Engineering Manager, Product Development

About the role

Leer, Inc., a leading manufacturer of commercial refrigeration solutions, is seeking a results-driven and innovative Engineering Manager to lead our engineering team in New Lisbon, Wisconsin. This key leadership role is responsible for overseeing product design, engineering operations, continuous improvement initiatives, and the development of engineering talent.

The Engineering Manager lead the development, improvement, and lifecycle support of company products. This role directs product engineering activities from concept and design through launch, production support, continuous improvement, and end-of-life. The manager ensures products meet customer requirements, applicable standards, quality expectations, cost targets, and manufacturing needs while providing clear technical leadership to the product engineering team.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead the product development process from requirements definition and feasibility through design reviews, verification, validation, production launch, and post-launch review.
• Manage and develop the product engineering team while ensuring engineering standards, compliance and regulatory standards, documentation, and customer requirements are met.
• Oversee product design, engineering changes, product improvements, and lifecycle management activities.
• Collaborate with Sales & Marketing, Operations, Finance, Quality, Supply Chain, and other teams to define product requirements and deliver solutions that meet customer and business needs.
• Drive product quality, reliability, compliance, and cost improvement initiatives.
• Provide engineering support for production, suppliers, customers, and field performance issues.
• Oversee product validation, technical documentation, engineering standards, and supplier technical relationships.
• Establish engineering priorities, strategies, budgets, and performance metrics to achieve departmental objectives.
• Promote continuous improvement, employee development, and effective execution of engineering projects.

Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or a related engineering discipline from an accredited four-year college or university Five or more years of related product design, product development, or sustaining engineering experience.
• 2-3 years of engineering leadership or supervisory experience.
• Experience in a manufacturing environment and with configurable or custom-engineered products is also preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively at all levels of the organization.
• Working knowledge of product development processes, design controls, engineering change management, verification and validation, and production launch practices.
• Ability to interpret and approve engineering drawings, specifications, bills of material, customer requirements, technical standards, and test results
• Understanding of design for manufacturability and assembly, tolerance application, material selection, component qualification, reliability, and value engineering.
• Ability to use structured problem-solving methods and data to resolve product performance, quality, cost, and lifecycle issues.
• Working knowledge of CAD, product data management, ERP/MRP, and engineering document control systems is preferred

Additional information

Under the direction of the Director of Engineering, the Engineering Manager, Product Development & Sustainment leads the development, improvement, and lifecycle support of company products. This role directs product engineering activities from concept and design through launch, production support, continuous improvement, and end-of-life. The manager ensures products meet customer requirements, applicable standards, quality expectations, cost targets, and manufacturing needs while providing clear technical leadership to the product engineering team.