Position SummaryThe Senior Director, Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Center of Excellence (CoE) provides strategic and operational leadership for the company's most critical manufacturing technology programs. This Director is accountable for establishing and scaling a world-class CoE that drives competitive advantage through industrial automation, next-generation test engineering, advanced materials evaluation, and novel process development including New Product Introductions. The role bridges applied research, engineering execution, and cross-functional collaboration to translate emerging technologies into repeatable, high-yield manufacturing capabilities. The ideal candidate takes full ownership of outcomes, leads with genuine humility, and brings a passion for solving hard problems to every initiative they champion.
Travel expectation: Up to 30% domestic and international.
Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership & CoE Development- Define the multi-year vision, roadmap, and operating model for the Advanced Manufacturing CoE, aligning priorities to corporate growth and technology strategy.
- Build, mentor, and retain a high-performing team of engineers, scientists, and program managers across automation, test, materials, and process disciplines; roll up your sleeves alongside the team, modeling the mutual respect and genuine investment in others that defines Neptune's culture.
- Establish CoE governance, stage-gate frameworks, and portfolio review cadences to ensure disciplined prioritization of resources and investment.
- Partner with senior leadership, RDO, Product, R&D, Supply Chain, and Quality to translate strategic objectives into executable engineering programs, bringing individual expertise together toward shared outcomes.
- Represent the CoE with customers, suppliers, academic partners, and regulatory bodies; champion external collaboration and open-innovation initiatives.
Industrial Automation- Lead the identification, development, and deployment of automation technologies - including robotics, collaborative robots (cobots), machine vision, and AI-driven control systems - to improve throughput, quality, and safety.
- Develop automation standards and design-for-automation guidelines applied across all manufacturing platforms and new product introductions.
- Drive ROI-based business cases for capital investment in automation infrastructure; oversee project delivery from concept through production readiness.
- Build partnerships with automation OEMs, system integrators, and technology startups to maintain access to leading-edge capabilities.
- Establish centers of competency for programmable automation controllers (PLCs/DCS), industrial communication protocols, and cybersecurity for operational technology (OT) systems.
Next-Generation Test Engineering- Architect the long-range test strategy covering functional test, end-of-line validation, in-process inspection, and reliability / accelerated life testing.
- Drive adoption of advanced test methodologies including digital-twin-based test validation, AI-assisted anomaly detection, and automated data analytics for yield improvement.
- Oversee development of proprietary test equipment, fixtures, and software platforms that support product launches and protect IP.
- Establish test coverage metrics, escape rates, and continuous-improvement programs to elevate first-pass yield and reduce cost of quality.
- Collaborate with Product Engineering and Quality Assurance to integrate design-for-testability (DFT) requirements early in the product development cycle.
New Material Evaluation & Introduction- Lead structured evaluation programs for candidate materials - including advanced polymers, composites, coatings, and metals - assessing performance, manufacturability, cost, and regulatory compliance.
- Partner with suppliers, material scientists, and R&D to develop a pipeline of next-generation materials that enable product differentiation or cost reduction.
- Establish robust material qualification protocols aligned with industry standards (ASTM, MIL-SPEC, IATF 16949, ISO, AS9100, etc.) and internal engineering standards.
- Maintain a materials database and knowledge repository supporting design engineering, sourcing, and regulatory/sustainability requirements.
- Monitor emerging material technologies - nanomaterials, bio-based polymers, sustainable alternatives - and assess applicability to the company's product roadmap.
Process Development & Optimization- Direct the development, scale-up, and transfer of novel manufacturing processes from prototype through high-volume production.
- Apply statistical methodologies (DOE, Six Sigma, SPC) to characterize process windows, establish control plans, and drive defect reduction.
- Champion digital manufacturing initiatives including Industry 4.0 integration, MES connectivity, real-time process monitoring, and data-driven process optimization; approach each challenge with curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning.
- Lead process FMEA activities and ensure robust process control documentation (PFDs, control plans, work instructions) is maintained and continuously improved.
- Oversee technology transfer to operations teams, ensuring manufacturing readiness reviews (MRRs) are completed with documented evidence of process stability.
Financial & Operational Accountability- Develop and manage the CoE capital and operating budget; track and report KPIs covering innovation pipeline health, program delivery, quality impact, and cost savings, taking personal accountability for results and always doing what's right for the business.
- Identify and capture cost-reduction and efficiency opportunities through technology deployment; quantify and present business cases to senior leadership.
- Ensure compliance with EHS regulations, product safety standards, and export control requirements across all CoE activities.
Required Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline; Master's degree strongly preferred.
- 15+ years of progressive engineering experience in a manufacturing environment, including 7+ years in senior leadership roles.
- Demonstrated success building or transforming a Center of Excellence, advanced engineering group, or manufacturing technology organization.
- Proven expertise in at least two of the four CoE pillars: automation, test engineering, materials, or process development.
- Track record of delivering complex capital programs and technology introductions on time and within budget.
- Proficiency with modern product-development processes (APQP, PPAP, Design Reviews) and quality management systems (ISO 9001, IATF 16949, AS9100).
- Strong financial acumen; experience developing investment business cases and managing multi-million-dollar budgets.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder-management skills; ability to influence without authority across business units and bring diverse perspectives together to win as one team.
Our ValuesAt Neptune Technology Group, our values guide how we work, lead, and grow together. The Sr. Director of Advanced Manufacturing, CoE will be expected to embody and champion these values every day:
- Own It - We are accountable to ourselves and each other. We deliver results and always do what's right.
- Be Humble - We roll up our sleeves. We value mutual respect in all our interactions. We are genuine, putting others first.
- Be a Passionate Solver - We take pride in solving problems. We are adaptable and continuously learning.
- Win Together - We achieve more when individual perspectives come together.
Leadership CompetenciesVisionary ThinkingTranslates macro technology trends into differentiated, actionable CoE strategies.
Talent DevelopmentBuilds bench strength; fosters a culture of curiosity, inclusion, and continuous learning.
Execution ExcellenceDelivers complex, multi-discipline programs with rigor, urgency, and a bias for results.
Cross-Functional InfluenceAligns diverse stakeholders; communicates technical concepts clearly to executive audiences.
Innovation CultureChampions calculated risk-taking; creates psychological safety for experimentation and fast learning.
Data-Driven JudgmentMakes decisions grounded in quantitative analysis, structured risk assessment, and operational insight.
