Engineering Manager

M Force Partners; Exeter (RI); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

M Force Partners seeks an Engineering Manager to lead the Vehicle Solutions Engineering team from concept to production. The role blends hands-on product development with leadership, and requires collaborating with global manufacturing partners and senior executives.

Ideal candidates have 10–15 years of design engineering experience, with a background in automotive or electromechanical products, and proven ability to drive complex programs to production release.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 10-15 years in progressive design engineering or automotive/complex product development.
• Hands-on experience designing products from concept through production.
• Leadership experience and ability to guide multi-disciplinary teams.
• Strong skills in SolidWorks and design for manufacturability.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor the Vehicle Solutions Engineering team.
• Manage complex, cross-functional product development programs.
• Drive DFMA and DFA principles throughout development.
• Collaborate with global engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Present technical plans and results to senior leadership.

Skills

Engineering leadership

SolidWorks

Mechanical design

Electromechanical design

Project management

Global collaboration

Manufacturing knowledge

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks PDM

SolidWorks 3D CAD

Job description

M Force Partners is seeking an experienced Engineering Manager to lead a Vehicle Solutions Engineering team responsible for developing highly technical products from initial concept through production. This position combines hands-on product development expertise, engineering leadership, global manufacturing collaboration, and responsibility for the successful execution of complex design engineering projects.

The ideal candidate brings 10-15 years of progressive design engineering and product development experience with an extensive career personally designing and developing physical products. Experience with automotive accessories is highly valuable, but candidates with strong backgrounds in electromechanical products, electronics, medical equipment, consumer products, or other technically complex manufactured products may also be a strong fit.

This role requires more than engineering team management. The Engineering Manager must have the technical depth to lead design decisions, understand manufacturing at a detailed level, communicate effectively with global engineering and manufacturing teams, and confidently present technical information to senior executives and other key stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and provide technical direction to the Vehicle Solutions Engineering team
• Manage complex product development programs from proof of concept through design, validation, manufacturing, and production release
• Remain actively involved in technical design decisions, engineering problem-solving, and product development activities
• Develop engineering project plans, schedules, resource requirements, and non-recurring engineering estimates
• Ensure engineering projects meet technical requirements, quality expectations, schedules, budgets, and business objectives
• Collaborate with U.S. and international Engineering, Product Management, Quality, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and business leadership teams
• Serve as a key engineering liaison between U.S. operations and global engineering organizations
• Work closely with global manufacturing teams and suppliers to ensure designs can be manufactured efficiently and consistently
• Apply global manufacturing and factory best practices to product development and production activities
• Support manufacturing relationships and engineering activities involving international operations, including facilities and partners in China, Korea, Australia, and other global markets
• Lead concept development and detailed mechanical design activities using SolidWorks 3D CAD
• Review and approve engineering drawings, specifications, design documentation, and technical deliverables
• Lead engineering design reviews and provide technical guidance throughout the product development lifecycle
• Drive Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles throughout product development
• Lead and support DFMEA activities in collaboration with Quality Engineering
• Oversee prototype development, engineering testing, product validation, and production readiness
• Investigate field failures, identify root causes, and develop corrective engineering solutions
• Manage engineering changes, design revisions, product documentation, and Engineering Change processes
• Support patent documentation and intellectual property initiatives when applicable
• Conduct technology research, supplier evaluations, and market analysis to support new product development
• Maintain engineering documentation standards and support SolidWorks PDM administration
• Establish and reinforce engineering best practices and standardized product development processes
• Present engineering plans, product concepts, technical recommendations, project status, and development results to senior leadership and other key stakeholders
• Communicate technical concepts clearly and confidently in formal presentations and executive-level discussions

Technical Design & Product Development

The Engineering Manager should bring extensive personal experience designing and developing manufactured products and be capable of providing technical leadership across areas such as:

• Mechanical and electromechanical product design
• Vehicle electrical systems and accessories
• Electrical harness and wiring integration
• Sheet metal components and assemblies
• CNC machined components
• Plastic injection molded components
• Thermoformed products
• Aluminum extrusions
• Mechanical assemblies
• Lighting and electronic products
• Prototype development and product validation
• Design for Manufacturability and Design for Assembly

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
• 10-15 years of progressive engineering experience involving product development, mechanical design, electromechanical design, or automotive engineering
• Extensive hands-on experience personally designing and developing products from concept through production
• Previous engineering leadership, technical leadership, or engineering management experience
• Advanced proficiency with SolidWorks 3D CAD
• Strong understanding of mechanical design principles and manufacturing processes
• Demonstrated experience taking new products through concept development, prototyping, validation, and production release
• Strong knowledge of Design for Manufacturability and Design for Assembly principles
• Experience working directly with manufacturing teams, suppliers, and production facilities
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, factory operations, production considerations, and product quality
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering projects and cross-functional development teams
• Ability to evaluate technical designs and provide meaningful engineering direction to experienced engineers
• Strong project management, organizational, and decision-making skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong public speaking and presentation abilities with the confidence to present technical information to senior executives and other high-level stakeholders
• Ability to collaborate effectively across different countries, cultures, and time zones

Preferred Qualifications

• Product development experience within automotive accessories, automotive electrical systems, vehicle products, or related markets
• Experience designing highly technical consumer or industrial products
• Experience developing lighting systems, wiring harnesses, portable power products, or vehicle accessories
• Experience with SolidWorks PDM
• Global engineering and manufacturing experience
• Experience working directly with manufacturing operations or suppliers in China, Korea, or other international manufacturing markets
• Experience supporting globally distributed engineering teams
• Knowledge of Design for Environment (DFE)
• Experience with patent or intellectual property documentation
• Experience working within a publicly traded or similarly structured global organization

Schedule Requirements

This position supports engineering teams in both the United States and Australia. Candidates must be able and willing to regularly work 5:00 PM-8:00 PM Eastern Time to collaborate with the Australian team.

Morning and afternoon working hours can be flexed to accommodate this evening requirement while maintaining effective collaboration with both U.S. and international teams.

If this role isn't the right fit for you, we encourage you to explore our other opportunities at mforcepartners.com.

Do you know someone who may be a great match? Feel free to share this opportunity within your network.

Equal Opportunity Employer

M Force Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.