Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Manager

Company: American Equipment

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Engineering Management / Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-23

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid (4 days in office / 1 day from home)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and mentor multidisciplinary Mechanical and Electrical Design teams within an Engineer-to-Order (ETO) manufacturing environment.

• Champion and manage the digital transformation from traditional 2D drafting to advanced 3D design and modeling methodologies.

• Ensure design deliverables meet stringent customer, engineering, safety, and manufacturing standards for custom overhead crane systems.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance engineering efficiency, design quality, and overall operational excellence.

• Foster a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, accountability, and professional development within the design organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for modernizing American Equipment's engineering processes, with a strong emphasis on digital transformation and team development. The operations aspect is deeply embedded in managing the design function within a complex ETO manufacturing setting, requiring a blend of technical leadership and process optimization skills.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Leadership & Team Development: Lead, coach, and mentor Mechanical and Electrical Design personnel, establishing performance expectations, conducting evaluations, and creating development plans to foster a high-performing team.

• 2D to 3D Design Transformation: Spearhead the migration from 2D drafting to 3D design and modeling, developing training plans, establishing standards, best practices, templates, and workflows for modern CAD tools.

• Design & Engineering Management: Provide technical oversight for all mechanical and electrical design activities, ensuring design outputs align with customer requirements, engineering standards, safety regulations, and manufacturing needs.

• Engineer-to-Order (ETO) Business Support: Manage design teams in a fast-paced ETO environment, balancing standardization with project-specific customization to improve engineering throughput and responsiveness.

• Process Improvement: Develop and maintain engineering design standards and procedures, establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor team productivity and design quality, and identify opportunities for automation, standardization, and process optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities heavily lean into operations management within an engineering context, focusing on process efficiency, team enablement, and strategic technology adoption (digital transformation). The ETO environment implies a need for adaptable and robust design processes that can handle high variability.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Technology, or a related technical discipline.

Experience: 8+ years of engineering design experience in manufacturing, industrial equipment, material handling, or a related industry, with a minimum of 5 years in a design leadership role.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience leading the successful transition of design personnel from 2D drafting to 3D design environments.

• Experience managing multidisciplinary Mechanical and Electrical Design teams.

• Strong understanding of engineering documentation, CAD standards, and configuration control processes.

• Proficiency with modern CAD platforms such as SolidWorks, Inventor, Creo, AutoCAD, or similar software.

• Excellent leadership, communication, coaching, and organizational skills.

• Strong project management and problem-solving capabilities. Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the overhead crane, material handling, heavy industrial equipment, structural steel, or custom manufacturing industries.

• Familiarity with Engineer-to-Order (ETO) manufacturing operations.

• Experience implementing Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems and digital engineering initiatives.

• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma experience.

• Professional Engineering (PE) license.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on 2D to 3D transformation and ETO experience indicates a need for a candidate who can manage complex process changes and operational workflows in a custom manufacturing setting. The preferred qualifications highlight a desire for candidates with deep industry and methodology expertise.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated examples of leading design teams through significant process changes, particularly the adoption of 3D modeling.

• Case studies showcasing improvements in design cycle time, drawing quality, or engineering throughput resulting from process optimization.

• Documentation of established engineering standards, best practices, and workflow methodologies for CAD operations.

• Evidence of successful collaboration with manufacturing, project management, and service teams to ensure seamless project execution from design to delivery. Process Documentation:

• Examples of developed or maintained engineering design standards and procedures.

• Documentation of KPIs used to monitor team productivity, drawing quality, and design cycle times.

• Case studies detailing continuous improvement initiatives focused on quality, efficiency, and digital engineering capabilities.

• Proposals or implemented solutions for automation, standardization, and process optimization within design workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, a portfolio should clearly articulate the candidate's ability to manage and improve engineering processes, not just individual design work. The focus on 2D to 3D transformation implies that examples of implemented workflows, training materials, and metrics demonstrating successful adoption are crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $135,000 - $155,000 annually. This range is based on the provided salary data and reflects typical compensation for Design Manager roles with significant leadership and digital transformation responsibilities in the Salt Lake City, Utah area. Factors influencing placement within this range include depth of experience in ETO manufacturing, proven success in 3D design migration, and leadership effectiveness.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Cigna Health Insurance (Kaiser in CA).

