Product Director (Engineering)

Location: Rancho Dominguez, California, United States; domestic travel up to 20% of the time

Base salary: $140,000–$160,000 per year, dependent on experience, knowledge, and interview performance

Company

Motivo delivers mechanical and electrical system design and prototype builds through project-based engineering work across mobility and automotive, aerospace, robotics, and clean energy markets.

What you will do

• Lead a portfolio of complex engineering and product development programs while managing a team of project and product managers.
• Act as the senior escalation point for client engagements and establish strategic direction for business unit accounts.
• Collaborate with Business Development to onboard clients, negotiate major follow-on contracts, and support portfolio growth.
• Mentor and manage 3–6 project and product managers, including staffing, resource assignments, performance expectations, and development plans.
• Scale project management processes, cross-functional tools, governance frameworks, reporting workflows, and operational improvements.
• Oversee project planning, estimates, recovery strategies, change orders, contracts, resource loading, product roadmaps, feature definitions, and client alignment communications.

Requirements

• 8+ years of progressive leadership experience in engineering, design, NPI, or product development.
• Proven experience managing senior stakeholder relationships, handling executive escalations, and delivering excellent client experiences.
• Experience building, mentoring, and managing high-performing teams, shaping culture, and resolving personnel challenges.
• Ability to formalize and scale operating systems, processes, and cross-functional governance frameworks.
• Experience negotiating major follow-on contracts, managing scope creep, and optimizing portfolio profitability.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for bridging technical teams, corporate management, and client executives.
• Ability to travel domestically up to 20% of the time.

Nice to have

• Experience in complex hardware sectors such as automotive, aerospace, robotics, autonomous systems, or energy.
• Strong familiarity with engineering workflows, product lifecycles, and NPI complexities.
• PMP certification or an MBA, or equivalent exposure to business cases and startup economics.
• Forward-thinking approach to integrating Gen AI tools into workflows to improve team efficiency.
• US citizenship or permanent residency due to export-controlled industries.

Culture & Benefits

• Work on varied, challenging engineering projects with opportunities for professional growth.
• Collaborative culture focused on solving complex engineering challenges, mentoring, and continuous improvement.
• High-quality insurance, 401(k) matching, and generous vacation time.
• Monday–Thursday 4/10 workweek.
• Profit-sharing bonuses tied to overall company performance, with transparent company financials.