Our client, an established manufacturer of loading dock and material handling equipment, is seeking a Product Development Engineering Manager to lead a multi-disciplinary engineering team. The team is responsible for the design, development, validation, and continuous improvement of products including dock levelers, dock lifts, vehicle restraints, and related systems. This role partners closely with Sales, Production, Procurement, Quality, Finance, and senior leadership to deliver safe, reliable, manufacturable, and cost-effective product solutions.

Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and develop the product development engineering team through workload planning, coaching, performance feedback, and technical guidance

Plan, prioritize, and oversee product development projects to meet timelines, budgets, quality objectives, and business requirements

Track and report project status, resource allocation, risks, and progress using project management software and regular cross-functional communication

Establish, maintain, and improve engineering standards, design practices, release processes, and documentation controls

Review and approve engineering drawings, specifications, Bills of Material (BOMs), part numbers, technical calculations, and manufacturing release packages

Oversee the creation and maintenance of product data in SolidWorks, MRP systems, and related engineering documentation systems

Drive product rationalization, BOM accuracy, cost reduction, standardization, and manufacturability improvements across assigned product lines

Collaborate with Production, Quality, Procurement, and Sales to resolve technical issues, improve product reliability, and support customer and market requirements

Lead prototype, pre-production, testing, validation, and design verification activities to meet performance, safety, quality,



and manufacturability requirements

Ensure lessons learned from development, manufacturing, field feedback, and quality concerns are built into final products and future design practices

Support the development of manufacturing lines, fixtures, tooling, work instructions, and process documentation using Lean principles

Champion continuous improvement initiatives that raise engineering efficiency, reduce errors, shorten time-to-market, and support core business functions

Provide technical review and support for approval drawings, cost estimates, design calculations, FEA, customer requests, and production concerns

Prepare and present engineering reports, recommendations, project updates, and technical findings to senior management

Participate in the design of new products and prototypes as required

Follow all health and safety requirements, including PPE use, hazard reporting, and required safety training

Required skills

Demonstrated leadership experience, with the ability to coach, develop, motivate, and hold engineering team members accountable

Solid product development, project management, and cross-functional coordination skills

Ability to manage competing priorities, urgent requests, resources, and deadlines in a fast-paced manufacturing environment

Strong technical judgment in reviewing designs, analyzing data, evaluating risk, and making sound engineering recommendations





Advanced knowledge of SolidWorks, engineering documentation systems, MS Office, and MRP/ERP systems

Experience leading multi-disciplinary engineering projects and supporting manufacturing, quality, procurement, and sales functions

Strong knowledge of quality control, design verification, manufacturing processes, and production qualification requirements

Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, root cause analysis, and structured problem solving

Excellent English verbal and written communication, with the ability to work effectively with employees, customers, suppliers, and senior leadership

Professional, logical, and safety-focused approach to problem solving and decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related technical discipline (required)

Assets

4+ years of engineering experience, preferably in material handling equipment, loading dock systems, heavy manufacturing, or related industrial products

3+ years leading, supervising, or mentoring engineers, designers, technologists, or technical project teams

Advanced experience with SolidWorks CAD, engineering release processes, and product data management

Experience implementing CADM, engineering change control, and configuration management in heavy manufacturing-Full knowledge of configuration and data management within an ISO 9001 certified quality systemTechnical background in hydraulic, mechanical, electrical, structural, and welded components

Previous exposure to scissor lifts, dock levelers, vehicle restraints, and material handling equipment

Training in engineering management, project management, Lean/Six Sigma, or leadership

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📌 Product Development Engineering Manager (Ontario)
🏢 Engineering Search Firm
📍 Ontario