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Director Of Engineering Jobs in Tennessee (NOW HIRING)

Director Of Engineering, Maintenance & Reliability Location: Memphis, TN Department: Operations Reports To: CEO / COO Position Summary Vanguard Soap is seeking a strategic, hands-on Director of ...

Serve as a trusted voice of engineering to executive and business leadership, translating complexity into plain language and partnering with operations and product teams to direct technology ...

Head of Engineering

Franklin, TN · On-site

$150 - $200/hr

Head of Engineering Location: Franklin, TN | Reports To: EVP, Technology Candidates must be legally ... direct technology investments toward measurable customer, operational, and commercial outcomes.

Serve as a trusted voice of engineering to executive and business leadership, translating complexity into plain language and partnering with operations and product teams to direct technology ...

Engineering Director

Nashville, TN · On-site

$125 - $150/hr

Overview The Director of Engineering is responsible for directing, overseeing, and utilizing functional authority for operation, planning, organization, control, integration, and completion of all ...

Engineering Director

Nashville, TN · On-site

$125 - $150/hr

Overview The Director of Engineering is responsible for directing, overseeing, and utilizing functional authority for operation, planning, organization, control, integration, and completion of all ...

Engineering Director

Nashville, TN · On-site

$136K - $175K/yr

With over 100 years of experience, we are a pillar of stability in the energy infrastructure ... The Director of Engineering is responsible for directing, overseeing, and utilizing functional ...

Director, Engineering Job Number: 41624 Location: Nashville, TN Schedule: 9/80 (every other Friday ... Serve as the technical focal point for execution of programs and product development efforts across ...

Showing results 21-40

Director Of Engineering information

See Tennessee salary details

$66.3K

$176.7K

$230.5K

How much do director of engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for director of engineering in Tennessee is $176,721.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $128,400.00 and $229,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a director of engineering do?

A director of engineering is the head of the engineering team or department. This is a leadership position in upper management, but unlike other director roles, the director or engineering plays an active part in the development of a project. They work with their team of engineers to set goals, plan projects, build a timeline, and stay within budget. Their duties and responsibilities also include project management, hiring new team members, presenting budgets and plans to other departments, and meeting with upper-level management.

What does a director of engineering do?

A Director of Engineering is responsible for overseeing the engineering department of a company, ensuring that projects are completed on time and within budget. They lead and mentor engineering teams, set technical direction, and collaborate with other departments to align engineering goals with overall business objectives. Additionally, they are involved in hiring, resource allocation, process improvement, and the implementation of best practices to drive innovation and operational excellence.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director of engineering, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director of Engineering, you need strong leadership abilities, deep technical expertise in engineering principles, and typically a degree in engineering or a related field. Familiarity with project management tools, software development methodologies, and experience with technical architecture or cloud platforms is common. Exceptional communication, strategic thinking, and team-building skills help foster collaboration and drive organizational goals. These skills and qualities are crucial for aligning engineering efforts with business objectives and delivering high-impact solutions.

What are some common challenges faced by a director of engineering, and how can candidates prepare to address them?

Directors of Engineering often navigate challenges such as aligning technical teams with business objectives, managing cross-functional collaboration, and balancing short-term deliverables with long-term strategic planning. Candidates can prepare by developing strong communication skills, gaining experience with organizational change management, and staying current on industry best practices. Additionally, fostering a culture of innovation and empathy within teams can help address common hurdles and ensure sustained team performance.

How much does a director of engineering earn?

A director of engineering typically earns between $120,000 and $200,000 annually, with salaries varying based on industry, company size, location, and experience. Senior roles may include bonuses, stock options, and other benefits, especially in tech and large corporations.

What are the most commonly searched types of Of Engineering jobs in Tennessee?

The most popular types of Of Engineering jobs in Tennessee are:

What cities in Tennessee are hiring for Director Of Engineering jobs?

Cities in Tennessee with the most Director Of Engineering job openings:

Infographic showing various Director Of Engineering job openings in Tennessee as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $176,721 per year, or $85 per hour.

