Director of Engineering

Overview

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The Engineering Director will provide strategic leadership and direction for Hill & Smith’s engineering function, overseeing the design, development, and continuous improvement of all product lines. This role will set the long-term engineering vision, drive innovation aligned with organizational growth objectives, ensure technical excellence and regulatory compliance, and strengthen cross-functional collaboration across Product Management, Operations, Quality, Manufacturing, and Customer Support.

The Engineering Director will leverage deep technical expertise and strong organizational leadership to develop high-performing engineering teams, optimize processes, and deliver impactful solutions aligned with our core values of safety, collaboration, accountability, urgency, and forward thinking.

The ideal candidate is a proactive, strategic, and influential leader with a demonstrated track record of guiding engineering teams through complex product development and commercialization. They excel in fast-paced environments, enjoy developing technical talent, and are energized by building scalable engineering systems that support sustained growth.

This position is onsite, based out of our Columbus, Ohio headquarters.

• Establish and execute the long-term engineering strategy to support Hill & Smith’s strategic growth initiatives.
• Define engineering priorities, resource needs, and organizational capabilities required to scale product development and operational excellence.
• Serve as a key engineering advisor to senior leadership, contributing to business planning and portfolio strategy.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a multi-disciplinary team of mechanical and electrical engineers, project leads, and technical specialists.
• Oversee the full engineering lifecycle—from concept through commercialization—ensuring projects meet scope, cost, quality, and timeline expectations.
• Drive innovation by introducing new technologies, materials, and design methodologies to enhance product performance, safety, manufacturability, and sustainability.
• Partner with manufacturing teams to proactively address design-related issues and support continuous improvement, cost reduction, and quality initiatives.
• Ensure all product designs meet applicable DOT, ASTM, AASHTO, and other regulatory and industry standards.
• Build a culture of learning, innovation, accountability, and technical excellence across the engineering organization.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Civil Engineering (or related field).
• 10+ years of progressive engineering experience, including 5+ years leading engineering teams or engineering departments.
• Proven success leading product development, structural design, and testing in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of metal fabrication, welding, structural analysis, prototyping, and validation testing.
• Advanced proficiency in CAD (e.g., Solid Works), FEA tools, engineering documentation, and product data management.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects and prioritize resources effectively.
• Exceptional communication, cross-functional collaboration, and organizational leadership skills.

• Experience with transportation safety products or DOT-regulated equipment.
• Exposure to Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma principles.

Hill & Smith, Inc. is an industry-leading manufacturer of highway safety products, software, and services committed to protecting the traveling public and enhancing infrastructure safety. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, we are a member of the HS Roads & Security division of Hill & Smith Holdings PLC, based in Birmingham, England and publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange. Our worldwide Group Purpose is to “Create sustainable infrastructure and safe transport through innovation.”

Hill & Smith, Inc. operates four manufacturing facilities in the US and sells a wide array of transportation safety products around the world. Our products include roadside safety hardware (steel barriers and attenuators), work zone safety products (arrow boards, message…