Engineering Manager

TrafFix Devices, Inc. • San Clemente, CA

2d • $160,000 - $200,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Engineering Manager takes ownership of multiple concurrent projects and oversees the day-to-day execution of the department's diverse operational functions and staff. This is primarily a people-leadership role: the Engineering Manager leads, coordinates, and develops the team responsible for reliable technical support for products and production, effective quality assurance and inspection processes, and successful execution of continuous improvement initiatives. The Engineering Manager oversees staff across the team's technical support, quality assurance, and documentation functions, assigning workload, setting priorities, and holding the team to consistent service levels.

The Engineering Manager is an engaged operational leader who partners closely with production, quality, purchasing, and internal/external customer service to ensure the team resolves day-to-day technical issues, supports internal and external customers, and maintains consistent, high-quality outcomes. Engineering knowledge provides the foundation for this position; its core strength lies in managing, coordinating, and leading an effective team toward the department's goals. This role reports to the Chief Engineering Officer and is accountable for the team's daily performance, responsiveness, and continuous improvement of operational processes.

Requirements

• Building trust: The ability to inspire and motivate others and lead by example to create effective teams that produce consistent superior results.
• Communication skills: The ability to articulate ideas and goals effectively, clearly, and professionally within all levels of the organization to inspire, influence, and move others to action. Provides meaning and clarity to others.
• Emotional intelligence: Necessary to recognize own strengths and weaknesses and to effectively relate with the objective to bring out the best in others and self. Self-management to maintain apositive outlook during stressful situations and strong relationship-management skills to influence, coach, and mentor others to resolve conflict effectively.
• Goal oriented: The ability to understand the organization's business goals and mission to strategically prioritize departmental initiatives and lead teams with a common vision.
• Leadership and Performance Management skills: The ability to lead and manage a team of employees, including setting expectations, delegating responsibilities, assessing and addressing performance, and providing feedback and coaching, while creating a positive and supportive work environment that fosters employee growth and development.
• Organization and planning skills: The ability to oversee multiple day-to-day priorities and varied timelines and deadlines to meet objectives. Seeing the big picture and how different elements interact are critical aspects of the planning process.
• Continuous improvement and process optimization: The ability to manage execution by continuously improving processes, maximizing efficiencies, and reducing waste in day-to-day operations.
• Sound decision making and critical thinking skills: The ability to effectively analyze day-to-day technical and operational problems and direct the team in implementing practical plans for moving forward. This involves engaging in constructive conflict to invite diverse perspectives, thorough consideration of different viewpoints, and effective closure to ensure stakeholder alignment with company goals.
• Technical foundation: The ability to apply sound engineering knowledge and quality standards to guide the team's problem-solving, evaluate its technical recommendations, and make informed support decisions.
• Ownership mentality and self-direction: A self-starter who takes ownership of team outcomes, proactively identifies issues and mobilizes the team to resolve them, and is comfortable operating with a high degree of independence.
• Adaptability: The ability to remain open to change, adjust quickly to shifting priorities, and lead the team through changing day-to-day demands.
• Flexibility: The ability to juggle multiple projects, responsibilities and competing demands effectively, prioritizing work and allocating team effort so that all commitments are met without sacrificing quality.

Nice To Haves

• An Engineering bachelor's degree in a technical field, such as mechanical engineering, providing the technical foundation to lead engineering staff and guide sound technical decisions.
• At least five years of experience in a similar management position, leading, developing, and evaluating the performance of engineering or technical teams.
• At least seven years of experience supporting day-to-day operations for a manufacturing company.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and coordinate the daily operations of the engineering support team, assigning workload, setting priorities, and ensuring timely, consistent execution across all functions.
• Take ownership of multiple concurrent projects, setting pace, progress expectations, and timelines, and ensuring each is coordinated and completed on schedule and within scope.
• Ensure the team provides internal and external technical support for products and production, including responding to and resolving inquiries related to parts, specifications, and product performance.
• Provide guidance and oversight for continuous improvement projects, including production automation, ensuring initiatives are implemented effectively and deliver expected results.
• Direct the team's quality assurance activities, including inspection, first article review, and approval, ensuring products and processes meet established specifications and customer requirements.
• Implement and maintain effective processes, expectations, and service levels for the team's technical support, continuous improvement, and quality assurance functions.
• Monitor team activities to ensure consistent use of quality methods and practices, tracking performance against service level expectations and addressing gaps in responsiveness or quality.
• Supervise engineering staff across experience levels and disciplines, assigning and balancing workload, setting daily priorities, reviewing performance, and providing coaching, training, and mentorship.
• Manage the full personnel lifecycle within the team, including recruiting, hiring, training, and performance evaluations.
• Ensure documentation related to technical support, inspections, and approvals are accurate, complete, and kept up to date.
• Confer with management, production, and customer service staff to coordinate the team's resolution of day-to-day technical and quality issues and align priorities.
• Ensure the team's daily operations comply with company policies, procedures, and quality and safety objectives.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex technical or quality issues directing the appropriate team resources and applying engineering judgment to guide resolution.
• Drive engagement by providing employees with tools and information to encourage autonomy, while giving constant feedback to manage execution.
• Build collaborative relationships that facilitate execution and create synergies across departments.
• Develop strategies and provide direction to the team, clearly communicating the objectives to achieve departmental and individual results that align with the company goals.
• Hire and appoint competent and qualified individuals to ensure the department's goals are met, while providing a challenging environment that encourages a growth mindset.
• Develop talent, identifying and communicating the employees' strengths and weaknesses, encourage continued improvement, and provide the resources to achieve desired results.
• Adapt quickly to changes, understanding the company's vision and mission, and lead the team to align to the new changes.
• Drive results by creating a culture of accountability and ownership, balancing rewards and recognition with coaching and corrective actions.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Chief Product Officer.

Benefits

• The company is committed to providing a safe work environment and will provide necessary equipment and training to meet the physical demands of the job.

What This Job Offers

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