Manager, Product Engineering

Dover Food Retail•Des Moines, IA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Dover Food Retail (DFR) is a leading manufacturer of Display Cases, Specialty Products, Refrigeration Systems, Power Systems and Comprehensive Services. DFR is part of the Climate & Sustainability Technologies segment of the Dover Corporation® (NYSE: DOV). Dover is a diversified global manufacturer with annual revenues in excess of $7 billion. DFR is built on creativity and customer-centric innovation delivered by people invigorated by a strong sense of responsibility to help our customers win in their marketplaces. The relationships we build with our customers are as important to our success as the products we manufacture. This collaborative environment delivers FRESH THINKING, reassuring our customers that they choose the best when they choose to work with the people of Dover Food Retail. We are seeking an experienced Manager, Product Engineering to lead our Product Engineering team responsible for factory support, product quality, and sustaining engineering activities across our Specialty product lines. This role is critical to ensuring stable production, rapid resolution of field and manufacturing issues, and continuous improvement of existing products. The Product Engineering Manager will lead a team focused on supporting factory operations, resolving product and quality issues, and driving design improvements that enhance manufacturability, cost, and reliability. This individual will serve as the key connection point between Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure issues are addressed with urgency and root cause rigor. This role requires a strong balance of technical engineering judgment, execution discipline, and team leadership. The ideal candidate is highly responsive, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and is capable of driving clarity and prioritization across a wide range of competing demands. This position reports to the Director of Engineering.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline
Minimum 8+ years of engineering experience in product engineering, manufacturing support, or related field
Minimum 3+ years of experience leading or managing technical teams

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience supporting manufacturing operations and resolving production issues
Strong understanding of root cause analysis methodologies and corrective action implementation
Experience working cross-functionally with Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain teams
10+ years of experience in refrigeration, HVAC, or similar thermodynamic systems
Prior experience in a Product Engineering or Sustaining Engineering leadership role
Strong knowledge of sheet metal design, fabrication, and assembly processes
Experience with CAD systems (SolidWorks preferred) and PLM/PDM systems (Enovia preferred)
Familiarity with regulatory requirements such as UL, NSF, DOE, and related standards
Experience supporting new product launches and production ramp-up activities
Lean Manufacturing and/or Six Sigma experience
MBA or Master’s degree in Engineering or related discipline
Strong sense of urgency and ownership in addressing production and customer issues
Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage a high volume of competing demands
Practical engineering judgment with a focus on real-world, manufacturable solutions
Proven ability to lead teams in fast-paced, execution-focused environments
Effective communicator who can translate technical issues clearly across functions
Ability to influence without authority and drive alignment across Manufacturing, Quality, and Engineering
Hands-on problem solver who is comfortable engaging directly with products, factories, and issues
Strong organizational skills with the ability to bring structure to ambiguous situations
Commitment to developing team members and improving overall team capability
Focus on continuous improvement and delivering measurable business impact

Responsibilities

Lead and develop a team of Product Engineers supporting day-to-day factory operations across multiple sites
Drive rapid response and resolution of production issues, RFIs, and field quality concerns
Establish clear prioritization and accountability for incoming engineering support requests
Ensure strong root cause analysis and implementation of corrective actions for product and manufacturing issues
Partner with Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain to improve product manufacturability, reliability, and cost
Support production readiness for new product launches, ensuring smooth handoff from NPD to sustaining engineering
Own sustaining engineering activities including design updates, ECNs, and BOM accuracy
Improve engineering processes that support factory operations, including documentation, communication, and issue tracking
Provide technical guidance on product design, buildability, and system-level performance
Support customer and field issue resolution, including direct interaction when required
Identify and drive continuous improvement initiatives that reduce defects, scrap, and rework
Develop team capability in problem-solving, engineering judgment, and cross-functional collaboration
Collaborate with NPD, DTV, and Lab teams to ensure alignment across product lifecycle activities
Track and report key performance metrics related to quality, responsiveness, and operational efficiency.