Director of Manufacturing Engineering

General Tool Co • Reading, OH

1d

About The Position

At GTC, manufacturing engineering isn't a support function — it's the engine that keeps precision aerospace and defense production running on schedule, on cost, and to the exacting standards our customers demand. The Manufacturing Engineering Director is the person who leads that engine: owning the technical roadmap, developing the team, driving estimating accuracy, and making sure every engineering output translates into something the floor can actually execute. If you're an engineering leader who thrives at the intersection of technical authority and organizational impact — who can mentor a team, own the quoting process, and solve a complex production problem all in the same week — this is the role built for you. And through our Ownership For All program, the precision and discipline you bring to this function builds something that's partly yours. Every eligible full-time employee receives an ownership stake in GTC. From day one, you're not just joining a team. You're becoming an owner. Your wins aren't just good for the company. They're good for you.

Requirements

• Eight or more years of process engineering experience — preferably in aerospace and defense
• Five or more years of proven technical leadership
• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Industrial, Mechanical, or a related engineering field
• Demonstrated mastery of GD&T
• Ability to read and interpret complex engineering drawings without slowing down
• Experience with AS9100, ISO 9001, and the quality management systems that govern precision defense work
• Clear communication in every direction — up to the CTO, across to business development and operations, and down to the engineers you're developing
• Ability to solve problems by building real solutions
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and 3D modeling software
• U.S. citizenship is required

Nice To Haves

• The combination of technical depth and leadership range — you're the expert everyone leans on and the leader who builds the team that doesn't need to lean as often.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Manufacturing Engineering organization end-to-end — setting direction, building capability, aligning capacity to program demand, and making sure engineering output consistently supports production readiness, schedule adherence, and customer commitments.
• Assign projects strategically, matching each engineer's skills and bandwidth to the work that demands them most.
• Mentor and develop your team with the kind of investment that builds careers, not just competencies.
• Direct and prioritize technical problem resolution.
• Own the company's estimating methodology and governance.
• Personally review outgoing quote responses with responsible engineers to validate accuracy, check assumptions, and make sure business development has everything it needs to win the right work.
• Evaluate incoming business inquiries — assessing technical fit, identifying risk tied to new or unique requirements, and giving business development managers the grounded input they need to pursue opportunities confidently.
• Collaborate with PMO, Operations, and Quality on production planning, forecasting work center loads, and proposing process alternatives that keep the schedule moving and the bottlenecks from stacking up.
• Own, maintain, and evolve departmental standards and SOPs as technology, best practices, and compliance requirements change.

Benefits

• Ownership stake in GTC through the Ownership For All program
• Seat at the table with the CTO and executive team on the decisions that shape where this company goes
• Culture that values engineering precision and invests in the people who deliver it
• Work that directly supports defense and aerospace programs that matter

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director