Director, R&D

Tactacam•Billings, MT

12h

About The Position

We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic technical leader to lead complex product development initiatives from concept through mass production. This role will serve as a technical authority within the organization, driving mechanical architecture, mentoring engineering teams, and partnering closely with cross-functional stakeholders and global JDM/ODM partners to deliver high-quality, manufacturable products. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in plastics, DFM, and production-scale design, along with strong leadership and project execution skills. This person will be responsible for identifying and leveraging the technical expertise of our JDM partners and matching them with our internal strengths and where we need the most help.

Requirements

15+ years of Engineering experience in product development.
10+ years mentoring and developing engineers.
knowledge of high-volume manufacturing processes, specifically Double Injection (2-shot) and Insert Molding for ruggedized consumer electronics.
Proven track record of scaling consumer electronics production from low-volume prototypes to high-volume (50k+ units/month) mass production.
Extensive experience in multi-cavity tool design, debugging, and resolving molding defects (e.g., sink, warp, knit lines) in high-pressure production environments.
Advanced knowledge of Design for Manufacturability (DFM).
Experience working with JDM/ODM manufacturing partners.
Strong proficiency in CAD tools such as SolidWorks or Creo.
Experience with PLM systems and engineering change processes.
Strong experience in engineering documentation and drawing standards.
Experience developing outdoor consumer or industrial electronic products.
Proven ability to lead complex programs from concept to mass production.
Ability to travel to offshore manufacturing sites (Asia) for tool trials, line audits, and production ramp-up support.

Nice To Haves

Project Management experience, preferred.
Experience supporting international manufacturing builds, preferred.
Knowledge of environmental and reliability testing standards for outdoor products, preferred.
Familiarity with FMEA, GD&T, and tolerance stack analysis, preferred.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership
Provide technical oversight to the development teams
Ensure that there is full traceability from design to end product.
Lead design reviews, tolerance analysis, risk assessments, and validation planning.
Establish engineering best practices, standards, and design guidelines.
Product Development
Lead development from concept, prototyping, EVT/DVT/PVT, through production ramp.
Optimize designs for cost, performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders
Drive root cause analysis and implement corrective actions during validation and production.
JDM/ODM & Manufacturing Collaboration
Partner with global JDM/ODM manufacturers to ensure alignment on design intent, tooling strategy, and production readiness.
Review and approve tooling designs, mold flow analysis, and first article inspections.
Support factory builds and resolves production challenges.
Project & Process Management
Provide technical leadership across multiple concurrent programs.
Support project planning, risk mitigation, and milestone execution.
Ensure timely release of engineering documentation and PLM records.
Mentorship & Team Development
Mentor and develop engineers across multiple experience levels.
Provide structured design feedback and technical coaching.
Foster a culture of engineering rigor, accountability, and innovation.