Director of Engineering — North America

IT8•Pflugerville, TX

About The Position

IT8 is a global engineering services company specializing in industrial automation for the automotive and intralogistics sectors. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Valencia, Spain, we offer PLC and robotic programming, mechanical and electrical engineering services, as well as installation and site services. Backed by MiddleGround Capital, we operate across both American and European markets and are scaling rapidly into e-mobility, commercial vehicles, and aerospace. Our North American hub is located in Austin, TX. We are hiring a Director of Engineering to lead all technical operations across the US and Mexico. This is a hands-on leadership role (part technical program management, part regional general management) reporting directly to the CTO. You will own the delivery performance of our North American engineering, programming, and installation teams, translate global technical strategy into regional execution, and build the talent and vendor infrastructure to support our growth. Regional Technical Leadership Directly oversee department managers across mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, PLC/robot programming, and site installation for the US and Mexico. Drive project execution against deadlines, quality standards, and cost targets - owning utilization rates, gross margin, and project-level P&L. Ensure operational and technical consistency across disciplines and job sites. Act as the bridge between IT8’s global technical vision (set by the CTO) and day-to-day regional delivery. Talent & Team Building Build, scale, and retain high-performing engineering teams to match growing project demand in North America. Identify workforce gaps and skill development needs, and design annual training plans with HR. Lead final-round technical interviews for senior hires and validate staffing requests. Vendor & Subcontractor Management Maintain and develop a vetted pool of technical subcontractors and outsourcing partners. Approve outsourcing scope, select providers, and monitor deliverable quality and cost. Manage vendor relationships strategically to ensure capacity flexibility without sacrificing standards. KPIs & Reporting Own and report North American technical KPIs to the CTO: utilization %, budget variance, gross margin, earned value, customer satisfaction, and project profitability. Provide data-driven performance reporting and flag risks and investment needs early.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive experience in industrial automation engineering, with a career path from hands-on engineering through management (e.g., Engineer → Project/Program Manager → Director or equivalent).
Background in automotive, robotics, or automation strongly preferred. Adjacent automation sectors are also valued.
Proven track record managing multi-discipline technical teams (mechanical, electrical, controls/PLC, installation) across multiple sites or geographies.
Experience owning project-level P&L, managing multi-million-dollar budgets, and driving utilization and margin performance.
Established network of automation vendors, subcontractors, and technical partners in North America.
Fluent in English and Spanish (daily coordination with teams in Mexico and Spain).
Valid authorization to work in the United States
Willing to travel domestically and occasionally to Mexico and Europe as projects require.

Nice To Haves

You think like a business operator, not just a technologist.
You’re as comfortable reviewing a project’s margin performance as you are troubleshooting a commissioning issue on the plant floor.
You build teams that deliver, manage vendor ecosystems that scale, and communicate with clarity to both your CTO and your field technicians.
You thrive in a fast-growing environment where accountability is high and bureaucracy is low.

Responsibilities

Directly oversee department managers across mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, PLC/robot programming, and site installation for the US and Mexico.
Drive project execution against deadlines, quality standards, and cost targets - owning utilization rates, gross margin, and project-level P&L.
Ensure operational and technical consistency across disciplines and job sites.
Act as the bridge between IT8’s global technical vision (set by the CTO) and day-to-day regional delivery.
Build, scale, and retain high-performing engineering teams to match growing project demand in North America.
Identify workforce gaps and skill development needs, and design annual training plans with HR.
Lead final-round technical interviews for senior hires and validate staffing requests.
Maintain and develop a vetted pool of technical subcontractors and outsourcing partners.
Approve outsourcing scope, select providers, and monitor deliverable quality and cost.
Manage vendor relationships strategically to ensure capacity flexibility without sacrificing standards.
Own and report North American technical KPIs to the CTO: utilization %, budget variance, gross margin, earned value, customer satisfaction, and project profitability.
Provide data-driven performance reporting and flag risks and investment needs early.