Director of Engineering – PLM & Data Governance
Location – Evansville, IN
The Director of Engineering – PLM & Data Governance is responsible for the strategy, architecture, governance, and operational reliability of the organization’s digital engineering ecosystem. This role oversees Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), CAD configuration management, and engineering data infrastructure.
This leader ensures that engineering artifacts such as CAD models, bills of materials, specifications, requirements, revisions, and engineering change records are accurate, secure, compliant, and accessible across the organization. The role also supports the development of a consistent digital thread connecting product development, manufacturing, and lifecycle support.
Key Responsibilities
Engineering Systems Ownership
- Provide strategic direction and lifecycle management for PLM, CAD configuration management, and related engineering platforms.
- Define system architecture, configuration standards, lifecycle schemes, and long-term system roadmaps.
- Ensure system reliability, scalability, security, and performance.
Data Governance Leadership
- Establish policies, standards, and controls for engineering and product data.
- Define naming conventions, metadata structures, and data ownership models.
- Ensure regulatory compliance, traceability, and audit readiness.
- Lead master data governance efforts for product-related information.
Digital Thread Integration
- Drive integration between PLM and enterprise systems such as ERP, MES, QMS, analytics platforms, and other business systems.
- Ensure accurate and automated transfer of key product data including:
- Bills of Materials (BOMs)
- Item master data
- Revisions
- Engineering change information
- Enable visibility into engineering utilization and product lifecycle performance.
Change and Configuration Management
- Standardize and automate engineering change workflows including ECR, ECO, ECN, and deviation processes.
- Establish structured and configurable BOM management practices.
- Maintain synchronization between Engineering BOM (EBOM) and Manufacturing BOM (MBOM).
- Implement centralized configuration rules and variant management.
- Ensure automated workflow notifications and task assignments for stakeholders.
Team Leadership and Organizational Development
- Lead and develop the data management team, including PLM administrators, data engineers, and system architects.
- Coordinate activities across distributed or global teams.
- Establish clear process ownership and accountability across engineering data domains.
- Strengthen capabilities in systems administration, governance, and analytics.
Continuous Improvement and Modernization
- Identify opportunities for system enhancements, automation, and workflow improvements.
- Lead multi-year initiatives including:
- PLM platform upgrades
- ERP integrations
- Data governance programs
- Enterprise system integrations
- Reduce manual work, rework, and data errors through process and system improvements.
Training and Capability Development
- Define and standardize training approaches for engineering systems and data management processes.
- Develop documentation and knowledge transfer practices to support system adoption and long-term sustainability.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field
- 10+ years of experience in PLM, engineering systems, or product data management leadership roles
- Experience administering and managing PLM platforms (Autodesk Vault Professional preferred)
- Strong understanding of CAD data management, BOM structures (EBOM and MBOM), and engineering change processes
- Experience integrating PLM with ERP or other enterprise systems
- Demonstrated leadership experience managing technical teams, including distributed or global teams
- Experience establishing data governance standards and improving engineering data systems and processes
