Engineering Manager - Mechanical Design

Rheo Engineering•Peoria, IL

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Rheo Engineering designs and builds powder handling systems used in the production of medicine. The Application Engineering team is responsible for translating customer requirements into manufacturable machine designs. This role involves leading the team, ensuring technical quality and on-time delivery, developing engineers, and collaborating with various departments and customers. The position is full-time and based in Peoria, IL, with relocation assistance provided.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Design Engineering, or a related engineering field.
7+ years of design or mechanical engineering experience.
3+ years in a people leadership, team lead, or engineering management role.
Demonstrated experience translating customer or application requirements into manufacturable product designs.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).
Proficiency in 3D CAD software (Autodesk Inventor preferred).
Familiarity with an ERP system (Epicor Kinetic preferred).
People Leadership skills: ability to develop engineers, set clear direction, and build a team.
Superb Communication skills: ability to convey ideas, instructions, and points clearly and naturally.
Extreme Ownership: ability to see a project through from beginning to end.
Proactive Problem Solver: ability to find root causes and drive solutions.
Customer Focus: ability to keep the customer’s application and outcome central to technical decisions.
Competitive Drive: a desire to build a better product than the competition.
Values Alignment: Initiative, Collaboration, Competence, Reliability, Bold Humility.

Nice To Haves

10–15 years of design engineering experience.
5–10 years of people leadership or engineering management experience.
Experience in a customer-facing or applications engineering capacity.
Experience in pharmaceutical, food processing, medical device, or other highly regulated industries.
Familiarity with GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing).

Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and develop the Application Engineering team, including setting priorities, managing workload, and supporting hiring, performance management, and career growth.
Manage the engineering workflow for translating customer requirements into manufacturable product designs and solutions.
Oversee engineering project prioritization and ensure the on-time delivery of engineering deliverables.
Review and approve designs, calculations, and drawings for accuracy, manufacturability, and compliance.
Partner with Sales and Business Development to scope customer applications, assess feasibility, and provide technical input for quotes.
Interface with Project Managers and customers on technical requirements, design reviews, and problem resolution.
Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering and Production to ensure designs are producible and cost-effective.
Establish and maintain engineering standards, design processes, and documentation practices.
Manage the engineering change order (ECO) process and design configuration control.
Ensure all engineering work complies with the quality system and applicable regulations.
Serve as the senior technical authority and escalation point for complex customer applications.
Drive continuous improvement in design tools, methods, and cycle time.
Track and report engineering metrics and team performance to the Director of Engineering.
Stay current on emerging design technology, materials, and methods, and apply relevant advancements.
Perform other duties as assigned by leadership.