Vice President of EngineeringDepartment: Engineering
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Columbia, PA - Plant
DescriptionThe Vice President of Engineering is responsible for leading all engineering, process development, and technical operations within a high-volume heavy industrial foundry environment. This role oversees engineering, tooling design, metallurgical processes, quality engineering, continuous improvement, capital projects, and cross-functional technical support. The VP of Engineering will ensure manufacturing excellence by driving productivity, throughput, safety, product integrity, and operational efficiency across all casting and machining operations.
This leader will guide a team of engineers while partnering closely with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, EHS, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to achieve organizational objectives.
How You Will HelpEngineering Leadership and Strategy- Develop and execute the engineering strategy to support operational excellence and long-term growth.
- Manage and mentor engineering, tooling, process, and metallurgical teams.
- Establish engineering standards, best practices, and technical direction for the foundry.
- Lead cross-functional initiatives supporting operational, financial, and quality targets.
Foundry Process Optimization- Oversee optimization of melting, molding, core-making, pouring, heat-treating, and finishing operations.
- Analyze process data to improve yield, reduce scrap, and increase throughput.
- Implement process control systems and standardized work procedures.
- Ensure robust metallurgical integrity across all casting operations.
Tooling and Product Engineering- Direct design and development of gating systems, risers, patterns, fixtures, and tooling.
- Lead new product introductions (NPI) from concept through production.
- Review and approve engineering drawings, modeling, simulation, and casting feasibility analyses.
Continuous Improvement and Lean Manufacturing- Champion Lean, Six Sigma, and CI initiatives throughout the plant.
- Reduce waste and drive measurable improvements in productivity, cost, uptime, and process stability.
- Use data-driven techniques (SPC, DOE, root-cause analysis) to resolve issues and prevent recurrence.
Capital Projects and Technology Advancement- Identify, scope, and manage capital equipment and facility upgrade projects.
- Lead evaluation and introduction of new technologies including automation and robotics.
- Manage budgets, timelines, vendor relationships, and ROI analysis for engineering investments.
Quality, Compliance, and Safety- Ensure compliance with safety, regulatory, and environmental standards.
- Support resolution of customer quality issues and technical inquiries.
- Ensure engineering documentation and process controls meet ISO/AS standards.
Cross-Functional Collaboration- Partner with Operations to support daily production and troubleshooting needs.
- Support Sales with customer technical presentations and feasibility analysis.
- Work with Supply Chain and Maintenance on tooling and equipment reliability.
What You Will BringEducation and Experience- Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Industrial, Metallurgical, or related). Master's preferred.
- 10+ years engineering experience in heavy industrial manufacturing; foundry experience strongly preferred.
- 5+ years of progressive leadership experience managing technical teams.
Technical Skills- Strong understanding of casting processes (sand, investment, permanent mold, etc.).
- Experience with solidification modeling software (MAGMA, ProCAST, FLOW-3D).
- Knowledge of metallurgy, heat treatment, and material properties.
- Proficiency with CAD tools.
- Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, and CI methodologies.
Leadership and Soft Skills- Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing technical teams.
- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Strategic thinker with hands-on problem-solving ability.
- Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.
