Design Engineering Manager

JOB TITLE: Design Engineering Manager

DEPARTMENT: 20 LogistiQ Manufacturing Engineering

REPORTS TO: Director of Manufacturing Engineering

FLSA STATUS: Salary Exempt

DATE: 02/18/2026

COMPANY OVERVIEW: LogistiQ is a dynamic and rapidly growing conveyor system integrator dedicated to providing turn-key innovative solutions to the retail, e-commerce & distribution markets. In our 750,000 sq. ft. facility located in Port Clinton, Ohio, you will find a team of innovators dedicated to building solutions that solve our customers’ evolving needs.

At LogistiQ, our core values of integrity, innovation, accountability, and collaboration are the cornerstones of our success. Integrity is at the heart of everything we do, ensuring honesty and transparency in our actions. Innovation drives us to constantly seek creative solutions and push the boundaries of what's possible. Accountability means we take responsibility for our work and uphold the highest standards. Collaboration fuels our collective strength, bringing together diverse perspectives to achieve common goals. By embracing these values, we foster a culture that not only delivers exceptional results but also makes LogistiQ a great place to work.

JOB SUMMARY: The Design Engineering Manager leads and develops the design engineering team responsible for conveyor system layouts, mechanical design, and engineered solutions for complex material handling projects. This role ensures technical excellence, standardization, efficiency, and alignment between engineering, sales, project management, manufacturing, and installation teams.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical expertise in conveyor/material handling systems with proven leadership skills, a process-driven mindset, and the ability to drive innovation in a fast-growing organization.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES include the following, but not limited to:

Engineering Leadership & Team Management

· Lead, develop, and manage a team of design engineers and designers.

· Establish clear performance expectations, conduct evaluations, and support professional development plans.

· Allocate engineering resources across projects to ensure proper workload balance and on-time delivery.

· Recruit, interview, hire, and onboard new engineering talent.

· Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

· Provide technical oversight while empowering engineers to grow in capability and ownership.

Product Design & Engineering Oversight

· Oversee the design and development of new and existing conveyor and material handling products.

· Ensure conceptual requirements are translated into manufacturable, scalable, and cost-effective designs.

· Review and approve 3D CAD models, layouts, and detailed engineering drawings.

· Ensure compliance with engineering standards, safety regulations, and company best practices.

· Drive standardization and modular design strategies to improve scalability and efficiency.

New Product Development (NPD) Management

· Own design execution as part of the overall NPD process.

· Define design milestones, deliverables, and resource planning per project.

· Ensure technical timelines align with overall project and business objectives.

· Identify and manage technical risks early in the development process.

· Partner with Project Management to maintain schedule and budget adherence.

· Drive design-for-manufacturability, cost reduction, and product improvement initiatives.

· Oversee adherence to planned engineering release dates, and engineering change management activities.

Technical Governance & Validation

· Oversee engineering calculations for component sizing, structural integrity, and system performance.

· Provide technical leadership in power transmission systems including motors, gearboxes, belts, pulleys, and drives.

· Support development of product validation test plans

· Ensure proper validation, testing, and verification activities are conducted.

· Establish and maintain engineering standards and best practices.

Manufacturing & Operational Integration

· Collaborate closely with manufacturing to ensure smooth product launches and efficient production.

· Lead resolution of production issues related to design, materials, or assembly methods.

· Support engineering change management processes.

· Drive continuous improvement in manufacturability and production efficiency.

Cross-Functional & Customer Engagement

· Serve as senior engineering representative in cross-functional initiatives.

· Support customer reviews, technical discussions, and issue resolution.

· Support proposal development and pre-sales engineering when required.

· Coordinate with suppliers to evaluate components and strategic sourcing opportunities.

Process Improvement & Strategic Development

· Develop and refine engineering processes, tools, and standards.

· Monitor and report key engineering performance metrics (schedule adherence, quality, change frequency, etc.).

· Champion adoption of new technologies and engineering tools.

· Contribute to long-term product roadmap and engineering strategy.

· Drive continuous improvement initiatives across the department.

Compliance & Safety

· Ensure manufacturing processes comply with OSHA and company standards.

· Participate in audits, safety reviews, and risk assessments.

· Promote safe and ergonomic process design.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Direct management of design engineers and technical staff.

· Responsible for hiring, performance reviews, coaching, discipline, and career development.

· Responsible for team productivity, quality, and technical output.

· Leads technical decision-making and approval authority within assigned product lines or programs.

TRAVEL DEMANDS:

· Occasional travel to customer sites, suppliers, or manufacturing locations.

· Travel may occasionally include short notice, weekends, or holidays.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

· Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.

· Strong problem-solving mindset with hands-on technical credibility.

· Advanced knowledge of manufacturing methods and engineering fundamentals.

· High proficiency in CAD software (SolidWorks required; mastery preferred).

· Strong working knowledge of ERP systems (SyteLine preferred) and PLM/PDM systems.

· Solid understanding of electrical controls, control hardware, and system operation.

· Advanced knowledge of power transmission systems including drives, pulleys, belts, motors, and gearboxes.

· Demonstrated experience leading complex product designs through full lifecycle.

· Ability to read and interpret mechanical and electrical schematics and customer specifications.

· Strong documentation and reporting skills.

· Excellent math and analytical skills.

· Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

· Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field required; Master’s degree preferred.

· 10+ years of progressive engineering experience.

· 3+ years of direct people leadership experience preferred.

· Experience in conveyors and material handling systems strongly preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Office-based within a manufacturing setting with frequent interaction on the shop floor. Exposure to moving mechanical parts, forklift traffic, and fluctuating temperatures.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment is pleasant, temperature controlled, professional office environment in a manufacturing setting. The employee works in the office setting but does have frequent interaction with the shop floor. On the shop floor, the employee is exposed to moving mechanical parts and fumes or airborne particles. Frequent forklift traffic exists for material handling. The noise level in the work environment is mixed and air temperature fluctuates with the seasonal weather.

AAP/EEO STATEMENT: LogistiQ firmly believes in equal employment opportunity for all and the importance of each employee as an individual. It is the policy of LogistiQ that there will be no discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, religion, creed, color, national origin, citizenship, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, political ideology, ancestry, the presence of any physical, sensory, or mental disabilities, or other legally protected status. It is the policy of LogistiQ that we will recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job titles, and ensure that all other personnel actions are administered without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, citizenship, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, political ideology, ancestry, the presence of any physical, sensory, or mental disabilities, or other legally protected status, and we will ensure that all employment decisions are based only on valid job requirements. A strong commitment from each employee is necessary to ensure equal employment opportunity for all.

NOTE: This Job Description may be modified due to business necessity.