Engineering Supervisor

The Engineering supervisor is responsible for leading the engineering function within a DEF manufacturing environment, providing technical leadership and strategic direction across product development, manufacturing support, quality, and customer-driven engineering projects. This role oversees a team of two mechanical/design engineers at a single site.

The Engineering supervisor works closely with Operations, Manufacturing, Sales, Quality, Supply Chain, and customers to develop practical, manufacturable engineering solutions that support business growth.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Leadership

• Manage engineering workload, resource planning, project prioritization, and delivery timelines.
• Establish and maintain engineering standards, documentation practices, and design controls aligned with DEF industry requirements.

Product Development & Design

• Lead the design, development, testing, and launch of new products and product enhancements specific to DEF manufacturing applications.
• Ensure all designs meet customer requirements, DEF industry standards, regulatory requirements, and internal manufacturing capabilities.
• Review and approve engineering drawings, specifications, BOMs, and technical documentation for accuracy and manufacturability.
• Manage product lifecycle activities including engineering changes, obsolescence management, and product standardization.

Manufacturing & Operations Support

• Partner closely with Manufacturing and Operations teams to resolve production issues and improve process stability in DEF production environments.
• Provide hands-on engineering support for fabrication, assembly, installation, commissioning, and field service activities.
• Identify and implement improvements to reduce scrap, rework, downtime, labor hours, and material waste.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for manufacturing and product-related issues.
• Ensure engineering designs are robust, repeatable, and optimized for DEF manufacturing processes.

Project Management

• Lead engineering projects from concept through design, validation, production release, and customer implementation.
• Define project scope, technical requirements, schedules, budgets, and resource needs.
• Track project performance and proactively manage risks, issues, and scope changes.
• Coordinate cross-functional execution with Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and customers.
• Ensure timely and cost-effective delivery of engineering projects aligned with DEF business priorities.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Partner with Quality to address recurring product and process issues within DEF manufacturing operations.
• Lead engineering-related corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Support PFMEA, process validation, testing, and risk mitigation activities.
• Use data-driven analysis and root cause tools to improve product reliability and process performance.

Customer & Sales Support

• Participate in customer meetings, technical reviews, and project kickoff discussions as required.
• Translate customer requirements into manufacturable engineering solutions aligned with DEF capabilities.

Supply Chain & Supplier Support

• Collaborate with Purchasing and Supply Chain to identify cost reduction and value engineering opportunities.
• Support supplier qualification, technical evaluation, and component selection for DEF manufacturing needs.
• Review supplier-related engineering issues and recommend corrective actions or alternative solutions.

Safety, Compliance & Standards

• Ensure all engineering activities comply with DEF industry safety standards, codes, and regulatory requirements.
• Integrate safety and compliance considerations into all product and process designs.

Key Performance Indicators

Success in this role will be measured by:

• On-time delivery of engineering projects
• Reduction in manufacturing downtime caused by engineering issues
• Cost savings and value engineering impact
• Product quality, reliability, and field performance
• Continuous improvement and process efficiency gains

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's or Associates degree in mechanical engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field.
• 3-5 years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment (DEF, Oil, Gas, or fluid systems industry experience preferred).
• 2+ years of engineering leadership or management experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, product design, and engineering principles.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and technical documentation.
• Strong project management, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced DEF manufacturing environment.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Project and Excel (Macros) advanced user.
• Knowledge of industry compliance and standards (UL, CSA)

Preferred

• Experience in DEF manufacturing or similar heavy industrial/manufacturing sector.
• Experience with engineered-to-order (ETO) or configure-to-order (CTO) environments.
• Proficiency with CAD and engineering documentation systems.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP).
• Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement experience.
• Experience with PFMEA, root cause analysis, and CAPA systems.
• Direct customer and supplier interaction experience.

Leadership Competencies

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong leadership and team development capability
• Clear and effective communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability
• Customer-focused and solution-oriented mindset
• Sound technical and business decision-making
• Continuous improvement mindset
• Ability to balance cost, quality, safety, and delivery priorities

Working Relationships

Reports To: General Manager

External Relationships: Customers, suppliers, contractors, engineering partners, and regulatory bodies as applicable