• Paid Time Off: Front-loaded 56 hours of sick time and vacation time.

• Health Savings Accounts: FSA & HSA with employer contribution.

• Additional Insurance: Critical Illness, Accidental, and Hospital Indemnity Plans.

• Dental and Vision Plans.

• Company-Paid Disability: Short-Term (STD) and Long-Term (LTD) Disability Insurance.

• Professional Development: Educational and Tuition Reimbursement.

• Parental Leave: Maternity (12 weeks) and Paternity leave.

• Employee Support: Employee Assistance Program.

• Life Insurance: Basic & Voluntary Life AD&D.

• Retirement Savings: 4% 401k Employer Match, with 6% of your Contribution.

• Additional Perks: Company-provided PPE.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, typically Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a management role with specialized technical and transformation responsibilities. The benefits package is robust, offering comprehensive health coverage, generous paid time off, and significant retirement matching, which are attractive to experienced professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Industrial Equipment Manufacturing, specializing in Engineer-to-Order (ETO) overhead cranes, hoists, and material handling systems. This sector demands high customization, precision engineering, and robust manufacturing processes.

Company Size: American Equipment was founded in 1969 and serves thousands of customers. While specific employee count isn't provided, its long history and broad customer base suggest a well-established, medium-to-large enterprise.

Founded: 1969, indicating a company with deep industry experience and a history of adapting to technological changes.

Team Structure:

• The Design Manager reports directly to the Chief Engineer, indicating a clear hierarchical structure within the engineering department.

• The role oversees two distinct but related teams: Mechanical Design and Electrical Design, requiring strong cross-functional leadership capabilities.

• Collaboration is expected with Project Management, Manufacturing, Procurement, Quality, and Service teams, highlighting a matrixed operational environment. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on establishing KPIs to monitor team productivity, drawing quality, and design cycle times, suggesting a data-informed approach to performance management.

• Continuous Improvement: A core aspect of the role involves driving initiatives focused on quality, efficiency, and digital engineering capabilities, aligning with Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma principles.

• Standardization & Optimization: The role requires balancing standardization opportunities with project-specific customization, a key operational challenge in ETO environments.

Company Website: amquipinc.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's ETO model and long history suggest a culture that values custom solutions, technical expertise, and long-term customer relationships. The emphasis on digital transformation indicates a forward-thinking approach to operations and engineering.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior management position within the engineering operations function. It requires a blend of technical depth in mechanical and electrical design, leadership acumen to manage multiple teams, and strategic vision to drive digital transformation initiatives. The role is pivotal in shaping the future of engineering processes.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Chief Engineer, a key executive role. This provides visibility and direct influence on high-level engineering strategy and operational decisions.

Operations Impact: The Design Manager directly influences engineering throughput, design quality, manufacturing efficiency, and customer satisfaction by optimizing the design process. Successful digital transformation can lead to significant cost savings, reduced lead times, and improved product innovation, directly impacting the company's bottom line and competitive positioning.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into roles like Director of Engineering, VP of Engineering, or Chief Engineer, particularly by demonstrating successful leadership and strategic transformation.

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in advanced 3D modeling, PLM implementation, or digital engineering strategies, becoming a subject matter expert within the company or industry.

• Process Optimization Leadership: Take on broader operational improvement initiatives across manufacturing or product development, leveraging expertise gained in managing the design transformation.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth within engineering management and operations leadership. Success in driving the 2D to 3D transition and improving ETO design processes will be key differentiators for career advancement.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, requiring 4 days per week in the Salt Lake City office and 1 day remote. This offers a balance between in-person collaboration and individual focus time.

Office Location(s): 1595 South Pioneer Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 84104. This location offers access to a major metropolitan area with amenities and potential for talent acquisition.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on cross-functional collaboration suggest an environment where teamwork and shared problem-solving are valued. The office days are crucial for team meetings, design reviews, and strategic discussions.

