Director of Technology - Located in Jiaxing, China

Outform Group•Remote,

24d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Technology is the senior technical authority for Outform's China operation. This role is responsible for receiving technology programs from US and EMEA project teams, adapting designs for retail compliance and manufacturability, and ensuring all technology components meet Outform's engineering and safety standards before production. This is a hands-on engineering leadership role, not a program management or commercial role. The Director of Technology owns the technical quality of everything Outform ships from China with an electronic or digital component. Outform creates exciting, interactive retail environments and maintains a pool of technology vendors, regularly onboarding more to meet project needs. This role will be the critical interface between our regional account teams and our China-based development partners. This role reports directly to the SVP, Development and has formal authority over vendor component qualification and technical sign-off.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related discipline.
5+ years of engineering management experience, with at least 2 years in a senior or leadership capacity.
Experience managing outsourced development and production in China for electrical goods exported internationally.
Demonstrated experience in retail, commercial, or consumer electronics hardware - products deployed in real-world environments, not lab settings.
Strong working knowledge of electrical safety standards relevant to retail display or consumer electronics (UL, CE, CCC, RoHS).
Fluent English - capable of reading technical documentation, writing clear engineering reports, and communicating effectively with US and European colleagues.
Experience with thermal design principles for enclosed electronic assemblies.
Hands-on experience with wiring diagram design, component qualification, and BOM management.

Nice To Haves

Mandarin Chinese proficiency (very strongly preferred).
Familiarity with ESD standards, EMF/signal-to-noise considerations, and commercial-grade vs. consumer-grade component distinctions.
Experience with field-serviceable design philosophy - designing for repair, not just production.
Prior experience managing or mentoring engineering teams.
Familiarity with SolidWorks or equivalent CAD/PDM platforms.
Strong knowledge of the retail sales environments of North America and Europe.

Responsibilities

Receive technology projects handed off from US or EMEA development teams, including BOMs, wiring diagrams, and design intent documentation. Create or manage the creation of technical documentation as required for the execution of each project.
Review designs for retail compliance requirements: electrical safety (UL, CE, CCC as applicable), ease of field service, thermal management, and commercial environment hardening.
Identify potential vendors for new and innovative technologies as needed by projects.
Arrange the kickoff of, and communication about each project with each vendor involved.
Identify and resolve design gaps before production release.
Document all adaptation decisions with clear rationale and version control.
Create standards for project intake and train overseas teams in the execution of these standards.
Maintain and enforce Outform's component qualification standards: ESD ratings, power supply sizing, UL/CE compliance, cable specifications, fire ratings.
Own the China technology standards library - build and maintain what currently does not exist.
Establish and document acceptable parameters for recurring component categories (media players, LED controllers, power supplies, wiring harnesses).
Conduct or commission thermal analysis on enclosed assemblies; escalate when professional analysis is required.
Maintain relationships with testing laboratories and regulatory agencies. Be the authority on standards compliance and explain these standards to internal stakeholders and customers.
Hold formal sign-off authority over China vendor component selection and engineering submissions - no tech component enters production without this approval.
Conduct or direct technical evaluations of vendor-submitted designs, prototypes, and material samples.
Maintain direct communication channels with vendors' engineering contacts, ensure we do not route technical queries through procurement or operations.
Identify and flag non-compliant components; block production release until resolved.
Work closely with the Jiaxing and Shanghai engineering teams (structural and mechanical engineers) to ensure fitment of technology into retail displays.
Provide technical review and guidance on programs where electronic and structural design intersect.
Serve as the escalation point for engineering questions from development project managers, production project managers, and overseas account teams.
Create Quality Control documentation for the testing and verification of all technology integrated during production.
Participate in program kickoffs with US and EMEA development teams.
Communicate design adaptation decisions clearly in English to non-China stakeholders.
Flag design intent questions upstream before adapting - don't interpret when clarification is available.
Support post-deployment issue analysis; provide documented root cause findings with engineering evidence.
Host review sessions live in China or via video to remote stakeholders.
Provide handoff packages to our support teams in US and EMEA.
Outline support program including repair and maintenance parts lists, suggested quantities, and technical troubleshooting guides.
Travel as needed to North America and Europe to participate in customer prototype reviews and other development meetings. Candidates must possess valid visas for both the United States of America as well as the Schengen region of Europe or qualify for visa-waiver travel to these locations.