Director of Design & Engineering

BLUE OPS INC•Valdosta, GA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Design & Engineering leads the end-to-end development of complex, high-performance unmanned surface vessels (USV’s) from early concept through production, launch, and lifecycle support. This role integrates industrial design, engineering, manufacturing, and digital systems into a unified product development function, ensuring innovation is both technically sound and commercially viable. The Director will integrate design, engineering, and production into a single execution-focused function, driving rapid development cycles while maintaining high standards of performance, reliability, and safety.

Requirements

Proven leadership experience in product development, engineering, or design within a complex manufacturing environment
Strong background in mechanical systems, product design, and manufacturing processes
Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage full product lifecycle development
Experience with project planning, budgeting, and execution of large-scale programs
Hands-on experience working with production teams and transitioning designs into manufacturing

Nice To Haves

Experience with maritime systems, autonomous platforms, or defense-related products
Experience in marine, transportation, or similarly complex engineered products
Familiarity with control systems development and integration
Experience with CAD, PLM, and BOM systems implementation or optimization
ABYC certification or equivalent technical credentials
Experience with NAVSEA and other military specifications
OSHA training or equivalent safety certification

Responsibilities

Strategic Product Leadership Lead both short- and long-term product strategy, including roadmap development and model planning
Drive conceptual design of new products, balancing innovation, performance, manufacturability, and cost
Evaluate emerging technologies and integrate them into future product offerings
Design & Engineering Execution Oversee the creation of complete design packages, including systems architecture, construction plans, and production documentation
Lead multidisciplinary teams across product design, mechanical systems, controls, and manufacturing engineering
Engage and oversee the engagement of naval architects when required for design or validation
Ensure rigorous engineering standards, performance validation, and design integrity
Program & Project Management Develop project schedules, budgets, and resource plans; track execution against milestones
Manage multiple concurrent development programs from concept through production [Lead sea trials, testing, and product validation efforts]
Manufacturing & Production Integration Partner closely with manufacturing leadership to ensure seamless transition from design to production
Guide manufacturing engineering teams in process development and production optimization
Support production operations with technical expertise and problem resolution
Tooling & Vendor Management Manage tooling development from bid and sourcing through first article production
Oversee both outsourced and in-house tooling programs
Act as primary liaison with external vendors, consultants, and design partners
Systems & Controls Development Oversee development, integration, and field support of advanced manual control systems
Coordinate and integrate the manual control systems in the USV’s with Blue Ops ‘tech stack’ team to ensure that the remote control and other autonomy and payload requirements for the USV work seamlessly togther
Ensure reliability, usability, and performance of proprietary systems across product lines
Field Support & Continuous Improvement Support service teams with field issues, product improvements, and custom projects
Incorporate real-world performance data into future design iterations
Digital Transformation & Engineering Systems Lead implementation and continuous improvement of CAD, PLM, and BOM systems
Drive standardization and digital integration across engineering and manufacturing workflows