R&D Engineering Manager

Michael Page; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Quarterly bonus opportunities

Year-end bonus potential

Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Ins.

401(k) with company match

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

PTO and volunteer time

Holiday shutdown between Christmas and

Job summary

MPI, an employee-owned manufacturer, seeks an R&D Engineering Manager in Irvine, CA to drive innovation from concept to commercialization. You will guide product development, assess emerging technologies, and engage customers with cross-functional teams.

The role blends technical leadership with market insight, requiring a strong engineering background, DFM knowledge, and excellent communication. Competitive pay, bonuses, and ESOP benefits offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical/electrical/optical engineering or related field.
• 5+ years in R&D or product development with end-to-end commercialization experience.
• Strong understanding of Design for Manufacturing (DFM).
• Excellent project management and communication skills.
• Customer-facing experience and business acumen.

Responsibilities

• Lead new product development initiatives from concept through commercialization.
• Research emerging technologies, market trends, and customer needs.
• Participate in customer meetings, trade shows, conferences, and industry events.
• Evaluate manufacturability, performance, scalability, and cost considerations.
• Collaborate with engineering, operations, quality, and commercial teams.
• Develop innovative solutions aligned with strategic growth objectives.
• Present recommendations and product opportunities to leadership.

Skills

R&D experience

Product development

Project management

Customer-facing

Business acumen

DFM

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Electrical/Optical/Photonics or related field

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

A growing employee-owned manufacturer with a global footprint is seeking a Research & Development Engineering Manager to lead innovation initiatives, identify emerging product opportunities, and drive new product development efforts from concept through commercialization.

This is a highly visible role that combines technical engineering expertise with market awareness, customer engagement, and strategic thinking.

Our client is a well-established, employee-owned manufacturer serving customers globally through innovative engineering solutions and a commitment to operational excellence. The company maintains a strong reputation for product quality, continuous improvement, and customer responsiveness while supporting a growing international footprint.

With a collaborative culture and entrepreneurial mindset, the organization offers employees an opportunity to influence business decisions, contribute directly to innovation efforts, and participate in long-term value creation through employee ownership. The business continues to invest in growth, new technologies, and future product development initiatives.

Description

• Lead new product development initiatives from concept through commercialization
• Research emerging technologies, market trends, and customer needs
• Participate in customer meetings, trade shows, conferences, and industry events
• Evaluate manufacturability, performance, scalability, and cost considerations
• Collaborate with engineering, operations, quality, and commercial teams
• Develop innovative solutions that align with strategic growth objectives
• Present recommendations and product opportunities to leadership

Profile

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optical/Photonics Engineering, Illuminating Engineering, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in R&D, product development, innovation engineering, or product design
• Experience bringing products from concept through commercialization
• Strong understanding of Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
• Experience with 3D CAD tools (SolidWorks preferred)
• Excellent project management and communication skills
• Customer-facing experience and strong business acumen

Job Offer

• Quarterly performance-based bonus opportunities
• Year-end bonus potential
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Paid time off and paid volunteer time
• Company shutdown between Christmas and New Year's

The salary range for this role is $135,000-$150,000. This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee's position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, any collective bargaining agreements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate may be eligible for bonus opportunities.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including Paid Time Off, medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k), life and AD&D insurance, and short- and long-term disability coverage to eligible employees.

MPI does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or based on an individual's status in any group or class protected by applicable federal, state or local law. MPI encourages applications from minorities, women, the disabled, protected veterans and all other qualified applicants.