• Tools & Technology: As a leader in digital transformation, the workspace is expected to be equipped with modern CAD workstations, collaboration software, and access to relevant engineering and project management tools.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities exist for direct interaction with both direct reports (design teams) and stakeholders across engineering, manufacturing, and project management departments.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (40 hours/week) with a typical Monday-Friday schedule (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.), providing a predictable work structure.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model indicates a modern approach to work-life balance, while the 4-day office requirement emphasizes the importance of in-person collaboration for this management role, particularly for driving change and team cohesion.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the Chief Engineer focusing on leadership experience, technical background, and strategic vision for the design team. Preparation for detailed questions on 2D to 3D transformation initiatives is key.

• Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Mechanical and Electrical Design, Project Management, and Manufacturing to assess collaboration style, problem-solving approach, and technical understanding.

• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session to present and discuss past projects, focusing on leadership in process improvement, digital transformation, and team development. Be prepared to articulate ROI and impact.

• Final Interview: Potential discussion with senior leadership to confirm strategic alignment and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Leadership & Transformation: Highlight your role in leading teams and driving the transition from 2D to 3D design. Showcase specific examples of process implementation, training strategies, and adoption metrics.

• Quantify Impact: For each case study, present quantifiable results such as reduced design cycle times, improved drawing accuracy, cost savings, or increased team productivity. Use metrics relevant to engineering operations.

• Structure for Operations: Organize your portfolio to clearly demonstrate your understanding of ETO environments, workflow optimization, standardization efforts, and cross-functional collaboration.

• Showcase Technical Acumen: While leadership is key, be ready to discuss your technical understanding of CAD platforms, engineering standards, and the challenges of implementing new technologies.

Challenge Preparation:

• Process Improvement Scenario: Be prepared for a hypothetical scenario where you must outline a strategy to improve design efficiency or quality in an ETO environment.

• Leadership Challenge: Expect questions about how you would handle team resistance to change, motivate underperforming individuals, or foster collaboration between mechanical and electrical teams.

• Digital Transformation Plan: Be ready to discuss key steps, potential roadblocks, and success metrics for migrating a design team to a 3D modeling environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely probe deeply into the candidate's ability to manage change and lead technical teams through a significant operational shift. A well-structured portfolio demonstrating tangible results from process improvements and digital transformation is essential.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• CAD Software: Extensive experience with modern 3D CAD platforms is essential. The job explicitly mentions SolidWorks, Inventor, Creo, and AutoCAD. Proficiency in at least one, with familiarity across others, is expected.

• PDM/PLM Systems: Experience with Product Data Management (PDM) or Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems is highly preferred, as these are critical for managing design data and workflows in a manufacturing environment.

• Collaboration Tools: Proficiency with project management software (e.g., Jira, Asana, Microsoft Project) and team communication platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Slack) will be necessary for cross-functional collaboration.

Analytics & Reporting:

• ERP Systems: Familiarity with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) is beneficial for understanding how design data integrates with broader manufacturing and business operations.

• Business Intelligence Tools: Experience with BI tools for data analysis and reporting on KPIs (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) would be advantageous for tracking design team performance.

CRM & Automation:

• While not primary for this role, understanding how design outputs impact sales (CRM) and how automation can streamline engineering tasks (e.g., through CAD scripting or PDM workflows) is valuable.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on 2D to 3D transformation strongly suggests that hands-on experience with advanced CAD software and related PDM/PLM systems is a core requirement. The ability to leverage these tools for process improvement and data management is paramount.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Technical Excellence: A commitment to high-quality design, adherence to engineering standards, and continuous learning in CAD and design methodologies.

• Collaboration: Fostering strong working relationships with manufacturing, project management, and other engineering disciplines to ensure seamless project execution.

• Accountability: Taking ownership of design deliverables, team performance, and the success of digital transformation initiatives.

• Continuous Improvement: A proactive mindset towards identifying and implementing enhancements in design processes, tools, and team capabilities.

• Customer Focus: Understanding that design decisions directly impact customer satisfaction and operational efficiency for American Equipment's clients.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role demands active collaboration with diverse teams, requiring clear communication, negotiation, and the ability to translate technical requirements across departments.

