R&D Engineering Manager

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

Benefits offered by this job

Quarterly bonus

Year-end bonus

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

401(k) with match

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

Paid time off

Volunteer time off

Company shutdown between Christmas and

Short- and long-term disability

Job summary

MPI is seeking a Research & Development Engineering Manager to lead innovation initiatives and drive new product development from concept to commercialization. The role blends technical engineering with market awareness, customer engagement, and strategic thinking in a global manufacturing environment.

The candidate will oversee cross-functional teams, evaluate manufacturability and cost, and present opportunities to leadership.

Qualifications

• Five+ years of R&D, product development, or innovation engineering experience.
• Experience bringing products from concept through commercialization.
• Strong understanding of Design for Manufacturing (DFM).
• Excellent project management and communication skills.

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 that align with strategic growth objectives.
• Present recommendations and product opportunities to leadership.

Skills

Project management

Communication skills

Business acumen

Customer-facing experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Optical/Photonics Engineering

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

If you're passionate about innovation, product commercialization, and influencing future business strategy, we'd love to connect.

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 an annual discretionary bonus.

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.