Vice President of Engineering

JOB SUMMARYWe are seeking a strategic, results-driven Vice President (VP) of Engineering to lead our growing engineering organization. The successful candidate will bridge the gap between business strategy and technical execution, overseeing the design and development of high-quality aviation ground support equipment (GSE), specialized tooling, and heavy-duty mechanical equipment. As a key member of the executive team, the VP of Engineering will scale our engineering capabilities, modernize our systems and processes, and foster a culture of safety, innovation, and accountability. This role involves cross-functional leadership and customer engagement in a nimble, results-driven environment.Work Location & Travel RequirementsThis is a fully ONSITE position based at the company’s Santa Fe Springs facility. Regular in-person collaboration is required to support daily activities, and manufacturing operations.Relocation assistance or sponsorship is not available for this position. Candidates must be able to reliably commute to the worksite.JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESTeam Leadership and ScaleStructure and Grow: Lead, mentor, and scale a multi-generational engineering team.Develop Leaders: Coach and mentor engineering directors and managers, establishing clear career progression pathways.Cultivate Culture: Foster a high-performance, collaborative, and learning culture rooted in safety, rigorous engineering standards, and continuous improvement.Operational Excellence and Manufacturing DeliveryOptimize lifecycle: Oversee the end-to-end product development lifecycle, from initial concept and prototyping through qualification to manufacturing handoff and field deployment.Modernize Processes: Implement and optimize standard operating procedures (SOPs), establish design standards, design review protocols, and configuration management tools (PLM/CAD).Cross-Functional Alignment: Work hand-in-hand with Operations, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to design for manufacturability (DFM), reduce lead times, and optimize product costs.Strategic Execution and Product DeliveryDevelop and execute product and technology roadmaps: Translate market, commercial and customer requirements into robust, executable engineering project plansBudget & Resources: Own and manage the engineering department’s annual budget, headcount planning, and resource allocation.Executive Reporting: Provide clear visibility into project timelines, technical risks, and resource constraints to the executive leadership team.Compliance, Quality & SafetyIndustry Standards: Ensure all equipment and tooling designs comply with strict aviation safety regulations and industry standards (e.g., SAE, IATA, CE, OSHA).Quality Assurance: Partner with Quality Assurance to investigate product field issues, implement corrective actions (CAPA), and continuously improve product reliability.JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONSEducation: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field.Experience: 15+ years of engineering experience in a heavy manufacturing, industrial equipment, or aerospace environment, with 7+ years in a senior leadership role (Director or VP level).Technical Domain: Strong understanding of structural fabrication, hydraulics, and electrical-mechanical systems.New product development: Proven experience designing or leading the design of new products and creating product & technology roadmaps.Systems Proficiency: Deep familiarity with CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, Inventor, Autodesk) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) / Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) integrations.Communication: Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to communicate highly technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, customers, and board members.Proven ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders at all levelsExcellent communication, analytical, and leadership skillsPREFERRED EXPERIENCEMaster’s degree in mechanical engineering or related technical fieldExperience scaling engineering teams through growth phasesExperience with lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.Experience overseeing distributed and global teamsSkilled in Projected Management, PMP desiredM&A experience in evaluation, due diligence, and integrationJob Type: Full-Time EmploymentPay: Salary $275,000-$290,000 per year PLUS discretionary bonus up to 35% of base.This role is considered exempt and an “ONSITE” role only. Relocation assistance or sponsorship is not available for this position. Candidates must be able to reliably commute to the worksite.Benefits401(k)401(k) matching 100% up to 5% of compensation Dental insuranceEmployee assistance programFSA “Flexible Spending Account”Health insuranceLife insurancePaid time off.Tuition reimbursementVision insuranceWhat We OfferWe offer an excellent benefits package, which includes healthcare, a 401(k) plan, and tuition reimbursement.We are required by law in certain jurisdictions to include a pay scale in the job posting for this position. "Pay scale" means the salary or hourly range that reasonably expects to pay for this position; it is neither a promise nor a guarantee of the compensation that the successful candidate will receive. The pay scale for this position considers the wide range of factors that considers in making compensation decisions, including, without limitation: skill set, experience, and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. Please note that it is not typical for employees to be at or near the top of the pay scale for their role - especially as a new hire - and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKING CONDITIONSWhile performing the duties of this job, employees are regularly required to sit, walk and stand; talk or hear, both in person and by telephone; use hands repetitively to finger, handle, feel or operate standard office equipment; reach with hands and arms; and lift up to 25 pounds.Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.The work environment characteristics described here represent those employee encounters while performing this job's essential functions. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.Employees work under typical office conditions, and the noise level is usually quiet to moderate. However, in certain assignments, an employee may work near moving equipment and be exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals, biological hazards, airborne fumes, outdoor weather conditions, and loud, prolonged noise.