Head of Hydraulic Cylinders Design Department

Position: Head of Hydraulic Cylinders Design Department

Location: Patancheru, Hyderabad, Telangana State

Department: Engineering - Hydraulic Cylinders Design

Reports to: Vice President/Head of Operations

Job Type: Full-time

Emoluments: Not a constraint for the deserving who can meet the role and responsibility enumerated herein.

Job Summary

The Head of Hydraulic Cylinders Design is a senior leadership role responsible for the overall strategy, management, and performance of the company's hydraulic cylinder design department. This role involves leading a team of design engineers, overseeing the end-to-end design process, ensuring product quality and innovation, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to meet customer demands and company objectives. The ideal candidate will be a technical expert with a proven track record of effective team management and project delivery in a manufacturing environment.

Core Responsibilities

1. Design Leadership and Strategy

• Provide strategic direction for the hydraulic cylinder design department, aligning with overall business goals for innovation and market growth.
• Oversee the entire design and development process for new and custom hydraulic cylinders, from concept to production.
• Define and implement design standards, best practices, and methodologies to ensure a consistent, high-quality, and cost-effective approach.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, new technologies, and competitor products to drive continuous innovation.

2. Team Management and Development

• Lead, mentor, and motivate a team of design engineers and drafters, fostering a culture of technical excellence and collaboration.
• Manage team workloads, project timelines, and resource allocation to meet delivery schedules effectively.
• Conduct performance reviews, provide constructive feedback, and identify professional development opportunities for team members.
• Recruit and onboard new engineering talent to support the department's growth.

3. Project and Technical Oversight

• Review and approve technical drawings, design calculations, and Bill of Materials (BOMs) for accuracy and compliance.
• Work closely with Sales and Application Engineering to translate customer specifications and needs into robust and manufacturable designs.
• Collaborate with the Production and Quality departments to resolve design-related issues, implement Engineering Change Notices (ECNs), and support process improvements.
• Manage the department's budget, including software tools, testing equipment, and project-specific costs.

4. Quality and Compliance

• Ensure that all hydraulic cylinder designs meet or exceed quality standards, industry codes (e.g., ISO, ASME, MIL), and customer requirements.
• Support Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and other reliability analysis to proactively identify and mitigate design risks.
• Oversee the testing and validation of prototypes to verify performance against design criteria.

5. Interdepartmental Collaboration

• Act as the primary technical point of contact for the design department, facilitating clear and effective communication with sales, production, quality, and supply chain teams.
• Participate in management meetings and provide regular updates on project status, department performance, and strategic initiatives.

Key Result Areas (KRAs)

• Design and Innovation: Introduce and commercialize new hydraulic cylinder designs or product features that drive market share and meet evolving customer needs.
• Operational Excellence: Improve departmental efficiency by optimizing design processes, reducing design cycle times, and minimizing reworks.
• Talent and Leadership: Develop a high-performing and motivated design team with improved skill sets and strong succession planning.
• Customer Satisfaction: Ensure design outputs consistently meet or exceed customer expectations, leading to a high rate of first-time acceptance and successful field performance.
• Cost Management: Achieve cost-effectiveness in designs by optimizing material usage, standardizing components, and supporting cost reduction initiatives.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Design Cycle Time: Average time from initial design request to final approved design.
• New Product Introduction (NPI) Success Rate: Percentage of new designs that successfully go into full production and meet performance goals.
• First-Pass Yield: Percentage of designs that are approved by manufacturing without requiring major rework or corrections.
• Design-related Customer Complaints: Number of customer complaints or field failures attributed to a design flaw.
• On-Time Project Delivery: Percentage of design projects completed within the agreed-upon timeline.
• Cost of Rework: Total cost associated with design-related manufacturing rework or scrap.
• Design Department Productivity: Metrics tracking design output per engineer, such as number of drawings produced or projects completed.
• Employee Engagement: Survey scores and retention rates for the design engineering team.

Required Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in mechanical or hydraulic cylinder design, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership or managerial role.
• Extensive, hands-on experience specifically with the design and manufacturing of hydraulic cylinders for industrial or heavy equipment, defence and special applications.

Skills and Knowledge:

• Technical Expertise:
• Deep knowledge of hydraulic circuit design, fluid mechanics, and the application of hydraulic components.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, including machining, welding, and assembly.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD software (e.g., Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks, Creo).
• Knowledge of industry standards and codes relevant to hydraulic equipment.
• Managerial Skills:
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and manage an engineering team effectively.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities.
• Excellent problem-solving, decision-making, and analytical abilities.
• Interpersonal Skills:
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with cross-functional teams and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple demands simultaneously.
• Strong commercial acumen and understanding of product costing.