Director of Engineering

Position Summary:

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.

Key Responsibilities:

• 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.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• 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., SolidWorks), 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.

Preferred:

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

We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

About Hill & Smith:

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 boards, and speed trailers), and ITS smart work zone solutions (roadside data collection equipment and software).

Our purpose is to design and deliver innovative solutions to protect the traveling public and road workers by making transportation safer, smarter, and more sustainable.

Our Core Values:

At Hill & Smith, our values guide everything we do:

• Safety – Safety is everyone’s responsibility.

• Trust and Respect – We build trust through responsible actions and honest relationships. We value everyone and treat people with dignity and professionalism.

• Urgency – We act promptly and with the intention to make things happen efficiently and effectively.

• Collaboration – We work hand in hand to achieve our goals.

• Accountability – Each of us is responsible for our words, our actions, and our results.

• Forward Thinking – We always look ahead and plan for what could happen. We aren’t afraid of taking risks, and we are always willing to learn and grow.

 What We Offer

• Competitive compensation
• Health, dental, vision, short & long-term disability, and life insurance options
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and holidays
• Supportive and team-oriented work environment

We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.