Product Design Engineering Manager - Heavy Haul Platforms

Keystone Distinction Group; Waterloo (IA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Keystone Distinction Group is seeking a Product Design Engineering Manager in Waterloo, IA. You will lead a team responsible for standard product platforms, ensuring designs are manufacturable, cost-effective, and compliant, while collaborating with manufacturing, warranty, and customer service functions on site.

The role blends leadership with hands‑on technical oversight and ongoing engineering improvements to sustain product platforms and evolve platform offerings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
• Experience with 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; 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

Problem-solving

Root-cause analysis

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline

Tools

CAD tools

Excel

engineering data systems

Job description

Engineering Manager

Location: Waterloo, Iowa
Salary: $80,000–$90,000 plus 15% bonus

Position Summary

A leading heavy equipment manufacturer is seeking an Engineering Manager – Sustaining Products to lead a team of engineers responsible for supporting, improving, and maintaining existing product platforms.

This hands-on leadership role focuses on sustaining engineering, product standardization, design optimization, cost reduction, and continuous improvement. The Engineering Manager will work closely with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Warranty, Customer Service, and other engineering leaders to ensure products are reliable, cost-effective, manufacturable, and compliant with applicable industry standards.

The ideal candidate combines strong mechanical engineering expertise with practical manufacturing knowledge and proven leadership abilities. This individual will play a key role in resolving production challenges, improving existing designs, implementing engineering changes, and developing standardized product offerings that improve efficiency, quality, and production performance.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of product design engineers responsible for existing product platforms and production support.

• Establish engineering priorities and allocate resources based on production requirements, product improvements, cost-reduction opportunities, and field performance.

• Collaborate with other engineering managers to maintain consistent engineering standards, processes, and design practices across the product portfolio.

• Provide hands-on technical guidance and engineering oversight while remaining actively engaged in day-to-day operations.

Sustaining Engineering & Product Improvement

• Own the ongoing engineering support, maintenance, and evolution of existing heavy-haul trailer product platforms.

• Lead design improvements and product changes that enhance manufacturability, durability, reliability, safety, and cost efficiency.

• Investigate and resolve design-related production issues, quality concerns, warranty claims, and field performance problems.

• Apply root-cause analysis, DFMEA, warranty data, lessons learned, and customer feedback to identify improvement opportunities and prevent recurring issues.

• Lead design reviews and evaluate proposed engineering changes to ensure technical accuracy, product integrity, and alignment with established design standards.

Manufacturing Support & Design Optimization

• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Production to improve fabrication, weldment design, assembly methods, and overall production efficiency.

• Improve drawings, bills of materials (BOMs), engineering documentation, and design release processes to support accurate and efficient manufacturing.

• Drive design-for-manufacturability, design-to-cost, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Provide timely engineering support to resolve manufacturing challenges and minimize production delays.

• Work with Supply Chain and other cross-functional teams to evaluate material, component, and design alternatives that improve cost and availability without compromising quality or performance.

Engineering Change & Product Standardization

• Oversee engineering change notices and engineering change orders (ECNs/ECOs), ensuring changes are evaluated, approved, documented, and implemented accurately.

• Maintain product architectures, design standards, and engineering documentation throughout the product lifecycle.

• Support the development and implementation of standardized, pre-engineered product offerings to reduce custom engineering requirements and improve production scheduling.

• Identify opportunities to simplify product configurations, improve design consistency, and increase repeatability across product platforms.

• Maintain and improve engineering databases, CAD tools, and technical documentation systems.

Compliance & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Ensure product designs and engineering changes comply with applicable FMVSS, DOT, and internal engineering and quality requirements.

• Collaborate with Quality, Warranty, Customer Service, Sales, and Operations to address technical questions, resolve product concerns, and support customer needs.

• Communicate engineering decisions, product changes, and technical recommendations clearly to both technical and nontechnical stakeholders.

Education & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline required.

• Experience in heavy-haul trailers, heavy equipment, or fabricated mobile equipment strongly preferred.

• Previous engineering leadership or team management experience, including the ability to develop employees and coordinate technical priorities.

• Strong background in mechanical design, structural applications, hydraulics, and manufacturing processes.

• Demonstrated experience supporting existing products in a manufacturing or production environment.

• Proficiency with CAD software, Microsoft Excel, and engineering data management systems.

• Experience with engineering change management, design reviews, BOMs, and technical drawing documentation.

• Familiarity with design-for-manufacturability, cost-reduction initiatives, root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement methodologies.

• Working knowledge of applicable vehicle safety and regulatory requirements, including FMVSS and DOT standards.

• Strong technical judgment and practical problem-solving skills, with the ability to balance product performance, cost, quality, manufacturability, and reliability.

• Excellent leadership, communication, organizational, and cross-functional collaboration skills.