Director Of Program Development Jobs in Temecula, CA

Job Title: Director of Engineering for Heavy Motions Inc.

Department: Engineering

Location: On-site in Ontario, California

Job Summary

Heavy Motions Inc., a Shurco brand, designs and manufactures hydraulic components and systems including PTOs, pumps, cylinders, valves, manifolds, and motors for truck, construction, agricultural, industrial, and mobile equipment markets. The Director of Engineering leads Heavy Motions' engineering and R&D function, including New Product Development, Product Improvement, and Sustaining Engineering, and is responsible for setting direction and establishing structure, standards, and processes for this growing team.

This is a hands-on role with direct ownership. The Director of Engineering personally owns core product development work, including CAD modeling, hydraulic circuit design, engineering documentation, testing, and root-cause troubleshooting, in addition to setting technical direction and building the team. This role reports directly to Shurco's VP of Engineering.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Product Development & Engineering

• Personally perform hands-on hydraulic circuit design, CAD modeling, engineering analysis, and prototype build/test work as a primary technical contributor; this is a working engineering role, not delegate-only leadership.
• Lead the design, development, validation, launch, and continuous improvement of hydraulic products: PTOs, pumps, cylinders, valves, manifolds, motors, and related fluid power components.
• Translate customer, market, and business requirements into innovative, reliable, manufacturable product solutions, using CAD, FEA, tolerance analysis, and hydraulic simulation.
• Develop engineering documentation, including 3D models, manufacturing drawings, BOMs, specifications, and engineering standards.
• Own creation and execution of test plans, validation, durability testing, and competitive benchmarking.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action for product performance, warranty, manufacturing, and field concerns.
• Support customers, suppliers, and manufacturing on product application, troubleshooting, and system integration.
• Support IP development through invention disclosures and patent support activities.

Team & Organizational Leadership

• Build and shape the Heavy Motions engineering team as it grows, including goal setting, mentorship, hiring, and performance management, alongside a full personal workload of core engineering tasks.
• Establish engineering standards, design review practices, and product development processes (e.g., SIP/SOP) from the ground up as Heavy Motions integrates with Shurco.
• Serve as the primary technical decision-maker on hydraulic product performance, quality, manufacturability, reliability, and safety.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, Sourcing, Operations, and Sales to improve product performance, manufacturability, and profitability.
• Support supplier qualification and manufacturing process improvements; communicate project status and risk to Shurco leadership.
• Travel as required to customer locations, supplier facilities, testing sites, and industry events.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Must be legally authorized to work in the United States on an ongoing basis.

Education and/or Experience

Required

• BS in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• 10+ years of engineering experience with significant emphasis on hydraulic systems, fluid power, or mobile hydraulics; 5+ of those years direct hands-on experience with hydraulic pumps, PTOs, cylinders, valves, manifolds, or motors.
• Demonstrated experience leading engineering projects from concept through production release.
• Strong knowledge of hydraulic circuit design, pressure compensation, load holding, flow control, contamination control, and system optimization.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks CAD (or similar) and engineering drawing development; strong working knowledge of GD&T related to fluid power components.
• Experience with manufacturing processes, including machining, casting, forging, welding, and assembly.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and manage engineers or technical staff while remaining a hands-on technical contributor.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and communication skills; able to work independently across multiple priorities.

Preferred

• Certified Fluid Power Hydraulic Specialist (CFPHS) or Certified Fluid Power Engineer (CFPE)
• Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP).
• 15+ years of hydraulic product development experience, including prior leadership of an engineering team.
• Experience with PTO and hydraulic pump matching for commercial vehicle central-drive or electric-drive-axle applications, including OEM transmission platforms (Eaton, Allison, ZF).
• Experience with mobile, truck, construction, agricultural, refuse, or other off-highway equipment.
• Experience with hydraulic simulation and system modeling software (Amesim, Kisssoft, Romax, Ansys) and gear-transmission design.
• Familiarity with automotive/heavy-truck quality systems (IATF 16949) and supplier quality management.
• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in both office and manufacturing environment.
• Occasionally lift up to 40 pounds.
• Safely evaluate prototypes, testing equipment, and production processes

Work Environment 

• Office setting.
• Exposure to a manufacturing or warehouse environment where moderate noise levels may be present.
• Travel as required to customer locations, supplier facilities, testing sites, and industry.
• Travel domestically and internationally as required.

Safety

Follow all safety directives and protocols at all times and help identify potential hazards or violations that should be addressed to ensure personnel and facility safety are maintained.

Quality

Along with every other member of our team, always be cognizant of overall performance in every aspect of our business and help maintain a constant focus on quality assurance and continuous quality improvement. 

Compensation

The base salary range for this position is $130,000–$160,000 per year, commensurate with experience, plus applicable benefits. Actual offer will be determined based on the selected candidate's experience and qualifications relative to the role.

Other Duties as Assigned:

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. The employee may be required to perform other related duties to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. Shur-Co LLC is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply.