Director of Engineering

GEA Group, founded in Germany in 1881, is a global leader in engineering solutions, serving industries such as food and beverage, pharma, dairy, and more. With over 18,000 employees worldwide and a strong U.S. presence since 1929, GEA combines the heritage of a well-established company with the innovation of a forward-thinking industry leader. At GEA, we’re not just building equipment, we’re building lasting careers with an average employee tenure range from 5 to over 11+ years, reflecting the strong culture, growth opportunities, and support we provide.

Responsibilities / Tasks

• Start strong – Medical, dental, and vision coverage begins on your first day

• Recharge and refresh – Enjoy 12 paid holidays, including a flexible floating holiday, and 136 hours of PTO to relax or explore

• Invest in your future – A 7% 401(k) employer match helps grow your retirement savings faster

• Keep learning – Take advantage of tuition reimbursement to further your education or skillset

• Live well – Our wellness incentive program rewards healthy habits

• Get support when you need it – Access to a confidential Employee Assistance Program for personal or professional guidance

• Save smart – Flexible Health Savings and Spending Accounts to manage out-of-pocket expenses

GEA Group, located in York, PA, is searching for a Director of Engineering to lead our North American Business Unit!

The Director of Engineering & Application Engineering is responsible for the overall leadership, direction, and performance of the Project Engineering and Application Engineering functions within GEA Compression Technologies North America. This role ensures the delivery of safe, compliant, innovative, and commercially successful engineered solutions that meet customer requirements and support the strategic objectives of the business.

As a member of the North American Senior Leadership Team, the Director partners closely with Sales, Operations, Project Management, Service, Supply Chain, and Finance to drive profitable growth, operational excellence, product innovation, and organizational development. The position also serves as the primary North American engineering liaison to European engineering and product development organizations, ensuring alignment on global product strategies, technology roadmaps, and development initiatives.

Responsibilities:

Engineering Leadership

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for Project Engineering and Application Engineering activities throughout North America.

• Develop and maintain a high-performing engineering organization focused on customer satisfaction, innovation, quality, safety, and profitability.

• Establish engineering goals, performance measures, and resource plans aligned with business objectives.

• Ensure effective workload balancing, succession planning, talent development, and organizational capability growth.

Application Engineering & Technical Sales Support

• Oversee development of technical proposals, system selections, costing tools, and application engineering processes.

• Ensure the accuracy, consistency, and competitiveness of technical and commercial proposals.

• Support Sales teams in developing engineered solutions that meet customer requirements while achieving business margin objectives.

• Drive continuous improvement of proposal tools, configuration systems, engineering standards, and quotation processes.

Project Engineering & Execution Support

• Provide governance and oversight for project engineering activities from order entry through project completion.

• Ensure designs meet applicable codes, regulatory requirements, customer specifications, quality standards, and GEA engineering practices.

• Establish standard engineering procedures, design guidelines, and technical review processes.

• Support project execution teams in resolving technical issues, managing engineering risks, and optimizing project outcomes.

Product Development & Innovation

• Lead North American participation in product development, product enhancement, and sustaining engineering initiatives.

• Manage engineering resources supporting new product introduction, technology development, cost reduction, and value engineering projects.

• Drive innovation initiatives in refrigeration, heat pump, and compression technologies.

• Support development and execution of the regional technology and product roadmap.

Global Engineering Collaboration

• Represent North American engineering interests in global development programs, and strategic initiatives.

• Coordinate engineering activities with European and other global engineering organizations to support common platforms, standards, and product strategies.

• Facilitate knowledge sharing, best practice adoption, resource collaboration, and alignment of engineering processes across regions.

• Support global product development projects and technology transfer initiatives.

Business Leadership

• Serve as an active member of the North American Senior Leadership Team.

• Participate in strategic planning, organizational development, capital planning, investment decisions, and growth initiatives.

• Provide engineering leadership in support of mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and major strategic projects.

• Collaborate with senior leaders to establish business objectives and operational priorities.

Financial & Operational Management

• Develop and manage departmental budgets, forecasts, and resource plans.

• Monitor engineering productivity, project performance, and cost management metrics.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on efficiency, standardization, automation, and quality.

• Ensure effective use of engineering resources to support business growth and profitability.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure all engineering outputs comply with applicable industry codes, safety requirements, regulatory standards, and customer specifications.

• Support implementation and continuous improvement of GEA's Quality Management System.

• Promote a culture of safety, technical excellence, accountability, and continuous learning.

• Act as the senior technical authority for escalation of critical engineering issues.

Your Profile / Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related technical discipline required.

• Master's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or related field preferred.

• 10+ years of progressive engineering leadership experience within industrial refrigeration, compression technology, process systems, heat pumps, or related engineered equipment industries.

• Strong understanding of industrial refrigeration systems, compression technologies, thermodynamics, controls, and project execution practices.

• Demonstrated success leading both engineering execution and application/proposal engineering organizations.

• Experience managing multi-disciplinary engineering teams and complex engineered products.

• Experience working within global engineering organizations and cross-regional development programs.

• Proven track record of developing engineering talent and leading organizational transformation initiatives.

The typical base pay range for this position at the start of employment is expected to be between $130,000.00 - $170,000.00 per year.  GEA Group has different base pay ranges for different work locations within the United States.

The pay range is not a guarantee of compensation or salary.  The estimated range is the budgeted amount for the position. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, location, qualifications, and other job-related reasons.  You may be eligible for additional rewards, such as discretionary bonus (based on eligibility) and/or equity awards.

Please note: This position is based in the United States and does not offer visa or work sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without current or future sponsorship.

GEA is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will therefore receive consideration for employment without regard to age, sex, race, color, religion, world view, national origin, genetics, disability, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other protected characteristic required by applicable law. Applicants with disabilities are welcome and will be given special consideration if they are equally qualified.

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