Engineering Manager in Washington

Purpose: Drive Walker Filtration's vision of being a competence centre for Industrial Filtration product ranges. The Engineering Manager provides engineering leadership and direction to the Walker Filtration design engineering team, developing and safeguarding our leading position within the field of filtration. This includes connecting with R&D, from concept development to product development, maintaining an innovative product portfolio, targeting sustainable profitable growth.

Scope: This is a challenging and exciting role reporting to the Chief Design Officer and will form an integral part of the engineering management team. Set priorities for continuous product evolution and breakthrough innovations ensuring that we keep differentiating ourselves from our competitors by having best in class products, creating value for our customers. The role is 'hands on', providing engineering management to projects that form part of the product roadmap. Working in cross-functional teams supporting the departmental and operational requirements of the business, with key focus on technical risk management, closing key knowledge gaps and continuous improvement of product and process.

Key Responsibilities:

• People Development: Lead and develop the design team to ensure they are fully motivated to achieve their full potential. Effective daily management of the design team to ensure that agreed service levels are maintained in a pro-active and professional manner. Engage, train, mentor and develop staff with particular emphasis on the training and development of engineers within the department. Promote a culture of collaboration across Walker Filtration and the wider Atlas Copco group.
• Technology Development: Perform active concept development that bridges basic development (R&D) and product development, to develop/validate innovative concepts and close competence/knowledge gaps. Continually improve current product range encompassing technical performance, value, quality and reliability. Consistently look for updates in existing technologies and be aware of new technologies that have the potential to disrupt current, and new, products and markets. Awareness of legislation changes that have the potential to impact existing technologies.
• Product Development & Product Care: Define and realise the product development roadmap (Horizon 1, Horizon 2 and Horizon 3) for filtration and separation products. Take a key role in new product project teams and provide evaluation of engineering design and provide specialist technical input and support into new product and component development. Insist on quality through development, best practices and a product testing mentality. Ensure product care (maintenance and support) is of the highest standard. Stimulate and support synergies with the entire engineering organisation (e.g. Antwerp, Brendola, Talegaon, Wuxi) which include the use of resources in GECIA. Continuously improve the product development processes, reaching shorter development cycles, using NPV as the important KPI. Maintain high quality standards of engineering process according to QA standards and the CtP (Concept to Product) 2.0 business process.
• Business Development (Internal & External): Spread a 'customer first' culture in the organisation, through swift handling of customer queries. Identify and support development of new markets and applications for both current and new technologies. Provide specialist technical support during customer and supplier meetings and visits. Provide authoritative, factual and substantive technical writing and documentation for use by the wider business. The development and protection of the company's intellectual property relating to technology. Assist in raising the company profile via the forging of mutually beneficial links and partnerships with academic establishments, trade associations and other external bodies.

Person Specification:

• Professional Requirements: Degree educated, Mechanical Engineering discipline or equivalent. Post graduate qualifications at master's or doctoral level preferred. Minimum 5 years' experience in mechanical design or related engineering leadership. Evidence of team leadership/team development. Commercially orientated with a proven track record in completing projects on time and to budget. Ability to compose accurate technical and business documentation to a consistently high level. Ability to comfortably and effectively communicate at a high technical level but also be capable of detailing and explaining complex information in non-technical terms to a wider audience. Highly analytical with the ability to use both theoretical and empirical data to problem solve and model engineering systems. A core knowledge base in Mechanical Engineering and fluid dynamics is essential, supported by a strong competence in pressure vessel design and approval. Knowledge of filtration mechanisms and the principles of adsorption would be advantageous.
• Personal Competencies: Innovator with a systematic and organised approach. Creative problem solver. Positive attitude, strong team ethic. Decisive. Ability to rationalise and make reasoned technical and commercial decisions particularly under pressure.