Sr. Director, Fluidics Engineering Lead

This is a People Leader role

Location: Atlanta, GA (onsite)

Travel: 10–20% (supplier and partner sites)

Direct Reports: Fluidics Engineering Team

Reports To: Head of Engineering

Role Summary:

We are seeking an experienced engineering leader to oversee the strategy, development, and lifecycle management of core fluidics technologies across our global equipment platforms. This role guides the technical direction for critical components—pumps, valves, dosing systems—and ensures technology standardization, cost effectiveness, and high reliability.

You will lead a team of subject matter experts, define cross-platform engineering standards, drive adoption of innovative designs, and partner with R&D, product, and manufacturing teams to transfer proven technologies into scalable, commercially viable products.

This position is ideal for a leader who balances deep technical expertise in fluid systems with proven organizational influence, ensuring that platform teams have the tools, components, and standards they need to deliver world-class beverage equipment.

Enable Platform Success

·       On-Demand Expertise: Serve as the primary technical authority for fluidic components across all platforms.

·       Engineering Standards: Establish and maintain engineering standards for materials, design specifications, performance, and regulatory compliance.

·       Shared Component Libraries: Build and manage a centralized component library containing validated, reusable modules and reference designs.

·       Rigorous Documentation: Oversee documentation integrity (CAD, specifications, diagrams, interface requirements) to ensure clarity, accuracy, and accessibility.

·       Seamless Technology Transfer: Define and manage technology transfer processes from prototype to production, including rigorous validation procedures.

·       Cost Optimization: Evaluate and implement cost-down measures to ensure solutions are both affordable and scalable while maintaining the highest standards of quality, reliability, and system performance.

Drive Core Technology Innovation

·       Lead Strategic Roadmaps: Define and execute a multi-year innovation roadmap for fluidics technologies aligned to platform strategies.

·       Identify Emerging Technologies: Identify, evaluate, and pilot emerging fluidics solutions—micro-dosing, novel pump/valve designs, alternative materials, control algorithms.

·       Collaborate with the Innovation Hub: Partner with the Innovation Hub on early-stage prototypes and proofs of concept, ensuring scalability and manufacturability.

·       Intellectual Property Management: Manage intellectual property strategy, from invention disclosure to patent filing, to protect competitive advantage.

Maintain Centers of Excellence

·       Core Expertise Functions: Lead specialized teams within the following domains to advance innovation while maintaining operational efficiency:

o    Advanced Fluidics & Dosing – Focused on pumps, valves, and micro-dosing systems for unparalleled performance. Design and develop new components to support current and future dispensed beverage equipment.

o    Design control algorithms to control both components and dispensed beverage systems.

·       Talent Development: Mentor team members within Centers of Excellence, promoting upskilling and staying abreast of cutting-edge technologies in their respective fields. Lead a team of engineers to highest levels of performance. Hire and manage performance of the team.

·       People Management & Development:

o    Empower the Team: Foster a high-performing, results-driven team of strategic leaders by enabling autonomy and creating opportunities for ownership of critical priorities.

o    Mentor and Coach Leaders: Provide consistent guidance, coaching, and feedback to direct and dotted-line reports.

o    Promote Accountability: Hold team members accountable to project goals, timelines, and technical quality.

o    Measure and Recognize Performance: Regularly evaluate individual and team performance, providing constructive feedback and recognizing outstanding contributions to acknowledge achievement and sustain motivation.

Key Deliverables:

·       Modular Component Library with Reference Designs: Develop and maintain a centralized library of modular, reusable engineering components and scalable reference designs. This library will streamline cross-platform integration, accelerate development timelines, and ensure consistency and compatibility across all platforms. Each design will include CAD files, interface requirements, and technical specifications for seamless implementation.

·       Engineering Standards and Design Guidelines: Establish comprehensive engineering standards and guidelines to ensure industry leading quality, performance, and adherence to best practices. These guidelines will encompass material specifications, technical requirements, regulatory compliance, and sustainable design principles.

·       Component Reliability and Quality Metrics: Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for component reliability, quality, and lifecycle durability. Deliver regular reports and insights on testing outcomes, defect rates, and warranty impact to drive data-driven improvements in downstream product performance.

·       Technology Roadmaps: Develop and maintain long-term technology roadmaps across critical disciplines. These roadmaps will detail both incremental advancements and breakthrough innovations necessary to achieve GEP’s strategic objectives.

Skills & Competence

Required:

·       Degree in a relevant engineering discipline

·       12+ years of experience in engineering roles, with a proven history of spearheading innovation and delivering breakthrough technologies.

·       Deep expertise in fluid systems with significant hands-on ability to guide practical applications.

·       Demonstrated proficiency in translating R&D efforts into commercially viable products.

·       Proven track record in successfully transferring new technologies to product/platform teams in complex, highly technical environments.

·       Experience in building and leading high-performing innovation teams, capable of handling both strategic vision and tactical execution.

·       Strong balance between theoretical technical knowledge and real-world implementation skills to create scalable, market-ready solutions.

Preferred:

·       Advanced Degree in a relevant engineering discipline or equivalent advanced expertise gained through industry experience.

·       Masters Degree in business administration

·       Prior experience in beverage or food equipment technologies, understanding the unique requirements of quality, regulatory compliance, and performance optimization.

·       Working knowledge of micro-fluidics, IoT systems, connectivity platforms, or advanced materials.

·       Experience in scaling technologies through platform-based organizations or working in Agile-driven environments.

·       Proven ability to influence without authority, leveraging relationships, technical credibility, and value creation to drive results across cross-functional teams.

Leadership Competencies

·       Technology Vision & Pragmatism: Able to foresee industry shifts and identify how transformative technologies can be practically implemented.

·       Platform-First Mindset: Develops solutions and standards with consideration for the needs of multiple product platforms, ensuring scalable deployment.

·       Influence Through Value Delivery: Utilizes actionable outcomes, tangible benefits, and collaborative engagement to foster alignment without relying on formal authority.

·       Collaborative Innovator: Builds bridges between innovation and execution teams, creating an environment that promotes shared learning and co-creation.

·       Project Prioritization Skills: Objectively evaluates and terminates projects that are unlikely to transition effectively or add measurable value, ensuring optimal resource allocation and focus.