Senior Reverse Engineer Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

IPS is seeking a Sr. Director of Engineering – Northeast & Midwest to lead the transformation of engineering into a key driver of growth, operational excellence, and technical differentiation across the organization. This strategic leader will build and scale a high-performing engineering team, establish engineering standards, develop technical talent, and drive innovation to support larger, more complex opportunities across the region. Partnering closely with operations, sales, and executive leadership, this role will strengthen IPS's technical capabilities, improve consistency across service centers, and help position the organization for sustainable long-term growth while embodying IPS's core values of safety, accountability, integrity, teamwork, entrepreneurial spirit, and customer focus.

Responsibilities & Expectations:

The Senior Director of Engineering – Northeast and Midwest regions is a senior leadership role responsible for driving electrical and mechanical engineering excellence, technical capability, and business growth across the region. This leader oversees engineering support for motor and generator aftermarket services, including repair, rewind, upgrade, innovation, and field service applications.

The role operates within a matrixed organization, balancing regional operational support with enterprise engineering strategy, and is accountable for delivering technical solutions that improve reliability, reduce cost, enhance quality, and enable profitable growth.

This position partners closely with Regional General Managers (RGMs), Field Service leadership, Quality, Supply Chain, and Commercial/Sales teams to ensure engineering is a value driver and revenue generating function for the business, not just a support function.

Scope of Engineering Authority

●        AC/DC motors (LV/MV/HV)

●        Synchronous and induction machines

●        Pumps and Electro-mechanical rotating systems

●        Reliability engineering and failure analysis

●        Insulation systems

●        Field technical support and advanced diagnostics

●        Digital and predictive technologies for rotating assets

Regional Engineering Leadership

●        Lead all electrical and mechanical engineering activities across the Northeast and Midwest region, supporting service centers and field operations.

●        Provide direct engineering support for:

○     Large motor and generator repairs

○     Root cause failure analysis (RCFA)

○     Re-rate, redesign, and upgrade solutions

○     Reverse engineering and obsolescence management

●        Ensure consistent engineering coverage across the region, including critical/complex jobs and high-risk projects.

Technical Excellence & Standardization

●        Drive adoption and compliance with enterprise engineering standards, procedures, and best practices.

●        Champion standardized repair methodologies aligned with programs such as:

○     Insulation systems (e.g., VPI, B-stage, coil systems)

○     Rotor/stator repair techniques

○     Electrical/Mechanical rebuild practices

●        Partner with Quality to ensure alignment with ISO 9001 requirements and continuous improvement initiatives.

●        Lead technical reviews for high-risk or high-value projects.

●        Drives improvements in:

○     Coil design and manufacturing standards

○     Insulation system upgrades (thermal class improvements, corona protection)

○     Testing protocols (IR, PI, surge, hipot, partial discharge)

○     Electrical safety and arc-flash compliance

Quality, Compliance & Standards

●        Ensure compliance with IEEE, ANSI, NEMA, UL, EASA, and ISO 9001 standards.

●        Lead technical portions of customer audits and regulatory inspections.

●        Drive corrective actions related to warranty and rework trends of HV machines.

Business Growth & Commercial Support

●        Act as a key technical partner in driving regional growth targets (7–10%+ annually).

●        Support sales and operations in developing engineered solutions for:

○     Complex repair scopes

○     System upgrades (e.g., DC to AC conversions, efficiency improvements)

○     Turnkey and engineered service opportunities

●        Identify and develop new market opportunities, including:

○     Industrial infrastructure upgrades

○     Power generation and critical systems

○     Northeast and Midwest market expansion

○     Engineering Service Offerings

●        Participate in customer-facing activities to build credibility and win strategic work.

Field Services & System Integration

●        Collaborate with Field Services teams to deliver integrated solutions across motors, generators, and supporting systems.

●        Provide engineering leadership for:

○     On-site troubleshooting and diagnostics

○     Commissioning and startup support

○     Cross-functional system solutions (mechanical + electrical interface)

●        Support the evolution toward a regionalized and enterprise-aligned Field Services model.

Talent Development & Organizational Leadership

●        Build, lead, and develop a high-performing regional engineering team, including:

○     Mechanical and Electrical Engineers (senior, mid, junior)

○     Application and project engineers

○     Facility Engineers

●        Establish clear expectations, career paths, and technical competency development plans.

●        Mentor engineering leaders and high-potential talent.

●        Support hiring decisions, workforce planning, and succession planning.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

●        Partner with:

○     Quality: warranty reduction, rework elimination, ISO compliance

○     Supply Chain: material selection, supplier qualification, cost optimization

○     Operations: execution efficiency and standard work

○     Finance: cost control, margin improvement, capital planning

●        Support enterprise initiatives such as:

○     Continuous Improvement Programs (CIPs)

○     Standardization and digital tools (e.g., work planning, analytics platforms)

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

●        Drive innovation in repair techniques, materials, and processes to improve:

○     Reliability

○     Turnaround time

○     Cost competitiveness

●        Support development and implementation of:

○     New insulation systems and materials

○     Advanced repair technologies (e.g., 3D modeling, simulation tools)

○     Knowledge capture and AI-driven troubleshooting tools

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