• Process Review & Feedback: A culture where design processes are regularly reviewed, and feedback is actively sought and incorporated from all stakeholders.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging an environment where team members share best practices, challenges, and solutions, particularly around new technologies and methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values likely revolve around engineering rigor, teamwork, and a commitment to evolving with industry best practices. The Design Manager will be instrumental in embedding these values within the design teams, especially during the transformation phase.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Resistance to Change: Overcoming potential resistance from team members accustomed to 2D drafting workflows and ensuring successful adoption of 3D design tools and methodologies.

• Balancing Standardization and Customization: Effectively managing the inherent complexity of an ETO environment where each project requires customization while seeking opportunities for standardization to improve efficiency.

• Resource Allocation: Optimizing the allocation of limited design resources across multiple custom projects with competing deadlines and priorities.

• Keeping Pace with Technology: Continuously evaluating and implementing new CAD features, PDM/PLM capabilities, and digital engineering practices to maintain a competitive edge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced CAD & PLM Training: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific 3D modeling software, PDM/PLM system administration, or related digital engineering tools.

• Leadership Development Programs: Access to company-sponsored or external leadership training focused on change management, strategic planning, and team building.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Potential to attend industry events related to manufacturing, engineering, and digital transformation, or pursue certifications in Lean/Six Sigma or project management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge will be managing the human element of technological change while ensuring business objectives are met. Growth opportunities are strong for those who can successfully navigate these challenges and demonstrate strategic leadership in operational improvements.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your experience leading a team through a significant digital transformation, specifically the migration from 2D to 3D design. What were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on change management, process implementation, and team buy-in).

• "How do you balance standardization with customization in an Engineer-to-Order (ETO) manufacturing environment? Provide an example of a process you implemented to achieve this." (Highlight your understanding of ETO operations and process optimization).

• "What KPIs would you establish to measure the performance and quality of a mechanical and electrical design team, and how would you track and report on them?" (Demonstrate your data-driven approach to operations management). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about American Equipment and our role in the industrial equipment market, particularly regarding custom overhead cranes?" (Research company history, products, and market position).

• "How would you foster a culture of continuous improvement and technical excellence within your design teams?" (Align your response with company values and operational goals).

• "How do you see your leadership style contributing to our goal of advancing our engineering capabilities and digital transformation?" (Connect your experience to the company's strategic objectives). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• The "Transformation Story": Dedicate a significant portion of your presentation to showcasing your leadership in a 2D to 3D design transition. Detail the strategy, implementation steps, training provided, and the tangible results achieved.

• Quantifiable Impact & ROI: For all case studies, emphasize the measurable outcomes. Use metrics like "reduced design errors by X%", "decreased cycle time by Y%", or "increased team throughput by Z%." Clearly articulate the return on investment for process improvements.

• Structure for Operations: Frame your examples around process workflows, efficiency gains, and operational improvements, rather than just individual design achievements. Show how your leadership impacts the broader manufacturing operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to discuss specific methodologies for change management, process documentation, and performance tracking. Your portfolio should be a narrative of your operational leadership and ability to drive strategic change within an engineering context.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Manager position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on recruiting.paylocity.com.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience in managing design teams, leading digital transformation (2D to 3D migration), and working within an Engineer-to-Order (ETO) manufacturing environment. Use keywords from the job description such as "3D modeling," "process improvement," "team leadership," and "ETO."

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate a portfolio that specifically showcases your leadership in process optimization and technological adoption. Focus on case studies demonstrating successful 2D to 3D transitions, improvements in design cycle times, and team development. Quantify your achievements with relevant metrics.

• Research American Equipment: Gain a deep understanding of American Equipment's products (overhead cranes, hoists), their ETO business model, their history, and their market position. This will help you tailor your responses to their specific operational context.

• Practice Interview Responses: Prepare to discuss your leadership philosophy, strategies for managing change, and how you would approach the challenges outlined in the job description. Practice presenting your portfolio and quantifying your impact.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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