Product Design Engineering Director – Plastics (Hybrid)

Company Description

At Lakeshore, we create innovative learning materials and world-class guest experiences for teachers, parents and children. Since 1954, we’ve grown into a global community—with a thriving e-commerce business, multiple catalogs, 60+ retail stores, a peerless national sales force, plus international offices that support our preeminent supply chain division. But today we’re working better, smarter and faster than ever—and setting our sights even higher. We’re building an infrastructure designed for scalability, embracing data-driven decision-making and using technology to improve efficiency and ensure the best tools for the best work. Most importantly, we continue to invest in a diverse team of inquisitive top talent who fuel each other’s passions and curiosity, take risks, try new things and believe that every new day brings opportunities for growth.

Job Description

We are currently looking for a hands-on Engineering Director to oversee the complex and rapidly evolving workload of our product engineers in the plastics category. In this role, you will coach team members to deliver production-ready designs and implement standards and procedures that ensure best practices are followed and cost-effectiveness is maintained. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of design engineering and development processes, as well as the ability to communicate effectively with staff members at all levels—from interdepartmental peers to company executives. And we’re here to help you succeed—Lakeshore recently earned its Great Place to Work® Certification™ and is proud to put its people first.

This position is on-site at our Carson, CA, headquarters with the flexibility to work from home depending on the design stage.

A day in the office looks like this:

• Managing the product engineering work through hands-on coaching, mentoring and critiquing
• Growing and developing the team’s engineering and leadership skills
• Providing engineering expertise with an emphasis on your plastics knowledge
• Ensuring that engineering product designs support company standards for quality, durability and cost-effectiveness
• Clearly articulating project status and progress to peers and company executives
• Establishing and maintaining strong working relationships with multiple internal and external partners; collaborating with partners to ensure successful production and manufacturing outcomes
• Solving inefficiencies in design and engineering processes and leading your team as they troubleshoot through all stages of the development process
• Providing detailed responses to product and technical requests

Qualifications

Got the skills and experience? Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field (Master’s degree a plus)
• 10+ years of engineering/design experience
• 5+ years of experience leading teams at the director or senior manager level
• Experience with CAD software (SolidWorks experience preferred)
• Deep knowledge of a variety of plastics and material selection, especially ABS, HDPE, PP, nylon, POM and TPEs
• Expertise in DFMA to ensure tooling design will deliver upon design intent and specifications; experience with predictive techniques a plus (e.g., Moldflow)
• Expertise in plastic part design, injection and blow molding, plastic part assembly and overmolding
• Good understanding of the quality process and the integration of product and testing requirements into design
• Current relationships with plastic material suppliers and high-quality molders in Asia is a plus
• Consistent approach to voice of customer design and consumer end-use
• Ability to provide quick and pragmatic direction
• Excellent presentation skills with the ability to simplify complex concepts to drive decision-making
• Great leadership skills with the ability to influence partners and assess organizational needs
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent attention to detail

Additional Information

And here’s our end of the bargain!

• Salary: $160,000 – $225,000 with an annual bonus of up to 20%
• Excellent medical/dental and vision coverage—EPO, PPO and HSA
• 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution (because you will retire someday)
• Flexible benefits—choose what you like, ignore the rest
• On-site preschool for our employees’ children
• On-site employee gym for all levels/fitness needs
• Generous employee discount on products that make you smarter
• Casual dress…and we really mean it

At Lakeshore, we know our diversity makes us stronger, and when everyone feels included and valued, we all win. We strive to embrace our differences and create an intentionally diverse and inclusive community that is representative of the teachers, families and children we serve.

We know we couldn’t do the extraordinary things we’re doing without the people on our team. Thanks to the passion and enthusiasm of this spectacular group, Lakeshore is more than a great place to work—it’s a great experience to be part of. Day in and day out, we give everything we’ve got to create products that instill a sense of wonder and foster a true love of learning. To help maintain this high bar for success, we’re constantly on the lookout for people to join us. So if you’re a down-to-earth professional who shares our desire for making a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

To learn more about Lakeshore, visit www.lakeshorelearning.com/careers

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

People are selected to become members of the Lakeshore family based on skill, merit and mind-boggling talent—not based on race, color, creed, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, marital status, domestic partnership status, military status, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, alienage, AIDS or AIDS-related complex status, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, status as a victim of domestic violence, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If things aren’t equal, we all lose.

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