Director of Engineering - Zest Technical Solutions : Job Details

Director of Engineering

Frederick, MD (open to relocators!)

About the Company

A global leader in mission-critical cooling solutions, serving data centers and high-performance industries with innovative, energy-efficient systems. With operations across North America and strong ties to international engineering teams, the organization is committed to driving growth, sustainability, and technical excellence in a rapidly evolving market.

About the Role

The Director of Engineering will oversee all aspects of the design engineering function, leading a high-performing team to deliver innovative products and solutions that meet the demands of customers in critical infrastructure markets. This role combines technical leadership with strategic planning, budget management, and cross-department collaboration, ensuring that engineering programs are executed on time, within budget, and aligned with company objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, mentorship, and direction to the design engineering team, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Develop and implement training programs to advance technical expertise across the department.
• Drive innovation through design improvements, patentable concepts, and adoption of advanced engineering tools.
• Collaborate closely with R&D, sales, and product management to translate customer requirements into effective solutions.
• Oversee project planning, scheduling, and resourcing to ensure timely delivery of designs and engineering outputs.
• Review and approve product designs, engineering changes, and specifications to ensure compliance with standards and customer expectations.
• Champion automation tools, rule-based configuration, and standardized workflows to improve efficiency and reduce design errors.
• Maintain product data accuracy within ERP systems to support production and costing.
• Manage departmental and project budgets, monitoring expenditures and justifying capital investment.
• Represent the engineering function in executive-level meetings and coordinate with global engineering counterparts to align on design practices.
• Ensure that all quality assurance, testing, and compliance standards are met.

Key Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field.
• 7+ years of experience in engineering management, project management, or product design.
• Proven ability to lead diverse technical and non-technical teams.
• Strong understanding of design engineering best practices and formal development processes (e.g., PMP).
• Experience with Lean manufacturing principles and process improvement initiatives.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence at all organizational levels.
• Demonstrated success in delivering on-time, on-budget engineering programs in a high-growth or mission-critical industry.

If you're an experienced engineering leader looking to make an impact in a high-growth, mission-critical industry, we'd love to hear from you!