Mechanical Engineering Manager

Mechanical Engineering Department Manager (P.Eng., Player-Coach) — Sudbury

Makami Engineering Group | Full-time | Sudbury, ON | Hybrid (office + site as required)

Company Description

Makami Engineering is a well-established engineering firm based in Northern Ontario, serving a diverse client base spanning the Mining, Railroad, Forestry, Steel Production, and Commercial industries. The company provides specialized engineering services, including Civil/Structural, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering, as well as advanced capabilities like Finite Element Analysis (FEA), 3D Laser Scanning, and precision measurement technology. Renowned for its focus on technical expertise, Makami Engineering is committed to delivering accurate, comprehensive, and cost-effective solutions by leveraging experienced personnel and state-of-the-art technology. With both local and international clientele, the firm supports projects at every stage, from conceptual planning to commissioning. Its ability to provide rapid and precise engineering services empowers its clients to maintain operational efficiency.

The Opportunity

Makami Engineering Group is hiring a Mechanical Engineering Department Manager for our Sudbury office. This is a player-coach role for a licensed P.Eng. who leads a mechanical team while remaining hands-on as a senior technical design engineer.

We deliver multi-discipline work (Structural, Mechanical, Electrical/I&A, Scanning, NDT, Design) using a structured workflow with a shared Project Manager (PM) pool. PMs own scope, schedule, budget, client communication, and invoicing inputs. Department Managers own technical execution, technical quality, and resourcing within their discipline. This role is ideal for someone who can drive predictability, quality, and team performance while still producing and reviewing high-value engineering deliverables.

What you will do

Department Leadership & Team Management

• Lead the Mechanical department in Sudbury (engineers, EITs, designers/technologists as applicable).

• Build and maintain clear expectations for quality, responsiveness, deliverable timing, and accountability.

• Participate in weekly resource planning and confirm staffing commitments to PM-led project schedules.

• Assign and prioritize work within the department; remove blockers and resolve conflicts quickly.

• Coach, mentor, and develop staff; provide performance feedback and technical growth plans.

• Support hiring and onboarding (interviews, technical assessment, ramp-up plans).

Senior Technical Design Engineering (Hands-On)

• Serve as a senior technical engineer on key projects, producing and/or leading:

– Conceptual, preliminary, and detailed mechanical design

– Calculations, layouts, sketches, specifications, and technical reports

– Equipment selection and design basis development

– Constructability reviews, site investigations, and field reviews

• Perform and document design review / design verification of mechanical deliverables prepared by others.

• Lead technical problem-solving on complex industrial work, particularly in brownfield environments.

Quality, Standards, and Risk Management

• Own mechanical QA/QC execution: checklists, peer reviews, consistency, completeness, and traceability.

• Ensure mechanical deliverables comply with applicable codes/standards and client requirements.

• Identify technical risks early; escalate decisively through the appropriate path (Technical Authority/PM/Operations).

• Drive continuous improvement: templates, calculation tools, standard details, lessons learned, and training.

Workflow Integration (Shared PM Pool + Multi-Discipline)

• Partner with PMs to confirm scope assumptions, deliverable lists, schedules, and staffing plans.

• Provide clear readiness signals for IFR/IFA/IFC issue; ensure discipline checks are complete prior to release.

• Support PMs with technical inputs for change management, progress claims, and invoice back-up.

• Coordinate with other department managers (Structural, Electrical/I&A, Scanning, NDT, Design) to deliver integrated packages.

What success looks like (first 90 days)

First 30 days

• Learn Makami standards, tools, and delivery workflow; understand active projects and team capacity.

• Establish a predictable cadence: weekly mechanical team huddle + active participation in resource planning.

• Begin contributing as technical lead on priority deliverables and reviews.

By 60 days

• Stabilize tasking and review workflow (clear assignment, internal checks, deliverable gates).

• Implement consistent expectations for review turnaround times and deliverable quality.

• Identify and begin addressing the top constraints driving rework or delays.

By 90 days

• Demonstrate improved on-time delivery and reduced rework through structured reviews and clear ownership.

• Build a forward-looking capacity view (near-term and 90-day outlook) aligned to the PM pipeline.

• Create a practical team development plan (mentorship, training, recruiting needs, coverage).

Required qualifications

• Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in Ontario (mandatory).

• 8+ years of mechanical engineering experience; industrial consulting experience strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated experience leading teams while staying technically productive (player-coach).

• Strong competence producing and reviewing engineering deliverables: calculations, specifications, design packages, technical reports.

• Experience with field work, client-facing technical leadership, and practical engineering judgement in operating facilities.

• Strong communication skills and a disciplined approach to documentation and follow-through.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE (NICE-TO-HAVE)

• Industrial plants: mining, metals, processing, materials handling, heavy industry.

• Rotating equipment, piping systems, industrial HVAC, installation planning, constructability.

• Formal QA/QC and documented design verification practices.

Why Makami

• Real authority to build a high-performing mechanical department in a growing multi-discipline firm.

• Challenging industrial projects with strong cross-discipline integration.

• Clear workflow structure with a shared PM pool so technical leaders can focus on quality and execution.

How to apply

Send your resume and a brief note highlighting:

• Your strongest technical design areas

• Your team leadership experience

• One example where you improved delivery predictability or reduced rework

Salary range

$130,000–$180,000 CAD per year, depending on experience, technical depth, and leadership capability.

Benefits and perks

• Health and dental benefits plan

• RRSP program (RBC – Group RRSP / DPSP): Group RRSP with an employer matching program that increases with tenure (graduated match)

• Paid vacation and statutory holidays

• Professional dues and licensing support (PEO fees)

• Continuing education and professional development support

• Tools and software required to do the job

• Hybrid work environment with flexibility based on project and client needs

• Mileage and travel reimbursement for site work (as applicable)