Want to be the technical and operational lead of an automation company where no two projects are the same? Ready to build the systems that let a talented engineering team deliver complex machines on time and on budget?

Mechatronic Design Solutions is hiring a Director of Operations in Ottawa, ON. Reporting directly to our CEO, you'll be the technical authority for our engineering work and lead the team that delivers it: project leads, engineers, technicians, and our build shop. Working through our project leads, you'll own delivery across the project portfolio, step in with clients on key technical and commercial matters, and put in place the tools and processes we need to grow.

MechDS offers turnkey development of complex automated equipment and robotic manufacturing lines. We are a small team of engineers, technicians, and designers determined to create top-quality automated manufacturing lines with a significant impact on our clients' businesses. Our core services include process automation, equipment design, control and electrical engineering, production trials, robotic integration, and site implementation.

Ongoing projects include

- Automated industrial food manufacturing, including omelets, crepes, and tortillas
- Robotic applications supporting geotechnical and mining applications.
- Automated production equipment for the health tech sector.
- Automated case packing of coffee bags.
- High speed robotic checkweigher of precious metals.
- Industrial manufacturing: automated assembly, punching, cutting.
- Integration of AI-based equipment effectiveness monitoring data collection terminals.

Salary Range $100,000-$140,000 per year.

What you’ll do

- Act as technical authority: review and approve system concepts, designs, and design changes across mechanical, controls, and electrical scope.
- Oversee delivery of the project portfolio through our project leads: schedules, budgets, milestones, and commissioning.
- Run regular project reviews with project leads to track progress, risks, and resourcing.
- Plan resource loading across projects and flag capacity needs early.
- Own project financial performance with Finance, including budget versus actuals, change orders, and margins.
- Engage with clients at key milestones and escalations, supporting project leads from kickoff through factory and site acceptance testing.
- Support Business Development with technical scoping, estimates, and proposals.
- Lead, mentor, and develop project leads,



engineers, technicians, and shop staff.
- Run build shop operations, quality, procurement execution for projects, and facility operations.
- Travel to client sites for kickoffs, installation, and commissioning.

First weeks

Orientation

- Structured onboarding with the CEO and leadership team.
- Review the active project portfolio with project leads: status, risks, and client commitments.
- Meet the team and key clients.
- Learn MechDS tools and processes, including ClickUp, project workflows, and design standards.

First Year

Build the Operating System

- Bring the active project portfolio to on-schedule, on-budget delivery, working with project leads.
- Put in place staff loading visibility across all projects.
- Own project-level P&L; reporting with Finance.
- Standardize project workflows in ClickUp from kickoff to commissioning, including stage gates, design reviews, and handoffs.
- Implement engineering standards and templates: design review checklists, change management, and FAT/SAT protocols.
- Set up quality and lessons-learned processes.
- Take part in our leadership team and EOS operating rhythm (quarterly Rocks, weekly L10 meetings).

Long Term

Scale the Operation

- Build the team structure to support growth, developing project leads and hiring as we grow.
- Drive continuous improvement in delivery performance and margins.
- Shape MechDS's technical direction as part of the leadership team.

Benefits

- Competitive salary based on demonstrated work experience.
- Group insurance plans: Life insurance, extended health, dental, and drug coverage.
- Profit Sharing: a portion of company earnings are distributed as performance bonuses.
- 3 weeks paid vacation plus 1 week winter holiday, per year.
- Flexible work hours. We trust our team to manage their own schedules.
- Monthly full team paid lunches with educational demos.
- Casual Work Attire.
- New challenges and varied work in a supportive environment.
- Work-life balance. Our employees work 40h/week and have time for life outside work.





Have cool hobbies? We would like to hear about them! Our employees pursue passions outside of work, including: vintage machine tool restoration, 3D printing, farming, machine vision research, home renovation, kickboxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, mountain biking, tennis, Arduino programming, horology, and lots of cooking.

Required Qualifications

We ask candidates to apply only if they possess all the required qualifications.

- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Mechatronics, or Electrical Engineering, or equivalent.
- P.Eng., licensed or eligible for licensure with Professional Engineers Ontario.
- 8+ years of engineering experience in industrial automation, machine building, or special-purpose equipment.
- Proven track record leading multidisciplinary projects from concept to commissioning.
- Experience leading engineering teams, including managing project leads or project managers.
- Client-facing experience managing technical scope, expectations, and changes.
- Ability to travel to client sites.

Desired Experience [AR2]

- PMP or equivalent project management certification.
- Managing budgets and financial performance across multiple concurrent projects.
- Implementing project management tools and processes (ClickUp or similar).
- Factory and site acceptance testing.
- Machine safeguarding (CSA Z432) and risk assessment.
- Hygienic and food equipment design.
- EOS/Traction or a similar operating system.
- Experience in a small or growing company

This posting is for a full-time permanent position. Mechatronic Design Solutions is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are given consideration regardless of race, religion, colour, gender, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, citizenship status, disability, veteran status, or any other protected class as provided in applicable employment laws. Send your resume and a cover letter to: [email protected]

Please include opportunity number 20260923 in your response subject line.

In your cover letter, we'd like to hear about an automation project you were accountable for delivering, and about a change you led in how an engineering team works. Tell us about the scale, your role, and what it achieved.

Testimonials. See what our clients are saying about us: mechds.ca

Pay: $100,000.00-$140,000.00 per year

Perks

- Flexible schedule
- Profit sharing

Work Location: In person

📌 Director of Operations (Ottawa)
🏢 Mechatronic Design Solutions
📍 Ottawa