Lead Product Design Engineering Manager - Heavy Haul Trailers

Ilocatum; Waterloo (IA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Ilocatum in Waterloo, Iowa is seeking an experienced Product Design Engineering Manager to lead a design team focused on heavy haul trailer platforms. You will own architectures, set design standards, and drive enhancements to ensure manufacturability, cost efficiency, and reliability.

The role blends hands-on engineering oversight with people leadership, coordinating with manufacturing, warranty, customer service, and sales to optimize product lifecycles and schedule execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Experience with heavy haul trailers or similar equipment.
• Hands-on engineering judgment.
• Proficiency with CAD tools and data systems.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and manage a team of product design engineers supporting production and in-market products.
• Own product architectures, standards, and design intent across heavy haul trailer platforms.
• Prioritize and assign engineering work based on production needs, product improvements, cost-reduction initiatives, and field feedback.
• Serve as engineering owner for sustaining engineering, product changes, and platform evolution (non-NPD).
• Ensure engineering support for production, including rapid resolution of design, quality, and manufacturability issues.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Production to improve weldment, fabrication, and assembly methods; BOM accuracy, drawings, and release quality.
• Lead and participate in structured design reviews and approve engineering changes.
• Oversee ECN/ECO execution to ensure timely, accurate, and well-documented product changes.
• Ensure compliance with FMVSS, DOT, and internal engineering and quality standards.
• Apply DFMEA, lessons learned, warranty data, and field feedback to improve durability, safety, and product reliability.
• Drive design-for-manufacturing, design-to-cost, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support sales, service, and operations by providing clear engineering guidance and technical explanations.
• Maintain and improve engineering documentation, databases, and design tools.
• Assist with development and implementation of standard, pre-engineered product offerings to reduce custom engineering resource demands and improve schedule execution.

Skills

Problem solving

Root-cause analysis

Communication skills

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CAD tools

Excel

Engineering data systems

Job description

Ilocatum in Waterloo, Iowa is seeking an experienced Product Design Engineering Manager to lead a design team focused on heavy haul trailer platforms. You will own architectures, set design standards, and drive enhancements to ensure manufacturability, cost efficiency, and reliability.

The role blends hands-on engineering oversight with people leadership, coordinating with manufacturing, warranty, customer service, and sales to optimize product lifecycles and schedule execution.