About Reliance Foundry
Reliance Foundry has been improving public and commercial spaces since 1925. We design and supply bollards—protective posts used for safety, security, and traffic control—along with outdoor furnishings and custom metal components. Our expanding product portfolio is driving growth across North America’s security and infrastructure markets.
Role Description
The Director of Engineering and R&D is responsible for leading our multi-disciplinary engineering function, driving innovation from concept through validation, compliance, and life-cycle management. As a key executive within our agile team of approximately 40 employees, this role oversees all engineering personnel and programs, ensures robust project execution, and champions technical excellence.
The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise in structural and mechanical engineering as their core foundation, paired with the leadership capability to manage and integrate cross-functional inputs from civil, electrical, and electronics engineering. This position requires a highly versatile technical leader who balances advanced engineering prowess with proven experience across product, program, and project management methodologies.
Key Responsibilities
Senior Leadership
- Contribute meaningfully as a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), supporting cross-functional leaders and stakeholders in shared business outcomes.
- Actively participate in the company’s coaching culture—fostering team development, practicing transparent communication, and committing to continuous personal and professional growth.
- Work collaboratively cross-departmentally with sales, marketing, finance, operations, and HR.
- Actively participate in the company planning, forecasting, and budgeting process.
Advanced R&D and Technical Oversight
- Core Structural & Mechanical Leadership: Serve as the internal authority on heavy mechanical design, dynamic structural loading, and materials performance. Deep Solidworks expertise is an asset.
- Multi-Disciplinary Integration: Effectively manage and coordinate secondary engineering disciplines, ensuring seamless sub-system integration of civil foundations, electrical systems, and electronic components.
- Simulation & Virtual Validation: Direct complex, high-fidelity simulations and finite element analyses (FEA) to rigorously evaluate structural integrity and high-impact dynamic performance prior to physical testing. Previous Abaqus expertise is an asset.
- Strategic Funding & R&D Compliance: Lead the strategic identification, documentation, and execution of technology grants and R&D tax incentives, expanding the company’s involvement with IRAP, SR&ED, and related initiatives.
- Cutting-Edge Research: Identify, study, and publicize advances in technologies influencing the industry, such as advanced materials research and smart manufacturing.
- Evaluate and address the company’s technical debt, recommending strategies to convert legacy systems, processes, and assets into long-term technical capital.
- Discover, evaluate, and recommend external consultants, subject matter experts (SMEs), or testing partners to deepen organizational expertise.
- Ensure all product development complies with relevant regulatory, certification, and testing requirements (e.g., ASTM, CSA, UL).
Team Leadership, Mentorship & Cultivating Talent
- Model and uphold the company’s core values of Trust, Respect, and Integrity across all interactions.
- Lead and manage the engineering department, providing direct supervision, coaching, and career pathing for engineers, program managers, and technical specialists.
- Promote a culture of continuous learning, structured experimentation, and responsible innovation.
Management & Process Excellence
- The Management Trifecta: Apply a blended expertise in Product, Program, and Project Management to ensure initial market alignment, clear timeline execution, and successful, on-budget product launches.
- Supervise the Program Manager to ensure the development of accurate, detailed, and cross-functionally aligned program plans.
- Codify tribal knowledge into accessible, permanent systems to ensure insights and learnings are retained and passed on.
- Continuously assess and recommend upgrades to engineering software, hardware tools, and simulation platforms to maintain a world-class practice.
- Apply Design for Manufacturability (DFM), assembly, service, and installation principles across all product lines.
- Maintain strong collaboration with Product Management, Operations, Sales, and Supply Chain to ensure customer applicability and manufacturability.
Preferred Qualifications & Requirements
- Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a closely related field.
- Core Expertise: Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive experience in heavy mechanical design, structural dynamics, or impact/stress analysis.
- Management Breadth: Proven track record of managing multi-disciplinary teams, with enough technical literacy to oversee and sign off on civil, electrical, and electronic system integrations.
- Methodologies: Formal or practical depth in Product Management (defining market viability), Program Management (governing parallel tracks), and Project Management (execution, budget, and scope).
- Funding: Direct experience supporting or documenting R&D claims for SR&ED and IRAP programs is highly desirable.
Compensation & Benefits
- Pay: $100,000 - $145,000
- Work Location: Surrey, BC. Because we design, test, and build physical products, on-site presence is critical for prototyping and team collaboration. We maintain a primarily in-person environment with some flexibility for remote work when tasks allow.
- Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Dental care
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Flexible schedule
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
- Vision care
Pay: $100,000.00-$145,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Dental care
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Flexible schedule
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
- Vision care
Work Location: In person
