Engineering Manager/Director

Join the team at Crown Electrokinetics and be at the forefront of revolutionizing the future of energy-efficient building technology! We seek talented engineers passionate about innovation and sustainability to help us launch our cutting-edge DynamicTint™ and Smart Window Inserts. DynamicTint™, a breakthrough technology, allows windows to dynamically adjust tinting, reducing energy waste and improving building comfort. As part of our development team, you will play a crucial role in advancing this pioneering technology, creating sustainable solutions that reduce carbon emissions and make a tangible impact on the environment.If you’re ready to challenge the status quo and work on transformative projects…If you want to be a part of our mission to make a meaningful impact on both people and the planet……we want to hear from you! About CrownCrown is an innovative solutions provider focused on developing and delivering best-in-class products and services across three core businesses: Electrokinetic Film, Fiber Optics, and Water Improvement. These businesses are unified by Crown’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and positive societal impact.Our Electrokinetic Film Division is transforming the future of buildings with our proprietary DynamicTint™ and Smart Window Inserts. Crown’s electrokinetic film technology empowers buildings to reduce energy waste by improving window efficiency, offering cost savings and environmental benefits. Our CultureAt Crown, we foster a culture emphasizing freedom, responsibility, and high performance. We believe in empowering our team members by minimizing bureaucracy and giving them the autonomy to take initiative and drive results. In our fast-paced and collaborative environment, we expect individuals to act with leadership, think critically, be creative, and focus on results so that we consistently deliver top-tier performance. While we offer flexibility, we also maintain a high standard for accountability—team members are measured not by the hours they put in but by the quality and impact of their work. We embrace open communication, respect, honesty, and a shared commitment to excellence, encouraging a culture where everyone is expected to contribute ideas and challenge assumptions. We strive to build amazing teams by assembling individuals with expertise, diverse perspectives, and experiences. If you thrive on collaboration, innovation, and the drive to achieve extraordinary outcomes, you’ll fit right in with our high-performance team.Position Overview:As part of the engineering team based in Michigan, near Ann Arbor, you will be key in accelerating product development, preparing our technology for large-scale manufacturing, and launching Crown Electrokinetic’s first full-scale production facility. This is a rare opportunity for someone who wants to be involved from the ground up in creating and commercializing cutting-edge technology. You will join a team responsible for bringing a groundbreaking product to market and establishing the systems that will shape our manufacturing process. During the initial phase of this role, you will spend 4-6 months at our roll-to-roll pilot manufacturing facility in Corvallis, Oregon. This will be a hands-on opportunity to shape the technology, support improvements in pilot operations, and accelerate the process of taking the product from development to manufacturing. Your time in Oregon will give you critical insights into the technology and its production requirements, allowing you to bring that knowledge back to Michigan, where you will help design and implement the systems that will drive the future success of Crown’s manufacturing operations. This transition period is crucial to ensuring the technology is ready for commercial testing, positioning it for broad market adoption.The Project Manager/Director has the following key responsibilities:Aid in site specification and selection for the scale up manufacturing siteLead the engineering implementation team at the site regarding layouts, designs, equipment specifications, quoting, procurement, and installation and commissioning.Manage the overall project to ensure efficient use of resources and meet critical timing milestones.Lead resources to scale the manufacturing process and launch products. Lead resources supporting product and process value engineering and improvements and support meeting product cost targets.Engineering Project Director/Manager will excel by:Being a great leader and manager who delivers great results while building internal and external capabilities to support long-term organizational success.Developing effective teams through hiring, coaching, and effective management. Bringing clarity to complex issues and roadblocks, offering insights, and providing hands-on problem-solving to deliver solutions or drive action in the organization.Using their natural curiosity to quickly learn new concepts, adapt to evolving technologies, and achieve results.Taking a proactive approach, ensuring effectiveness and efficiency in overcoming technical and operational challenges.Diligently managing the team and personal activities to focus on critical projects to ensure they are executed on time, cost-effectively, and meet quality standards.Minimum Qualifications:Bachelors in Engineering or associated technical degree.5+ years of experience with R&D and/or Product Development Leadership in the Window, Insulated Glass, Glazing, Building Materials, or related industries. 5+ years of managing project portfolios and projects that are diverse and multipronged. 3+ years of experience successfully managing technical teams of 3-10 people and launching new processes, equipment, and products. Strong collaboration, communication, and team-building skills,Proven track record of problem-solving and critical thinking in high-pressure situations involving risk, uncertainty, and ambiguity.US citizen or permanent authorization to work in the United States.Preferred Qualifications:Experience in industrial R&D and manufacturing environmentsKnowledge of statistical process control, root cause analysis, and design of experiments.Ability to tie decisions and alternatives to economic outlooks for the business.Roll to roll R&D and/ or manufacturing experience