Engineering Manager

Job Description

The Engineering Manager for the Event Fabrication Workshop creates custom design and structure displays, trade show booths, set pieces, and scenic elements. This role merges creative fabrication, structural engineering, and fast-paced project management. In doing this, he will act as the crucial link between conceptual designers, project management, and the fabrication workshop floor

The Engineering Manager leads the technical team of designers and engineers to translate artistic concepts into safe, structural, and buildable events, exhibitions, and scenic structures. This role oversees the entire technical lifecycle for the product covering conceptual design, CAD design, shop drawings, material selection, and structural analysis. This while meeting the standard safety requirements, producing most economic and practical designs, and meeting the required quality standard. He will ensure projects are designed to be delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest safety and quality standards.

Key Responsibilities
1. Design & Technical Leadership:

• Lead a team of engineers to generate briefs and design renderings.
• Oversee the translation of client / in-house generated briefs and designer renderings into accurate 2D/3D shop drawings (AutoCAD, Inventor, SolidWorks).
• Perform/review structural analysis and load calculations to ensure structural integrity of custom event structures and the structural calculations for custom structures, rigging points, and suspended elements.
• Implement "Design for fabrication" (DFM) principles to optimize efficiency, material usage, and cost to meet project budget.
• Review all fabrication drawings and technical documents before releasing them to production.
• Ensure that workshop production people fully understand the produced designs and that the execution is going smoothly.

2. Production & Workshop Coordination

• Collaborate with the Workshop Fabrication Manager to ensure designs are optimized for production, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness (Design for Manufacturability - DFM).
• Generate Bills of Materials (BOMs) and CNC machine programs (e.g., nesting, router paths) via CAM software.

3. Project Management & Client Interaction

• Liaise with project managers and clients to identify design requirements, technical specs, and potential risks.
• Manage the Engineering Change Notices (ECN) process, ensuring revisions are properly documented and communicated.
• Conduct site inspections, when required, to ensure installation matches design intent.

4. Team Leadership & Safety:

• Ensure all products meet safety codes (e.g., fire safety, structural safety for public venues).
• Check in-process and final quality to ensure adherence to client specifications.
• Lead, mentor, and supervise a team of designers and engineers.
• Develop training programs, monitor team performance, and foster a culture of optimized cost, efficient productivity, quality, and safety in designing the product.

5. Budget & Procurement:

• Assist project managers with technical cost estimations and materials budgeting.
• Coordinate with procurement for raw materials, hardware, and specialized items

Qualifications

• Experience: 10+ years of experience as an engineering manager at a custom event fabrication and scenic workshop environment.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong understanding of materials engineering (metals, plastics, wood) and fabrication processes of metal (MIG/TIG welding), carpentry, foam, printing, painting, and structural requirements.
• Software Proficiency: Advanced skills in AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Inventor, SAP .
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or structural Engineering, or related field.
• Problem-Solving: Ability to resolve complex technical challenges under tight deadlines.
• Proactive, solution-oriented mindset with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Additional Information

Typical Working Conditions
• Environment: Must be able to work in a workshop environment, which may include loud noise, dust, and heat, with some on-site installation work.
• Hours: May require working evenings, weekends, and holidays to meet event deadlines.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and handle tight deadlines and to work on site, which may include lifting, standing for long periods, and working in varied conditions.