Engineering Director Jobs in Tennessee
Engineering Director jobs in Tennessee are in strong demand, with active hiring concentrated in advanced manufacturing, automotive engineering, healthcare technology, and defense sectors across the state, with openings at every level from newly promoted engineering managers through senior vice president of engineering. Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga anchor most of the hiring activity, where employers like Nissan North America, Bridgestone Americas, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center maintain lasting engineering leadership needs. The most sought-after specialties in Tennessee include manufacturing process engineering, systems engineering, and software engineering leadership. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 22+ Engineering Director jobs
JOB SUMMARY:
The Director of Plant Engineering and Maintenance provides strategic and operational leadership for plant engineering, facilities, maintenance, utilities, and capital-project execution. This position is accountable for safe, reliable, and cost-effective equipment and infrastructure; improved plant uptime and manufacturing capability; development of engineering and skilled-trades personnel; and delivery of capital projects that support VIAM’s safety, quality, delivery, cost, customer, and growth objectives.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Provide leadership for plant engineering, facilities, maintenance, utilities, equipment reliability, and technical support activities.
2. Establish and execute maintenance and reliability strategies that improve safety, equipment availability, plant uptime, and lifecycle cost.
3. Set targets and review performance for preventive and predictive maintenance compliance, downtime, mean time between failures, mean time to repair, overall equipment effectiveness, maintenance cost, and schedule attainment.
4. Ensure recurring equipment failures are addressed through disciplined root-cause analysis, corrective action, and verification of effectiveness.
5. Develop and maintain critical-equipment, spare-parts, obsolescence, and business-continuity plans that reduce operational risk.
6. Lead annual capital-expenditure planning, project prioritization, budget development, forecasting, and approval recommendations aligned with business objectives.
7. Direct equipment specifications, supplier technical evaluations, procurement support, installation, commissioning, capability validation, and final acceptance of capital equipment.
8. Manage capital-project scope, schedule, cost, risk, and return-on-investment commitments; communicate status and corrective actions to executive leadership.
9. Ensure facilities, utilities, equipment, and engineering activities comply with applicable safety, environmental, regulatory, customer, and company requirements.
10. Partner with Production, Quality, Safety, Purchasing, Finance, Information Technology, Human Resources, customers, and suppliers to support launches, capacity needs, operational readiness, and continuous improvement.
11. Build organizational capability through workforce planning, succession planning, technical training, performance management, and development of engineering and skilled-trades personnel.
12. Allocate personnel, contractors, and technical resources to meet plant priorities, customer requirements, planned shutdowns, and emergency-response needs.
13. Standardize engineering and maintenance systems, documentation, project controls, and work practices to improve execution and knowledge retention.
14. Promote lean manufacturing, data-based decision-making, energy efficiency, automation, and cost-reduction initiatives that improve operational performance.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES:
- Strategic planning and disciplined execution.
2. Sound financial judgment and capital stewardship.
3. Team development, coaching, succession planning, and accountability.
4. Cross-functional leadership and effective customer and supplier communication.
5. Urgency, structured problem-solving, and fact-based decision-making.
6. Ability to manage competing priorities independently and through teams.
7. Performs other duties as required.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field required; equivalent combinations of education and progressively responsible technical leadership experience may be considered.
2. Eight (8) to ten (10) years of progressive plant engineering, maintenance, reliability, facilities, or capital-project experience in a manufacturing environment, including leadership of managers, engineers, or skilled-trades teams.
3. Automotive manufacturing experience strongly preferred, with working knowledge of IATF 16949, ISO 14001, customer-specific requirements, launch readiness, and disciplined problem-solving.
4. Demonstrated experience with preventive, predictive, and condition-based maintenance; root-cause analysis; equipment reliability; spare-parts strategy; and maintenance performance metrics.
5. Demonstrated experience developing and executing capital plans and managing equipment projects from business case and specification through installation, commissioning, validation, and acceptance.
6. Working knowledge of relevant manufacturing processes, automation, controls, robotics, tooling, utilities, and facility systems; experience with VIAM’s core manufacturing processes preferred.