Director, Engineering

Vanguard Soap

Memphis, TN • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 10 days ago


Job description

Job Title: Director Of Engineering, Maintenance & Reliability Location: Memphis, TN Department: Operations Reports To: CEO / COO
Position Summary
Vanguard Soap is seeking a strategic, hands-on Director of Engineering, Maintenance & Reliability to lead the engineering, maintenance, and asset reliability functions across our industrial operations. This leader owns the performance, uptime, and longevity of the plant's equipment and facility infrastructure - maximizing asset reliability, minimizing unplanned downtime, and ensuring production capacity scales with rapid growth.
The role pairs deep reliability and process engineering expertise with strong maintenance leadership and disciplined capital project execution. The ideal candidate is a builder who can mature a reactive maintenance environment into a proactive, reliability-centered operation - implementing modern preventive and predictive maintenance systems, leading capital and automation projects, and developing a high-performing team of engineers, technicians, and planners.
Vanguard's manufacturing campus spans 14 acres and produces 40-50 million pounds of product annually with a team of more than 100 employees.
Key Responsibilities
ASSET RELIABILITY & MAINTENANCE EXCELLENCE
  • Build and lead a world-class maintenance organization spanning preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance across all production lines.
  • Implement and optimize a CMMS to drive PM compliance, work-order discipline, and data-driven maintenance decisions.
  • Establish reliability programs - Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM), Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA), and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) - to eliminate recurring failures and chronic downtime.
  • Drive measurable improvement in core reliability metrics, including OEE, MTBF, MTTR, and unplanned downtime.
  • Own MRO and critical-spares strategy to balance equipment availability against inventory cost.

ENGINEERING & CAPITAL PROJECTS
  • Lead process, project, and facilities engineering across all production lines and plant utilities.
  • Own the full capital project lifecycle: justification, design, procurement, installation, commissioning, and startup.
  • Evaluate and deploy automation, new equipment, and technology to expand capacity, efficiency, and reliability.
  • Manage equipment specification, vendor selection, and contractor execution for plant and facility projects.
  • Maintain facility infrastructure, utilities, and building systems to support safe, reliable operations.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT & OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
  • Partner with Operations to improve line efficiency, throughput, and asset utilization.
  • Apply Lean, Six Sigma, and TPM methodologies to reduce downtime, waste, and defects at the source.
  • Develop engineering and maintenance standards, SOPs, and documentation to ensure repeatability.
  • Use data and dashboards to prioritize improvement work and demonstrate ROI on reliability investments.

SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL & COMPLIANCE
  • Champion a zero-incident safety culture across all engineering and maintenance activities.
  • Ensure equipment and facility compliance with OSHA, EPA, and applicable environmental regulations.
  • Own critical safety systems, including lockout/tagout, machine guarding, and contractor safety.
  • Lead risk assessments, audits, and incident investigations with a prevention-first focus.
  • Support GMP and FDA compliance for equipment, utilities, and facility infrastructure.

LEADERSHIP & TEAM DEVELOPMENT
  • Lead, coach, and develop a team of engineers, maintenance technicians, planners, and supervisors.
  • Build organizational capability and bench strength to scale with company growth.
  • Own the engineering and maintenance budget, balancing cost, reliability, and capital priorities.
  • Serve as a key member of the operations leadership team and contribute to overall business strategy.
  • Drive accountability, performance management, and a culture of ownership.
KEY CAPABILITIES
  • Reliability Leadership: Proven ability to mature maintenance from reactive to predictive and reliability centered.
  • Engineering & Technical Acumen: Strong process, mechanical, and project engineering expertise.
  • Capital Project Execution: Track record delivering capital and automation projects on time and on budget.
  • Maintenance Systems: Hands-on CMMS implementation and data-driven maintenance management.
  • Continuous Improvement: Deep Lean, Six Sigma, and TPM expertise applied to asset performance.
  • People Leadership: Ability to attract, develop, and retain high-performing technical teams.
  • Business Acumen: Connects reliability and capital decisions to cost, capacity, and P&L impact.
QUALIFICATIONS
  • 10+ years of progressive engineering, maintenance, and/or reliability leadership in manufacturing.
  • Prior experience as Director or Manager of Engineering, Maintenance, Reliability, or Plant Engineering.
  • Demonstrated success implementing preventive/predictive maintenance and reliability programs.
  • Hands-on experience with CMMS platforms and reliability metrics (OEE, MTBF, MTTR).
  • Track record leading capital projects, automation, and equipment installations.
  • Experience in personal care, chemical, CPG, food, or contract manufacturing strongly preferred.
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, Industrial, or Electrical) required.
  • Preferred: Advanced degree (MBA or Master's in Engineering) and/or CMRP certification.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
  • Strong knowledge of GMP, FDA, OSHA, and environmental regulatory standards.
  • Experience supporting multi-shift maintenance coverage in a high-volume production environment.
  • Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
  • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, high-growth environment.