Technical Director

Former US Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm said, “With what Virginia Transformer is doing, they are at the center of how we’re going to build out the backbone of our clean energy future.”

Virginia Transformer and Georgia Transformer Corp., is “the engineering firm that makes transformers.”

We are the largest US-owned manufacturer of electric transformers in North America and have been helping to secure the reliability and resilience of our country’s electric grid for more than 50 years. We produce power transformers for any conceivable application – GSU, substations, auto-transformers, grounding transformers, drive duty, rectifier, exciter, voltage regulator, and other.

The company is experiencing steady and sustained growth and serves every part of US industry from its six state-of-the-art North American facilities. We are actively looking for individuals who want to be part of a high-growth company and who want to share in the pride we have in ensuring American manufacturing continues to flourish. Without reliable power, manufacturing cannot operate. That is where we – and you – come in. Join us.

Job Title: Corporate Technical Director

Location: Roanoke, VA

Department: Technical Team

Reports To: Vice President of Technical

Job Summary:

The Corporate Technical Director will lead the engineering strategy, innovation roadmap, and technical execution across all Virginia Transformer facilities. This role is responsible for advancing the company’s technical capabilities in power transformer design, ensuring engineering standardization, and driving continuous improvement in design quality, manufacturability, and performance. As a key member of the leadership team, the Director will align product engineering with business goals, customer needs, and evolving market demands.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership

• Provide strategic direction and oversight for all engineering functions, including design, mechanical, electrical, thermal, and application engineering.
• Drive standardization of transformer designs, materials, and processes across all manufacturing locations.
• Set and enforce technical design standards, quality guidelines, and product validation protocols.

Innovation & Product Development

• Lead the development of new transformer designs, features, and performance enhancements to meet evolving customer and market requirements.
• Evaluate and implement emerging technologies (digital monitoring, insulation systems, materials, etc.).
• Support R&D efforts and technical partnerships with universities, research centers, and suppliers.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Operations, Sales, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure seamless integration of engineering solutions into production and customer delivery.
• Collaborate with field service and customer support teams to resolve design-related issues and drive lessons learned into future designs.
• Support proposal and order engineering teams on major bids and complex customer specifications.

Talent & Team Development

• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of engineers and technical managers across multiple sites (U.S., Mexico, India).
• Promote technical excellence, innovation, and collaboration across engineering teams.
• Ensure ongoing training and development in emerging tools, simulation platforms, and engineering standards.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure all engineering work complies with applicable standards (IEEE, ANSI, IEC, CSA) and regulatory requirements.
• Lead technical reviews, design audits, and root cause analyses of engineering failures.
• Support continuous improvement and documentation in CAD libraries, ERP integration, and engineering systems.

Metrics & Performance

• Establish KPIs for engineering productivity, quality, and design cycle time.
• Monitor and report technical performance across all sites.
• Drive corrective action and process improvement initiatives as needed.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering; Master’s or PhD preferred.
• 15 years of engineering experience in the power transformer or electrical equipment industry.
• Proven leadership of multi-site engineering teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Deep technical knowledge in transformer design (core & coil, insulation, thermal, magnetic, mechanical stress).
• Experience with CAD (AutoCAD, Inventor), FEA, and simulation tools (electromagnetic, thermal).
• Familiarity with global transformer standards and customer specifications.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and project management skills.
• International experience and ability to lead cross-cultural engineering teams a strong plus.

Travel:

Up to 25% between engineering and manufacturing sites in the U.S., and Mexico.