7. Proficiency with computerized maintenance management systems, project-management software, Microsoft Excel, data analysis, and reporting tools; CAD familiarity preferred.
8. Knowledge of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, risk assessment, contractor management, and applicable safety and environmental requirements.
9. Demonstrated written, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with executives, employees, customers, and suppliers.
10. Ability to manage multiple priorities, respond to urgent plant needs, and work outside normal business hours when operational support requires it.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $140,000.00 - $160,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Do you have at least (8) years of progressive plant engineering or maintenance experience in manufacturing environment?
- Do you have strong computer skills, including but not limited to, Microsoft Office programs, reporting tools, and project-management software
Education:
- Bachelor's (Preferred)
Experience:
- CAD: 2 years (Preferred)
- IATF 16949: 2 years (Preferred)
- ISO 14001: 2 years (Preferred)
- Automotive manufacturing: 2 years (Preferred)
Willingness to travel:
- 25% (Required)
Work Location: In person
JOB SUMMARY:
The Director of Plant Engineering and Maintenance provides strategic and operational leadership for plant engineering, facilities, maintenance, utilities, and capital-project execution. This position is accountable for safe, reliable, and cost-effective equipment and infrastructure; improved plant uptime and manufacturing capability; development of engineering and skilled-trades personnel; and delivery of capital projects that support VIAM’s safety, quality, delivery, cost, customer, and growth objectives.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Provide leadership for plant engineering, facilities, maintenance, utilities, equipment reliability, and technical support activities.
2. Establish and execute maintenance and reliability strategies that improve safety, equipment availability, plant uptime, and lifecycle cost.
3. Set targets and review performance for preventive and predictive maintenance compliance, downtime, mean time between failures, mean time to repair, overall equipment effectiveness, maintenance cost, and schedule attainment.
4. Ensure recurring equipment failures are addressed through disciplined root-cause analysis, corrective action, and verification of effectiveness.
5. Develop and maintain critical-equipment, spare-parts, obsolescence, and business-continuity plans that reduce operational risk.
6. Lead annual capital-expenditure planning, project prioritization, budget development, forecasting, and approval recommendations aligned with business objectives.
7. Direct equipment specifications, supplier technical evaluations, procurement support, installation, commissioning, capability validation, and final acceptance of capital equipment.
8. Manage capital-project scope, schedule, cost, risk, and return-on-investment commitments; communicate status and corrective actions to executive leadership.
9. Ensure facilities, utilities, equipment, and engineering activities comply with applicable safety, environmental, regulatory, customer, and company requirements.
10. Partner with Production, Quality, Safety, Purchasing, Finance, Information Technology, Human Resources, customers, and suppliers to support launches, capacity needs, operational readiness, and continuous improvement.
11. Build organizational capability through workforce planning, succession planning, technical training, performance management, and development of engineering and skilled-trades personnel.
12. Allocate personnel, contractors, and technical resources to meet plant priorities, customer requirements, planned shutdowns, and emergency-response needs.
13. Standardize engineering and maintenance systems, documentation, project controls, and work practices to improve execution and knowledge retention.
14. Promote lean manufacturing, data-based decision-making, energy efficiency, automation, and cost-reduction initiatives that improve operational performance.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES:
- Strategic planning and disciplined execution.
2. Sound financial judgment and capital stewardship.
3. Team development, coaching, succession planning, and accountability.
4. Cross-functional leadership and effective customer and supplier communication.
5. Urgency, structured problem-solving, and fact-based decision-making.
6. Ability to manage competing priorities independently and through teams.
7. Performs other duties as required.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field required; equivalent combinations of education and progressively responsible technical leadership experience may be considered.
2. Eight (8) to ten (10) years of progressive plant engineering, maintenance, reliability, facilities, or capital-project experience in a manufacturing environment, including leadership of managers, engineers, or skilled-trades teams.
3. Automotive manufacturing experience strongly preferred, with working knowledge of IATF 16949, ISO 14001, customer-specific requirements, launch readiness, and disciplined problem-solving.
4. Demonstrated experience with preventive, predictive, and condition-based maintenance; root-cause analysis; equipment reliability; spare-parts strategy; and maintenance performance metrics.
