Engineering Director Jobs in New Jersey
Engineering Director jobs in New Jersey are consistently in demand, with openings concentrated in pharmaceutical and life sciences, defense and aerospace, and large-scale infrastructure sectors at every level from senior manager to VP of engineering. The heaviest hiring is in Newark, Princeton, and Parsippany, where established employers such as Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, and Cognizant maintain significant engineering leadership teams. The most sought-after specialties are systems engineering, software engineering management, and R&D program leadership. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Job Description:
We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Zero Trust Infrastructure Security Leader with deep expertise in Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), Zscaler, and emerging AI-driven security technologies. This role is Director of Zero Trust Infrastructure Security and will lead a team of U.S.-based Zero Trust Engineers and be responsible for the strategy, architecture, implementation, and ongoing operation of our enterprise Zero Trust security program.
Responsibilities:
Key responsibilities include leading the design, deployment, integration, maintenance, and continuous enhancement of our Zscaler-based SASE platform to support secure access for users, applications, and workloads across the organization.
This leader will collaborate closely with infrastructure, networking, cloud, cybersecurity, application teams, and various businesses to integrate Zero Trust principles and network security solutions across enterprise systems and platforms. The role will also oversee the implementation, configuration, monitoring, detection, and response capabilities of security technologies, ensuring operational excellence and a strong security posture across the environment.
In addition, this leader will establish Zero Trust engineering standards, mentor and develop team members, and identify opportunities to leverage AI-driven capabilities to enhance threat detection, automation, security analytics, and operational efficiency. Staying current with advancements in Zero Trust, cloud security, network security, AI security and emerging technologies will be critical to evaluating and adopting innovative solutions that support the organization's security strategy.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or a related field is required. Relevant industry certifications, including Zscaler certifications, CISSP, CIAM, or similar credentials, are highly desirable. The candidate will possess advanced hands-on experience designing, deploying, and operating Zscaler solutions within large-scale enterprise environments.
- Minimum 10+ years of experience in Information Technology, including 5+ years of experience designing, implementing, and managing Zero Trust and Zscaler security initiatives.
- A strong understanding of Zero Trust principles, methodologies, and technologies is required, along with expertise in AI Security, network security, endpoint security, and cloud security architecture. Candidate should have experience with firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS), network segmentation, and secure remote access technologies.
- The successful candidate will demonstrate strong analytical and problem-solving skills, the ability to quickly learn and apply emerging technologies, and excellent communication and collaboration capabilities.
- Extensive experience with Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA), Zscaler Private Access (ZPA), Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), cloud security, network transformation, and enterprise-scale Zero Trust security engineering programs are essential.
- Proven success leading high-performing Zero Trust engineering teams, driving complex security transformations, and providing guidance and support to IT and security teams in the successful implementation and operation of Zero Trust principles is required
Application Security, Application Security, Certificate Services, Cloud Computing Security, Cloud Security, Communication, Corporate Security Management, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity Analytics, Cybersecurity Operations, Delivery of Security Applications, Design Applications, Endpoint Security Management, Information Security, IT Security Architecture, Network Security, Network Segmentation, Operational Technology (OT) Security, Security Analysis, Security Configuration Management, Security Engineering, Security Fundamentals, Security Infrastructure, Security Monitoring {+ 10 more}
Preferred Skills:
Current Employees apply HERE
Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:
Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.
As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:
EEOC Know Your Rights
EEOC GINA Supplement
We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.
Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts
The salary range for this role is
$156,900.00 - $247,000.00
This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.
The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.
You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.
San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance
Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.
Employee Status:
Regular
Relocation:
No relocation
VISA Sponsorship:
No
Travel Requirements:
10%
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Remote
Shift:
1st - Day
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
N/A
Job Posting End Date:
10/3/2026*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.
Requisition ID: R419880
See All 57 Engineering Director Jobs in New Jersey
Find roles in New Jersey that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Engineering Director JobsEngineering Director Jobs by City in New Jersey
Where New Jersey roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Engineering Director Job Market in New Jersey
A snapshot from current New Jersey openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- JPMorganChase12

- Merck4

- Thea Energy4

- Information Technology Senior Management Forum4
- Citi3

Top Industries Hiring
- Banking & Financial Services
- Energy
- Construction & Real Estate
- Investment & Asset Management
- Fintech
What New Jersey Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in engineering director jobs across New Jersey.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering or a related technical discipline required
- Ten or more years of progressive engineering experience including team leadership
- Proven ability to manage cross-functional engineering teams of fifteen or more people
- Experience delivering large-scale projects in pharmaceutical, defense, or technology sectors
- Strong background in Agile, systems engineering, or product development lifecycle methodologies
- Professional Engineer license or PMP certification preferred by many New Jersey employers
Engineering Director Jobs in New Jersey: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a engineering director in New Jersey?
The most direct path is to earn a bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, advance through individual contributor and management roles, and build a record of leading multi-team programs. New Jersey employers in pharma, defense, and technology typically promote from senior engineering manager or principal engineer roles. A Professional Engineer license issued through the New Jersey State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors strengthens candidacy, particularly in regulated or infrastructure-heavy sectors, though it is not universally required.
How much do engineering directors make in New Jersey?
Engineering directors in New Jersey earn a median of about $180,640 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $129,690 for the lowest 10% to over $275,950 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire engineering directors in New Jersey?
Employers hiring engineering directors in New Jersey right now include JPMorganChase, Merck, and Thea Energy, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. New Jersey's concentration of pharmaceutical headquarters, defense contractors, and enterprise technology firms means openings appear across a broad range of industry sectors throughout the year.
Which New Jersey cities have the most engineering director jobs?
The cities with the most engineering director openings in New Jersey are Jersey City, Paramus, and Kearny. The distribution reflects where New Jersey's dominant employers are headquartered or operate major campuses, with the Newark metro anchoring technology and financial services leadership roles, while Princeton and Parsippany draw heavily from the life sciences and defense corridors that run through central and northern New Jersey.
Are there remote engineering director jobs in New Jersey?
Yes, though they are less common than in purely analytical roles because engineering directors frequently need to be present for site reviews, lab oversight, and in-person leadership of large teams. About 52% of engineering director openings tied to New Jersey are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, with hybrid arrangements most common in software engineering leadership and enterprise technology program management roles.
How can I get hired as a engineering director in New Jersey with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is to move into an engineering manager or senior engineer role first and build leadership experience from there. New Jersey's large pharma employers, including those in the Route 1 corridor, and defense contractors in the Mount Laurel and Moorestown areas regularly hire senior engineers who then progress into director-track positions. Earning a Professional Engineer license through the New Jersey State Board or completing an MBA with a technical focus adds credibility when competing for that first director-level opening.
Where can I find and apply to engineering director jobs in New Jersey?
You can find and apply to engineering director jobs in New Jersey on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 57 Engineering Director Jobs in New Jersey
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