Director, R&D Mechanical Engineering

SharkNinja•Needham, MA

8h•Onsite

About The Position

SharkNinja is a global product design and technology company, with a diversified portfolio of 5-star rated lifestyle solutions that positively impact people’s lives in homes around the world. Powered by two trusted, global brands, Shark and Ninja, the company has a proven track record of bringing disruptive innovation to market and developing one consumer product after another has allowed SharkNinja to enter multiple product categories, driving significant growth and market share gains. Headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts with more than 4,100 associates, the company’s products are sold at key retailers, online and offline, and through distributors around the world. SharkNinja is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Director of R&D Mechanical Engineering to lead and grow SharkNinja's R&D Engineering organization. This leader must excel as both a seasoned engineer and a strategic people leader, personally driving technical excellence on key initiatives while building and inspiring a high-performing team of engineers. The Director will be accountable for "how things work" across Ninja's product portfolio, championing the development and integration of breakthrough technologies that deliver consumer-delighting performance at scale. As an engineer, this person brings deep, intuitive mastery of physics and engineering fundamentals, with a track record of translating complex, ambiguous problems into elegant solutions. They set the technical standard for the team equally at home hacking together a prototype in the lab or aligning stakeholders in a design review. They champion a "fail fast, learn fast" culture, ensuring their team rapidly condenses problems to core requirements and iterates with speed and rigor. As a director, this person shapes R&D strategy across multiple concurrent programs, partnering closely with senior cross-functional leaders to align technology development with business priorities. They build organizational capability hiring, developing, and retaining engineering talent and cultivate a culture of curiosity, accountability, and continuous improvement. They represent R&D engineering at the leadership level and influence product direction from early concept through mass production.

Requirements

Proven ability to define technical strategy across a portfolio of programs, connecting first-principles engineering thinking to broader business and consumer outcomes
Deep command of mechanical engineering and physics fundamentals heat transfer, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and mechanical design with the credibility to guide and elevate a team of engineers
Exceptional analytical rigor, attention to detail, and a proactive approach to identifying and resolving technical risk before it becomes business risk
Executive-level communication skills the ability to translate complex technical concepts for senior non-technical stakeholders, and to represent R&D engineering with clarity and confidence
Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity, manage competing priorities across multiple programs, and keep teams focused without losing sight of longer-term goals
Strong leadership presence able to inspire, challenge, and develop engineers at all levels, while building a team culture of intellectual honesty and high performance
Experience driving organizational growth: recruiting top talent, building team structure, and developing career paths for engineers
BS or MS in Engineering (Mechanical or similar discipline)
10+ years of progressive experience in product development or a related field, with significant leadership responsibility in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment
Demonstrated success leading a team of engineers across multiple concurrent projects, from early-stage technology exploration through mass production
Proven track record of building and scaling high-performing engineering teams, including hiring, mentoring, and developing engineering talent
Hands-on experience with mechanical and/or electrical fabrication (power tools, sheet metal, electrical wiring) and familiarity with electronics and components common in small appliances (sensors, motors, heaters, PCBAs, etc.)
Proficiency with test equipment, data analysis tools, and CAD fundamentals
Advanced proficiency in Excel or equivalent tools for organizing and analyzing test data

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (in Engineering or similar discipline)

Responsibilities

Lead and grow SharkNinja's R&D Engineering organization
Personally drive technical excellence on key initiatives
Build and inspire a high-performing team of engineers
Be accountable for "how things work" across Ninja's product portfolio
Champion the development and integration of breakthrough technologies that deliver consumer-delighting performance at scale
Translate complex, ambiguous problems into elegant solutions
Set the technical standard for the team
Champion a "fail fast, learn fast" culture, ensuring the team rapidly condenses problems to core requirements and iterates with speed and rigor
Shape R&D strategy across multiple concurrent programs
Partner closely with senior cross-functional leaders to align technology development with business priorities
Build organizational capability by hiring, developing, and retaining engineering talent
Cultivate a culture of curiosity, accountability, and continuous improvement
Represent R&D engineering at the leadership level
Influence product direction from early concept through mass production