and voice coaches.
• And more!

EOE AA M/F/Veteran/Disability

The base annual salary range for this role is currently $160,000-230,000 plus 25% bonus eligibility. Pay scales are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay is determined through interviews and an assessment of several factors that that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to, job‑related skills, relevant education and experience, certifications, abilities of the candidate and pay relative to other team members. We can share more information about our bonus program and benefits during the hiring process.