TBest Services is seeking a Director of Engineering for our client, a certified manufacturer of industrial control panels, cable and harness assemblies, and electromechanical integration systems located in Elkridge, MD. The organization supports defense, transportation, industrial automation, energy, telecommunications, and government markets.
This role provides hands-on technical and operational leadership across electrical engineering and manufacturing engineering functions. The Director will lead a small engineering team while maintaining direct involvement in electrical design review, standards governance, and production-floor technical support within a high-mix, custom manufacturing environment.
Key Responsibilities
Engineering Leadership & Technical Authority
โข Lead and develop electrical engineers and designers supporting custom control panel and automation system builds
โข Review and approve electrical schematics, panel layout drawings, wiring diagrams, and bill of materials prior to production release
โข Establish and enforce engineering standards, drafting practices, revision control, and documentation governance
โข Provide technical authority for control system architecture, power distribution design, and automation component selection
โข Align engineering output with production schedules, manufacturing capacity, and customer delivery timelines
Control Panel & Automation Engineering
โข Direct engineering activities for UL508A industrial control panels and electromechanical assemblies
โข Ensure compliance with UL508A, NEC, IPC, ISO, and customer-specific technical requirements
โข Oversee integration of PLC platforms, HMIs, VFDs, safety circuits, relays, circuit protection, transformers, and industrial communication components
โข Support panel validation, functional testing procedures, and technical troubleshooting during build and commissioning
Manufacturing Integration & Process Control
โข Drive design-for-manufacturability (DFM) and design-for-assembly (DFA) practices to improve efficiency and reduce rework
โข Partner with production and quality teams to resolve technical issues and improve first-pass yield
โข Lead engineering change management (ECO/ECR), configuration control, and technical documentation lifecycle management
โข Participate in root cause analysis, corrective action implementation, and process standardization initiatives
Customer & Cross-Functional Leadership
โข Serve as primary technical lead during customer design reviews, technical discussions, and project kickoffs
โข Support quoting, feasibility assessments, and technical risk evaluation for new projects
โข Collaborate with operations, supply chain, and quality leadership to ensure execution discipline and performance targets are met
Qualifications
โข Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline required
โข 8+ years of experience in control panel engineering, industrial automation, or electrical systems manufacturing
โข 3+ years of engineering leadership experience within a production-driven manufacturing environment
โข Direct experience with UL508A panel design and release for manufacturing
โข Strong working knowledge of NEC and industrial electrical codes
โข Demonstrated experience reviewing electrical schematics, panel layouts, wiring diagrams, and BOM structures
โข Hands-on familiarity with panel assembly practices, structured wiring, and production-floor troubleshooting
โข Experience supporting high-mix, custom manufacturing operations
โข Experience with PLC-based automation platforms (Allen Bradley,Siemens,Eaton,Schneider Electric,ABB or similar)
โข Working knowledge of IPC-A-620 and/or J-STD-001 standards preferred
โข Experience in regulated manufacturing environments (defense,energy,transportation,government) preferred
Compensation: $90,000-$120,000 based on experience
Location: Elkridge, MD