Engine Lead

Job Summary: The Engine Lead is a hands-on technical leader responsible for the day-to-day leadership of Qnergy’s Engine Engineering team while contributing to the design, development, testing, and continuous improvement of Qnergy’s Stirling engine technology. This role implements the technical direction set by the Chief Engineer by planning and prioritizing engineering work, coordinating cross-functional activities, tracking project execution, and ensuring deliverables are completed on schedule and meet established engineering standards. In addition to managing their own engineering workload, the Engine Lead mentors engineers, removes execution barriers, and promotes collaboration across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operations. While the Chief Engineer serves as the technical authority for Stirling engine architecture and science, the Engine Lead must have a strong understanding of engine systems and Stirling engine principles to guide the team effectively and support successful product development.

Responsibilities:

Engineering Team Leadership

• Serve as a working lead by maintaining individual engineering design and development responsibilities while leading the Engine Engineering team. 
• Lead the day-to-day activities of the Engine Engineering team. 
• Assign, prioritize, and balance engineering workloads.
• Monitor progress against engineering schedules and project milestones. 
• Mentor and develop engineers through coaching, technical guidance, and performance feedback. 
• Foster collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Support recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and development of engineering staff.
• Escalate technical issues requiring architectural or scientific decisions to the Chief Engineer. 

Engineering Execution

• Execute the engineering roadmap established technical direction and design standards.
• Coordinate design activities from concept through validation and production release. 
• Track engineering deliverables and ensure commitments are met. 
• Review engineering documentation for completeness and quality. 
• Coordinate design activities from concept through validation and production release.
• Track engineering deliverables and ensure commitments are met. 
• Review engineering documentation for completeness and quality.
• Coordinate engineering change activities. 
• Support prototype builds, testing, validation, and manufacturing implementation. 

Project Leadership

• Lead engineering execution for engine development projects.
• Develop engineering schedules and resource plans.
• Coordinate activities between Mechanical, Electrical, Materials, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operations. 
• Identify schedule, resource, and execution risks.
• Facilitate project meetings and communicate status to engineering leadership. 
• Ensure engineering deliverables support overall program objectives. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering to improve manufacturability. 
• Support Quality with investigations and corrective actions. 
• Coordinate with Operations during production launch and design changes. 
• Support Supply Chain with supplier technical questions. 
• Assist Program Management with schedule planning and resource forecasting. 

Continuous Improvement

• Improve engineering workflows and team efficiency. 
• Standardize engineering processes and documentation. 
• Support lessons learned and design improvement initiatives.
• Promote Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), and engineering best practices. 

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related engineering discipline required. 
• 8+ years of engineering experience focused on engine development, propulsion systems, rotating machinery, thermal systems, or other complex mechanical equipment. 
• Demonstrated hands-on experience designing, developing, testing, or supporting internal combustion engines, Stirling engines, turbines, compressors, or comparable engine systems. 
• 3+ years of experience leading engineering teams or technical projects. 
• Experience managing engineering resources and project execution. 
• Experience in product development within a manufacturing environment. 
• Experience leading cross-functional engineering efforts. 
• Experience building high-performing engineering teams. 

Skills & Abilities:

• Strong understanding of Stirling engine operating principles and thermal systems sufficient to lead engineering execution. 
• Ability to interpret and implement technical direction provided by the Chief Engineer. 
• Strong engineering project management skills.
• Excellent organizational and prioritization abilities. 
• Proven leadership and coaching skills. 
• Strong understanding of product development processes. 
• Experience with engineering change management.
• Working knowledge of CAD systems (SolidWorks preferred). 
• Familiarity with FEA, thermal analysis, or engineering simulation tools.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to coordinate multiple concurrent engineering projects.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.

Work Environment:

• Worl is performed primarily in an office and engineering environment with frequent interaction on the manufacturing floor and in test laboratories. 
• Requires occasional exposure to manufacturing equipment, prototype testing, elevated temperatures, and laboratory environments. 
• Requires the ability to sit, stand, walk, and use a computer for extended periods. 
• May occasionally lift or move items up to approximately 25 pounds.
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) is required in designated manufacturing and testing areas.