Position: Head of Hydraulic Cylinders Design Department
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Job Summary
The Head of Hydraulic Cylinders Design is a senior leadership role responsible for the overall strategy, management, and performance of the company's hydraulic cylinder design department. This role involves leading a team of design engineers, overseeing the end-to-end design process, ensuring product quality and innovation, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to meet customer demands and company objectives. The ideal candidate will be a technical expert with a proven track record of effective team management and project delivery in a manufacturing environment.
Core Responsibilities
1. Design Leadership and Strategy
- Provide strategic direction for the hydraulic cylinder design department, aligning with overall business goals for innovation and market growth.
- Oversee the entire design and development process for new and custom hydraulic cylinders, from concept to production.
- Define and implement design standards, best practices, and methodologies to ensure a consistent, high-quality, and cost-effective approach.
- Stay abreast of industry trends, new technologies, and competitor products to drive continuous innovation.
2. Team Management and Development
- Lead, mentor, and motivate a team of design engineers and drafters, fostering a culture of technical excellence and collaboration.
- Manage team workloads, project timelines, and resource allocation to meet delivery schedules effectively.
- Conduct performance reviews, provide constructive feedback, and identify professional development opportunities for team members.
- Recruit and onboard new engineering talent to support the department's growth.
3. Project and Technical Oversight
- Review and approve technical drawings, design calculations, and Bill of Materials (BOMs) for accuracy and compliance.
- Work closely with Sales and Application Engineering to translate customer specifications and needs into robust and manufacturable designs.
- Collaborate with the Production and Quality departments to resolve design-related issues, implement Engineering Change Notices (ECNs), and support process improvements.
- Manage the department's budget, including software tools, testing equipment, and project-specific costs.
4. Quality and Compliance
- Ensure that all hydraulic cylinder designs meet or exceed quality standards, industry codes (e.g., ISO, ASME, MIL), and customer requirements.
- Support Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and other reliability analysis to proactively identify and mitigate design risks.
- Oversee the testing and validation of prototypes to verify performance against design criteria.
5. Interdepartmental Collaboration
- Act as the primary technical point of contact for the design department, facilitating clear and effective communication with sales, production, quality, and supply chain teams.
- Participate in management meetings and provide regular updates on project status, department performance, and strategic initiatives.
Key Result Areas (KRAs)
Design and Innovation:
Introduce and commercialize new hydraulic cylinder designs or product features that drive market share and meet evolving customer needs.Operational Excellence:
Improve departmental efficiency by optimizing design processes, reducing design cycle times, and minimizing reworks.Talent and Leadership:
Develop a high-performing and motivated design team with improved skill sets and strong succession planning.Customer Satisfaction:
Ensure design outputs consistently meet or exceed customer expectations, leading to a high rate of first-time acceptance and successful field performance.Cost Management:
Achieve cost-effectiveness in designs by optimizing material usage, standardizing components, and supporting cost reduction initiatives.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Design Cycle Time:
Average time from initial design request to final approved design.New Product Introduction (NPI) Success Rate:
Percentage of new designs that successfully go into full production and meet performance goals.First-Pass Yield:
Percentage of designs that are approved by manufacturing without requiring major rework or corrections.Design-related Customer Complaints:
Number of customer complaints or field failures attributed to a design flaw.On-Time Project Delivery:
Percentage of design projects completed within the agreed-upon timeline.Cost of Rework:
Total cost associated with design-related manufacturing rework or scrap.Design Department Productivity:
Metrics tracking design output per engineer, such as number of drawings produced or projects completed.Employee Engagement:
Survey scores and retention rates for the design engineering team.
Required Qualifications
Education:
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical field.
Experience:
- Minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in mechanical or hydraulic cylinder design, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership or managerial role.
- Extensive, hands-on experience specifically with the design and manufacturing of hydraulic cylinders for industrial or heavy equipment, defence and special applications.
Skills and Knowledge:
Technical Expertise:
- Deep knowledge of hydraulic circuit design, fluid mechanics, and the application of hydraulic components.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, including machining, welding, and assembly.
- Proficiency in 3D CAD software (e.g., Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks, Creo).
- Knowledge of industry standards and codes relevant to hydraulic equipment.
Managerial Skills:
- Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and manage an engineering team effectively.
- Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities.
- Excellent problem-solving, decision-making, and analytical abilities.
Interpersonal Skills:
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with cross-functional teams and external stakeholders.
- Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple demands simultaneously.
- Strong commercial acumen and understanding of product costing.
