What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Engineering position at BARRETT?
Director of Engineering
The Director of Engineering will oversee Barrett’s product development process and ensure the industrialization of firearm and ammunition designs by managing the team responsible for manufacturing engineering. This role manages technical intellectual property, configuration management, and engineering personnel to achieve operational and production excellence. The Director collaborates with cross-functional teams, supports manufacturing engineering, and ensures the successful completion of product development projects.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
- Oversee Barrett’s product development process and ensure adherence to company goals.
- Manage the Industrial Engineering Department, Manufacturing Engineering Department, multiple program managers, technical writing personnel, and configuration management efforts for a multi-product organization.
- Provide manufacturing engineering support to ensure on-time customer delivery and production attainment.
- Collaborate with departments to advise on firearms design, manufacturability, and process improvement.
- Lead and mentor Engineering Department personnel.
- Manage technical intellectual property and provide input on patents.
- Participate in continuous improvement actions that enhance Barrett’s competitive position in the marketplace and reduce expenses.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Directly supervises six employees, including:
- Manufacturing Engineering Manager
- Program Managers (2)
- Engineering Machine Shop Supervisor
- Packaging Engineer/Technical Writer
- Industrial Engineer
Qualifications
Education and Certifications
- A bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Manufacturing Engineering or a related field is required.
- Master’s degree in Business Administration or Engineering preferred.
- Post-hire training in Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) and SolidWorks.
Experience
- 10–15 years of experience in an engineering environment, with 5 years in a leadership role.
- Familiarity with firearms and ammunition design and manufacturing is preferred, and experience in government contracts is highly desirable.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
- Proficiency in engineering principles, including solid mechanics, thermodynamics, and materials science.
- Advanced knowledge of CAD tools (SolidWorks preferred) and GD&T.
- Familiarity with ASME, ISO, and ASTM standards.
- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills to mentor and manage technical teams.
- Experience in a high-mix production environment is preferred.
- Experience in managing engineering efforts at an OEM is preferred.
Computer Skill
- Experience with Microsoft Office environment, including Outlook, Word, Project, and Excel.
- Computer-aided drafting with SolidWorks (post-hire training provided if necessary).
- Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains experience (post-hire training provided).
- Smartsheet project management software (post-hire training provided).
- Ability to learn new software and database programs as necessary.
Reasoning Ability
This position requires strong reasoning abilities across multiple domains:
- Ability to assess complex manufacturing processes, identify inefficiencies, and develop solutions.
- Evaluate technical designs, equipment performances, and production workflows.
- Diagnose production issues and implement corrective actions.
- Anticipate challenges in scaling production and mitigate risks proactively.
- Assess the feasibility of new technologies and methods.
- Make data-driven decisions by weighing risks, costs, and benefits.
- Align manufacturing processes with organization goals and long-term strategies.
- Plan resource allocation and capacity expansion to meet future demands.
- Interpret manufacturing metrics, budgets, and performance data.
- Apply statistical methods to optimize processes and improve quality.
- Understand interdependencies within the manufacturing ecosystem, including supply chain, design, and production lines.
- Implement process improvements while considering their impact on other areas.
- Analyze cause-and-effect relationships in manufacturing systems.
- Navigate team dynamics and effectively resolve conflicts.
Travel
Travel may be required from time to time and is estimated to be 10%. International travel may be required.
Personal attributes
This position requires detailed knowledge of firearms and ammunition manufacturing knowledge and knowhow. Additionally, it requires the employee to work around and possess firearms. Barrett strictly adheres to U.S. laws and regulations. To comply with U.S. firearms and export laws, among others, the Director of Engineering must be a U.S.-person who can, without special licensing, possess and transmit to other U.S.-persons technical information required for the design, development, and manufacturing of firearms and ammunition and, qualified to own and handle firearms in accordance with the Gun Control Act (GCA) as amended and other laws pertaining to a person’s qualifications to work in the gun industry.
This position is currently accepting applications.
