Sustaining Engineering Manager - Harrison, OHIf you're energized by taking ownership of technical problems from the shop floor to the field, working across engineering, manufacturing, and service to improve how products perform over time, this role puts you right in the middle of it.
Cincinnati Incorporated is seeking a hands-on, technically driven Sustaining Engineering Manager to own the long-term performance, reliability, and continuous improvement of our product line. In this role, you will serve as the key technical bridge between Product Management, Manufacturing, and Technical Service - ensuring that our machines not only meet design intent but continue to improve in performance, quality, and manufacturability over time.
This is a highly cross-functional leadership position where you will guide root cause analysis, drive product improvements, and support field and production issue resolution. You will lead sustaining engineering efforts that directly impact customer satisfaction, and overall product excellence.
Our engineering leaders thrive in environments where they are close to the product, close to the shop floor, and close to the customer. If you enjoy rolling up your sleeves to solve real technical problems while also leading continuous improvement initiatives, this role puts you at the center of it all.
We proudly support veterans and military families and strongly encourage U.S. military veterans to apply. The skills developed through military service - such as discipline, technical problem-solving, systems thinking, and accountability - translate exceptionally well into this role and are highly valued at our organization.
Summary:
The Sustaining Engineering Manager is a critical, hands-on, leadership role responsible for the technical integrity and lifecycle management of our entire product line. This individual serves as the primary Engineering interface between Product Management, Technical Service, and Manufacturing to ensure product optimization and process excellence.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Product Design & Cost Reduction
Leading a talented sustaining engineering team to maintain and improve existing products is a primary focus:
- Design Execution: Execute product design changes to meet company objectives and market requirements.
- Cost Management: Lead project-level work with emphasis on design for manufacturability/service/assembly (DFM, DFA, DFS) and cost reduction.
- Technical Support: Provide expert direction for critical process and product issues, ensuring minimal disruption to production and field service.
- Modularization Strategy: Lead the transition to modular product architectures to increase component reuse, reduce design cycle times, and lower overall inventory costs.
- Standardization: Develop and maintain engineering standards for CAD/Modeling, mechanical components and electrical components streamline the engineering process and simplify manufacturing complexity.
2. Engineer Process & Continuous Improvement
A core requirement of this role is the relentless pursuit of operational excellence through the development and refinement of engineering workflows.
- Process Optimization: Lead the identification and continuous improvement of engineering processes and related metrics.
- Strategic Planning: Develop and execute the plan for sustaining engineering team to achieve annual company targets. Identify defect reduction initiatives to ensure long-term product viability.
- Compliance & Systems: Lead the team development of systems and controls to ensure engineering deliverables and processes comply with rigorous quality standards.
- Budgetary Oversight: Plan and manage departmental spending to meet annual budget plan.
3. Talent Development & Mentorship
Building and developing a world-class engineering team is essential for this role:
- Team Leadership: Provide direct leadership and mentorship to technical personnel to meet quality, production, and continuous improvement goals.
- Cross-Functional Development: Facilitate cross-training for engineers in mechanical, electrical, and controls to create a versatile and agile team.
- Work Direction: Responsible for directing the daily work and professional growth of all team members.
- Professional Communication: Model effective and professional communication with internal departments and external customers.
Required Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering
- Experience: 6 to 10 years of professional experience, with at least three years specifically in the design of manufacturing equipment.
- Methodology: Proven experience with value stream mapping (VSM), Kaizen, and lean design principles.
- Soft Skills: Must be a strategic thinker and problem solver with the ability to balance detailed technical knowledge with business operations management.
Preferred Qualifications
- Solid Edge design software experience
- Epicor ERP software knowledge
- Sig Sigma and/or Shanin problem solving methodologies
- Graduate work in Business Administration or technical field is preferred.
Physical Demands and Work Environment:
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Physical Demands:
This position is very active and requires frequent standing, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, and climbing of ladders. Must be able to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; must be able to lift a minimum of 50 lbs. frequently. Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment:
The noise level in the work environment can be loud occasionally. This is a high-travel position with significant overnight travel required.
This role does not offer sponsorship employment benefits. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship.
Benefits Include:
✓ Paid training
✓ Paid vacations
✓ Paid holidays and personal days
✓ Medical insurance (including HSA)
✓ Dental insurance
✓ Vision insurance
✓ Accident insurance
✓ Life insurance (AD&D)
✓ Disability insurance
✓ Generous 401(k) employer match
✓ Flexible spending account
✓ Tuition reimbursement
✓ Employee assistance program
✓ Parental leave