5. Demonstrated experience developing and executing capital plans and managing equipment projects from business case and specification through installation, commissioning, validation, and acceptance.
6. Working knowledge of relevant manufacturing processes, automation, controls, robotics, tooling, utilities, and facility systems; experience with VIAM’s core manufacturing processes preferred.
7. Proficiency with computerized maintenance management systems, project-management software, Microsoft Excel, data analysis, and reporting tools; CAD familiarity preferred.
8. Knowledge of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, risk assessment, contractor management, and applicable safety and environmental requirements.
9. Demonstrated written, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with executives, employees, customers, and suppliers.
10. Ability to manage multiple priorities, respond to urgent plant needs, and work outside normal business hours when operational support requires it.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $140,000.00 - $160,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Do you have at least (8) years of progressive plant engineering or maintenance experience in manufacturing environment?
- Do you have strong computer skills, including but not limited to, Microsoft Office programs, reporting tools, and project-management software
Education:
- Bachelor's (Preferred)
Experience:
- CAD: 2 years (Preferred)
- IATF 16949: 2 years (Preferred)
- ISO 14001: 2 years (Preferred)
- Automotive manufacturing: 2 years (Preferred)
Willingness to travel:
- 25% (Required)
Work Location: In person
See All 22 Engineering Director Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Engineering Director JobsEngineering Director Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Engineering Director Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Energy
- Education
- Insurance
- Fashion & Apparel
- Technology & Software
What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in engineering director jobs across Tennessee.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in an engineering discipline recognized in Tennessee
- Professional Engineer license issued or recognized by the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners preferred
- Ten or more years of progressive engineering experience with leadership responsibilities
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional engineering teams across multiple projects simultaneously
- Experience managing engineering programs in manufacturing, automotive, defense, or healthcare technology sectors
- Strong familiarity with project budget oversight and capital expenditure planning at scale
Engineering Director Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a engineering director in Tennessee?
Most engineering directors in Tennessee reach the role through a combination of an accredited engineering degree and years of progressively senior technical and team leadership experience. While Tennessee does not require a director-level management license, holding a Professional Engineer credential issued or recognized by the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners significantly strengthens candidacy, particularly in regulated sectors like civil, structural, and manufacturing engineering. Employers typically promote from principal engineer or senior engineering manager roles.
How much do engineering directors make in Tennessee?
Engineering directors in Tennessee earn a median of about $161,430 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $105,980 for the lowest 10% to over $239,240 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire engineering directors in Tennessee?
Employers hiring engineering directors in Tennessee right now include Oracle, Deloitte, and CVS Health, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. Tennessee's strong base in automotive manufacturing, defense contracting, and healthcare technology means engineering director roles frequently appear at large industrial and institutional employers anchored across the state.
Which Tennessee cities have the most engineering director jobs?
The cities with the most engineering director openings in Tennessee are Nashville, Chattanooga, and Tennessee. Nashville's concentration of healthcare technology companies and corporate headquarters drives much of the demand there, while Knoxville benefits from proximity to Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee's research ecosystem, and Chattanooga draws engineering leadership roles tied to advanced manufacturing and automotive suppliers operating in the region.
Are there remote engineering director jobs in Tennessee?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely software-focused fields, because engineering director roles in Tennessee often require on-site oversight of manufacturing floors, lab environments, or regulated facilities. About 36% of engineering director openings tied to Tennessee are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, with remote arrangements most accessible in software engineering leadership and product engineering roles at technology-oriented companies.
How can I get hired as a engineering director in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic path into engineering director roles in Tennessee without prior director-level experience is transitioning from a senior or principal engineer position within a large Tennessee employer. Companies like Bridgestone Americas and major healthcare systems in Nashville frequently promote from within, and taking on program lead or engineering manager responsibilities in those organizations builds the demonstrated leadership record that director searches require. A Professional Engineer credential from the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners also gives candidates a measurable edge during competitive hiring.
Where can I find and apply to engineering director jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to engineering director jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current Tennessee openings across industries including manufacturing, healthcare technology, defense, and automotive engineering. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 22 Engineering Director Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Engineering Director Jobs