R&D Engineering Manager

KION Group•Grand Rapids, MI

2d•$113,600 - $142,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Dematic is looking for an Engineering Manager within the Product Development (PD) group of Intelligent Automation Solutions (IAS). At Dematic, we develop mechatronic products and subsystems used in our warehouse automation systems and solutions globally. The Engineering Manager leads a team of Product Development Engineers to develop new products and provide sustaining support for current products used globally in our systems.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering
Minimum of 5 years of engineering and engineering leadership experience
Experience with product development processes including testing and validation along with engineering change management
Experience with accurately estimating project timelines and cost (resources)
Strong leadership, and team development skills with the ability to mentor, coach, influence, and build effective working relationships.
Excellent analytical, organizational and time management abilities with a structured approach to problem solving.
Effective communication skills including experience delivering presentations, facilitating group discussions, and interacting with internal partners and customers.
Proficiency with mechanical CAD and Product Life Cycle Management System Tools experience (e.g. NX, Teamcenter, Unigraphics, etc.)
Strong Analytical problem-solving capability, including root cause analysis, development of corrective actions, and appropriate communication of complex customer concerns.
Experience developing products using engineering analysis and validation methods such as FEA, driving DFMEA, Functional Testing and Durability Testing.
Ability to collaborate effectively within a cross-functional, team-based environment and work with employees at all levels across the organization
Proficient in standard business software including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision in both office and remote environments while supporting geographically distributed teams
Capable of managing multiple priorities and complex business challenges simultaneously in a fast-paced environment

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree a plus
Material Handling Industry Experience strongly preferred
Minimum of 5 years of Product Development Experience
Controls technology exposure is a plus
Familiarity with material handling equipment specifications and applications (e.g., Amazon standards) is a plus.
Willingness to travel up to 20% to customer sites, Dematic offices, and other locations as required for meetings, training, and project support

Responsibilities

Lead, develop and coach a team of Development Engineers to deliver innovative material handling product improvements, cost optimization initiatives and related projects on schedule and within budget
Ensure commercialized products and design improvements meet applicable performance, safety, reliability, manufacturability and regulatory requirements
Contribute to strategic and tactical planning to support on-time product delivery including effective resource management and coordination including external partners or contractors.
Maintain strong communication and ongoing coordination with internal groups to ensure engineering deliverables meet operational needs and service standards.
Promote engineering standard methodologies, while supporting continuous improvement and lean initiatives
Lead all aspects of project execution including schedule management, distribution of resources and technical decisions
Foster a collaborative, high‑performing team culture and strengthen multi-functional partnerships across Dematic to improve visibility, engagement, and alignment.
Responsible for ensuring that projects are on schedule and on budget
Weekly monitoring, monthly evaluation and reporting of project status
Accurate monthly resource allocation and forecasting
Establish appropriate tasks
Identify skills gap assessment and appropriate skills assignment
Maintain safety & compliance standards and communication
Design issue resolution
Awareness of budget plan and ensuring that daily management decision is aligned (training hours, OT, indirect vs direct), proactive management
Awareness of Strategic Plans and what their team’s responsibility is for achieving those goals
Managing Team and Individual expenses
Managing workload to project budgets and risk mitigation