Head of Engineering Department

About Clean Works Clean Works Inc. (CWI) designs and manufactures patented gas-phase food sanitation systems — the Clean Flow family, which combines UV-C light, hydrogen peroxide, ozone, and hydroxyl radicals to deliver chemical-free pathogen reduction across post-harvest and pre-harvest applications. CWI is part of the Court Holdings Ltd. group of companies, based in St. Catharines, Ontario, and serves food and agriculture customers across North America and internationally. We are an innovation-driven engineering company that values accuracy, creativity, quality, and teamwork, and we build proprietary equipment from concept through to final product on our own shop floor. Role Overview The Engineering Manager leads CWI’s engineering department and owns the complete design lifecycle — from concept development and detailed design through product costing, project execution, and release to manufacturing. Reporting to the General Manager and leading a team of 3–4 design engineers, the Engineering Manager is accountable for the quality and manufacturability of all designs, the accuracy of engineering cost estimates supporting quotations, and the on-time, on-budget delivery of engineering projects. This is a senior, hands-on leadership role at the centre of the business: the Engineering Manager works daily with sales, manufacturing, purchasing, and field service, and is a key member of the site leadership team. Key Responsibilities Engineering Leadership & Team Management · Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 3–4 design engineers, setting clear priorities, · Plan engineering workload and capacity across concurrent projects; assign resources to meet deliveries. · Establish and enforce design standards, drawing standards, and engineering procedures, including document control, revision management, and structured design reviews. · Recruit, onboard, and train engineering staff as the department grows. · Foster a culture of accuracy, creativity, quality, and teamwork. Design Ownership · Own all design output of the department — concepts, engineering calculations, 3D models, complete drawing packages, and bills of material for Clean Flow systems and custom equipment. · Lead concept development and design reviews; approve all designs for release to manufacturing. · Perform and check engineering calculations — strength of materials, speeds, horsepower, temperature, pressure, force — as related to machine and tool designs. · Ensure designs comply with applicable safety, food-safety, and regulatory standards. · Drive standardization, modularization, and design-for-manufacturability improvements across the product family to reduce cost and lead time. · Support continuous improvement of CWI’s patented Clean Flow technology and the installed base worldwide. Costing & Estimating · Own product costing for the business: develop and maintain accurate cost models covering materials, purchased components, and labour for standard products and custom projects. · Prepare engineering estimates and costed bills of material to support sales quotations and project · Track actual versus estimated costs on completed projects; feed learnings back into cost models to protect and improve margins. · Work with purchasing and vendors on component selection, make-versus-buy decisions, and cost-reduction initiatives. Project Management · Own engineering project management from order intake through design release, build support, factory acceptance testing, and commissioning. · Develop and maintain project schedules, milestones, and deliverables; report progress, risks, and recovery plans to the General Manager. · Coordinate across sales, manufacturing, purchasing, and field service to deliver projects on time and on budget. · Manage engineering changes and project scope; communicate cost and schedule impacts. · Support equipment builders and field service technicians in resolving technical issues through build, installation, and commissioning. Qualifications & Requirements Education · Bachelor’s degree or diploma in mechanical engineering, mechanical design, or equivalent. · P.Eng. licence (Ontario), or eligibility to obtain, is an asset. Experience · Minimum of 15 years’ progressive experience in the design of custom machinery, automation, or industrial equipment. · Minimum of 5 years leading or supervising a team of design engineers or a design office. · Demonstrated ownership of product costing / estimating and of engineering project management in a build-to-order manufacturing environment. · Advanced proficiency with SolidWorks; experience with DraftSight or AutoCAD, PDM systems, and ERP . · Experience with food-processing, sanitary, or stainless-steel equipment design is a strong asset. Skills & Competencies · Proven people leadership: sets direction, delegates effectively, and holds the team accountable while remaining hands-on when needed. · Commercial acumen — a strong understanding of cost, margin, and the link between design decisions and profitability. · Excellent planning and organizational skills across multiple concurrent projects and shifting priorities. · Strong verbal and written communication with customers, vendors, the shop floor, and the executive team. · Rigorous, quality-driven approach to engineering standards and documentation. · Knowledge of applicable machine safety standards and regulatory requirements for industrial equipment. What We Offer · Competitive Salary. · Group health and dental benefits. · A senior leadership role with full ownership of design, costing, and project delivery. · The opportunity to build and shape the engineering department of an innovation-driven company with patented, globally deployed technology. · Stable, family-oriented company culture within the Court Holdings group, with a track record of promoting from within. How to Apply Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter to: [email protected] We thank all candidates for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Equal Opportunity & Accommodation Clean Works Inc. is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected under the Ontario Human Rights Code. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. If you require accommodation, please notify us when applying and we will work with you to meet your needs.

The Engineering Manager leads the design department, overseeing the complete product lifecycle from concept development to manufacturing release. They are responsible for managing a team of design engineers, ensuring project delivery on time and within budget, and maintaining accurate cost models.

Candidates must possess a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a related field and at least 15 years of experience in custom machinery or industrial equipment design. A minimum of 5 years in a leadership role and advanced proficiency in SolidWorks are required.

• Group health and dental benefits

• Project managementPreferred

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Engineering leadership
• Team management
• Project management
• Product costing
• Mechanical design
• SolidWorks
• Design for manufacturability
• Engineering calculations
• Machine safety standards
• Regulatory compliance
• Budgeting
• Resource planning
• Technical mentoring
• Process improvement
• Cross-functional collaboration

• Engineering
• Management & Leadership
• Manufacturing
• Food & Beverage
• Agriculture

Minimum education

Bachelor’s degree

Minimum experience

15+ years

Apply by

Sep 10, 2026

Posting language

English

Working hours

40 hours per week

Seniority

Mid-Senior level

Application method

Direct apply is available