Head of Engineering
4 days ago
Buffalo
Job Description Join Kistler – A Global Leader in Measurement Technology! At Kistler, we’re revolutionizing industries with our cutting-edge dynamic measurement technology, helping customers optimize products and processes. From automobile development to smart factories, our Swiss-designed sensor solutions are driving the future of electrified drive technology, industrial automation, and emission reduction. Purpose of the Position The Engineering Manager is responsible for overseeing Product Development activities in North America for Commercial off-the-shelf items. This role ensures the successful design, development, customization, industrialization, and lifecycle support of transducers, cables, systems (including customized software), and accessories. Additionally, in alignment with the North American strategy, this role is a key contributor in shifting the focus from global product development to customer-specific engineered solutions supporting core markets: Aerospace & Defense, MedTech, Automotive Production and Engineering, and Traffic Solutions. This includes managing engineering delivery from concept through production release, ensuring compliance with company processes, international standards, documentation standards, and configuration/change management requirements. Primary Responsibilities Product Engineering • Lead and manage Product Engineering teams, including mechanical, electrical, systems, and software engineering roles., • Set priorities, allocate resources, and ensure alignment with business strategy, customer needs, and operational requirements., • Ensure meeting agreed project deliverables, including timelines and budgets Custom Solution Development • Serve as technical liaison between local Sales, Product Management, and Business Units to validate feasibility, ensure manufacturability, capture voice-of-customer needs, and balance customization with scalability., • Engineering of customer specific solutions based on existing products in close collaboration with the local sales organization and customer requirements., • Translate customer requirements into engineered solutions while maintaining standard platform alignment and manufacturability., • Ensure meeting agreed project deliverables, including timelines and budgets., • Drive the transition from Business Unit-led product development to locally developed engineered-to-order solutions., • Build engineering capabilities to support scalable, repeatable custom solution development., • Partner closely with Operations, Quality, Product Management, and Sales to ensure alignment on customer expectations, capacity planning, manufacturability, and technical feasibility. Overall Engineering Leadership & Governance • Coordinate with global Business Units and platforms to leverage existing platforms, design principles, and approval frameworks., • Ensure robust documentation structure aligned with corporate processes, including engineering drawings, schematics, specifications, BOMs, test protocols, and manufacturing instructions., • Own and enforce configuration management, document control, and engineering change processes., • Act as an engineering representative during customer audits, technical discussions, escalations, and evaluations., • Ensure compliance with relevant certifications and standards including AS9100D, ISO 9001, and ISO 17025., • Implement engineering processes and structured workflows to reduce development and release cycle time., • Support digital engineering and manufacturing systems including PLM, ERP, analytics platforms, and documentation tools., • Recruit, train, mentor, and evaluate engineering staff; provide coaching and support professional development and succession planning., • Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, creativity, and operational discipline aligned with company leadership principles. Requirements Profile • Master’s degree in mechanical engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Systems, or related field; 6+ years in product/manufacturing engineering of complex instrumentation or sensor-based technology., • Experience leading engineering teams or cross-functional technical initiatives., • Strong technical background in design-for-manufacture, system engineering, validation, and engineered-to-order solutions; knowledge of calibration, system integration, or software-enabled instrumentation preferred., • Industry experience in Aerospace & Defense, MedTech, Automotive, or Traffic/Mobility systems strongly valued., • Excellent communication and decision-making skills; hands-on leadership with the ability to work across lab, production, and customer environments. Why Kistler? At Kistler, we value your expertise and offer opportunities for professional growth in a global environment. Our competitive benefits package includes: • Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage, • 401(k) plan with a 4% company match, • Generous personal and vacation time Join a team that’s shaping the future of measurement technology. We look forward to meeting you! Kistler Instrument Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.