Product Design Engineering Manager

Software Placement Group, SPG; Waterloo (IA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

15% bonus

Job summary

Software Placement Group, SPG, seeks a Product Design Engineering Manager to lead a team responsible for standard product offerings in heavy haul trailers and fabricated mobile equipment. You will own product architectures, drive design-for-manufacturing, and collaborate across Manufacturing, Warranty, Customer Service, and Sales to improve durability and cost efficiency.

This role blends hands-on technical leadership with people management, guiding sustaining engineering, ECOs, and platform

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
• Experience in heavy haul trailers, heavy equipment, or fabricated mobile equipment.
• Strong background in mechanical systems, structures, hydraulics, and manufacturing processes.
• Proven experience supporting products in production environments.
• Practical, hands-on engineering judgment.
• Strong problem-solving and root-cause analysis skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to balance cost, performance, manufacturability, and reliability.
• Proficiency with CAD tools, Excel, and engineering data systems.

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.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Production to improve 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

CAD tools

Excel

Engineering data systems

Problem-solving

Communication

Root-cause analysis

Manufacturing processes

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical Eng

Tools

CAD tools

Job description

Location: Waterloo, Iowa | Schedule: Full-time, on-site | Compensation: $80,000-$90,000 plus 15% bonus

Overview

An established manufacturer of heavy haul trailers and fabricated mobile equipment is seeking a Product Design Engineering Manager to lead a team responsible for a defined portion of standard product offerings supporting the production schedule. This role centers on ownership, standardization, continuous improvement, and lifecycle support of existing product platforms, ensuring designs remain manufacturable, cost-effective, compliant, and scalable. The position blends hands‑on technical oversight with people leadership, working closely with other engineering leaders, Manufacturing, Warranty, Customer Service, and occasionally Sales.

What you'll do

• 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
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Production to improve 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

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline
• Experience in heavy haul trailers, heavy equipment, or fabricated mobile equipment
• Strong background in mechanical systems, structures, hydraulics, and manufacturing processes
• Proven experience supporting products in production environments
• Practical, hands‑on engineering judgment
• Strong problem‑solving and root‑cause analysis skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to balance cost, performance, manufacturability, and reliability
• Proficiency with CAD tools, Excel, and engineering data systems

Compensation and benefits

• $80,000-$90,000 salary
• 15% bonus

Why this role

This position offers the opportunity to blend hands‑on technical leadership with people management, owning key product platforms and driving continuous improvement across production, quality, and cross‑functional teams.