Vice President of Engineering

 

Department: Engineering

Reports to: President

Direct Reports: Engineering Managers, Principal Engineers, R&D Leads, Product Engineering

Location: On-site / Hybrid (Randolph, MA HQ; travel to Georgetown, MA and customer sites) 

Employment Type: Full-time, Exempt 

Industry: HVAC Manufacturing — Custom Air Handlers (AHUs) and Computer Room Air Handlers (CRAHs) 

 

Cambridgeport is entering its most ambitious growth phase to date. We are an established HVAC manufacturer of custom air handlers and the fastest-growing independent supplier of Computer Room Air Handlers (CRAHs) to the data center market. Over the next 24 to 36 months, we will significantly expand our engineering organization, scale CRAH production to meet hyperscaler demand, continue delivering bespoke AHU solutions to our pharmaceutical and industrial customers, and invest heavily in the manufacturing infrastructure that supports both lines. 

Reporting to the President, the VP of Engineering will own the full engineering function: product engineering for both HVAC custom units and CRAH platforms, manufacturing engineering across our Randolph and Georgetown facilities, R&D for next-generation data center cooling, and engineering operations. The leader will translate aggressive commercial goals into a scalable engineering organization. This is a builder's role: the leader will shape the team, the processes, and the technology platform that will define Cambridgeport's next decade. 

The ideal candidate is a hands-on executive who has scaled an engineering organization through hyper-growth in HVAC manufacturing, has direct experience designing or scaling data center cooling products (CRAH, CRAC, in-row, rear-door heat exchangers, or liquid cooling), and has stood up engineering capabilities across multiple sites. Experience with hyperscaler customers (Tesla, Microsoft, Google, Meta, AWS, or AI infrastructure providers) is a significant plus. 

 

Cambridgeport's culture is defined by three values that the VP of Engineering will be expected to embody, reinforce, and scale across a growing organization:

 

• Be the executive owner for engineering quality outcomes — design quality, supplier quality involvement, and manufacturing quality engineering across both product lines.
• Ensure compliance with applicable HVAC industry standards (AHRI, AMCA, ASHRAE), data center customer-specific quality systems (hyperscaler-specific QMS), pharma cleanroom and validation requirements (cGMP, FDA-relevant where applicable), and general standards (ISO 9001 baseline; AS9100 path if pursued).
• Maintain a transparent risk register for engineering and manufacturing programs; lead mitigation planning and executive escalation.
• Partner with EH&S to ensure all engineering activity meets safety and environmental requirements, including refrigerant handling, sheet metal fabrication safety, and site-specific ergonomic considerations.

• Serve as a peer to the Cambridgeport Leadership Team; build the cross-functional fabric required for multi-site, multi-program execution.
• Communicate clearly to Cambridgeport leadership, customers, and the broader organization about engineering progress, risks, and decisions.
• Model the leadership behaviors and culture Cambridgeport wants to scale: customer obsession, technical rigor, ownership, and humility.

• 15+ years of engineering experience in HVAC manufacturing, mechanical equipment manufacturing, or hardware-intensive industrial manufacturing, including at least 7 years in senior engineering leadership.
• Direct product engineering experience with air handlers, CRAHs, CRACs, precision cooling, or related thermal management products. Either custom AHU design or data center cooling design is required; both are strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience scaling an engineering organization through a period of significant growth (e.g., doubling team size or revenue, launching new product lines, opening new sites).
• Track record of leading product engineering and manufacturing engineering simultaneously from concept through volume production.
• Direct experience standing up or significantly expanding engineering capability at a new geographic site.
• Hands-on familiarity with stage-gate program management, PLM, ERP/MES (Epicor experience a plus), CFD/thermal simulation, and modern engineering tooling.
• Operating experience with lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methods at an executive level.
• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or related); advanced degree (MS or MBA) preferred.

• Direct experience designing or scaling data center cooling products for hyperscaler or AI infrastructure customers.
• HVAC industry leadership experience with familiarity in AHRI, AMCA, ASHRAE standards and pharma/cleanroom HVAC validation requirements.
• Experience in a private or PE-backed company through a high-growth or transformation period; experience working within a holding-company structure is a plus.
• M&A experience including engineering due diligence and post-merger integration of engineering organizations.
• Customer-facing executive experience in a B2B technical-sales environment with long-cycle, high-dollar capital equipment.

• Builder's mindset: energized by ambiguity, comfortable building structure where none exists today.
• Operating discipline: instinctively manages by metrics, root-cause thinking, and clear accountability.
• Talent magnet: a leader other strong engineers want to work for and follow.
• Bias for action with engineering rigor — moves fast without compromising quality, safety, or technical integrity.
• Executive presence: credible with hyperscaler procurement, pharma validation auditors, and a shop-floor team alike.