Vice President of Engineering

Confidential; Santa Fe Springs (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

The Confidential company is seeking a strategic VP of Engineering to lead our growing engineering organization. You will bridge business strategy and technical execution, overseeing design and development of aviation ground support equipment, tooling, and heavy-duty mechanical systems.

Based onsite at our Santa Fe Springs facility, you will scale capabilities, modernize processes, and foster safety, innovation, and accountability while engaging cross-functional teams and customers.

Qualifications

• Experience leading large, multi-disciplinary engineering teams.
• Experience in manufacturing or aviation equipment preferred.

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership and Scale: Lead, mentor, and grow a multi-generational engineering team.
• Operational Excellence and Manufacturing Delivery: Oversee end-to-end product development lifecycle from concept to manufacturing handoff.
• Strategic Execution and Product Delivery: Develop and execute product and technology roadmaps; manage budget, headcount, and resources.
• Compliance, Quality & Safety: Uphold industry standards and ensure safety and quality throughout engineering programs.

Job description

We are seeking a strategic, results-driven Vice President (VP) of Engineering to lead our growing engineering organization. The successful candidate will bridge the gap between business strategy and technical execution, overseeing the design and development of high-quality aviation ground support equipment (GSE), specialized tooling, and heavy-duty mechanical equipment. As a key member of the executive team, the VP of Engineering will scale our engineering capabilities, modernize our systems and processes, and foster a culture of safety, innovation, and accountability. This role involves cross-functional leadership and customer engagement in a nimble, results-driven environment.

Work Location & Travel Requirements

This is a fully ONSITE position based at the company’s Santa Fe Springs facility. Regular in-person collaboration is required to support daily activities, and manufacturing operations.

Relocation assistance or sponsorship is not available for this position. Candidates must be able to reliably commute to the worksite.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Team Leadership and Scale

• Structure and Grow: Lead, mentor, and scale a multi-generational engineering team.
• Develop Leaders: Coach and mentor engineering directors and managers, establishing clear career progression pathways.
• Cultivate Culture: Foster a high-performance, collaborative, and learning culture rooted in safety, rigorous engineering standards, and continuous improvement.

Operational Excellence and Manufacturing Delivery

• Optimize lifecycle: Oversee the end-to-end product development lifecycle, from initial concept and prototyping through qualification to manufacturing handoff and field deployment.
• Modernize Processes: Implement and optimize standard operating procedures (SOPs), establish design standards, design review protocols, and configuration management tools (PLM/CAD).
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Work hand-in-hand with Operations, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to design for manufacturability (DFM), reduce lead times, and optimize product costs.

Strategic Execution and Product Delivery

• Develop and execute product and technology roadmaps: Translate market, commercial and customer requirements into robust, executable engineering project plans
• Budget & Resources: Own and manage the engineering department’s annual budget, headcount planning, and resource allocation.
• Executive Reporting: Provide clear visibility into project timelines, technical risks, and resource constraints to the executive leadership team.

Compliance, Quality & Safety

• Industry Standards