There’s a common fork in the road that shows up early in many engineering careers:
“Are you going to stay technical, or are you going to lead people?”
The assumption is you have to choose.
That if you want to grow technically, you should avoid management.
Or, if you want to lead, you’ll need to give up your edge and focus on meetings and process.
We think that’s a false choice.
My Path
I studied engineering because I wanted to understand how the world works.
Math gave me the language.
Science showed me how it shows up in the real world.
Engineering taught me how to solve actual problems with that knowledge.
But what really got me — and still gets me — is when those ideas turn into impact.
When a system gets better.
When a product moves from whiteboard to production.
When a team figures out something hard and builds something great together.
For me, business is an extension of engineering. It’s how we bring those solutions to life at scale. And leadership is the toolset that lets us do it through people, not just ideas.
I didn’t set out to be a “people leader.” But once I saw how much leverage there is in a great team, I leaned in. I learned that being a strong thinker isn’t enough. I had to learn how to coach, how to listen, and how to develop judgment in others.
It’s still a work in progress. But it’s the most meaningful work I do.
That shift — from solving problems myself to building teams that solve even harder and more impactful problems — has shaped how I lead and how we build this business.
We expect our leaders to operate as player-coaches.
Not just technical experts. Not just people managers.
Leaders who can think clearly, build trust, and drive real progress through others.
This combination is rare. And it’s what moves the business forward.
The Real Job
A great engineering leader doesn’t just hold a title.
They create clarity. Solve problems. Drive outcomes. Grow people.
Sometimes that means doing the hard technical work yourself.
Other times, it means getting out of the way so someone else can own it.
The best leaders don’t let their technical skills fade. But they don’t use them as a shield, either.
They know when to go deep, when to delegate, and when to zoom out and shape the system.
That’s not a contradiction. That’s the job.
Who We’re Looking For
We’re looking for engineers who are already acting like leaders — whether they’ve been given the title or not.
That might be…
- Someone leading key programs but stuck under weak management.
- Someone delivering in a complex environment but feeling boxed in.
- Someone operating across technical, customer, and manufacturing spaces, ready to own more.
Some are in Tier 1 or mid-sized companies and want more influence.
Some are OEM veterans who want to get closer to the work again.
Others are sharp generalists who’ve seen the system — and want to help rebuild it.
They’re not just looking to manage. They’re looking to build, own, and lead with conviction.
What You’ll Get Here
If you’re an engineering leader excited by both the technical and people aspects of leadership, here is our promise to you:
- You’ll own real work, including products, processes, and results.
- You’ll have direct access to customers, machines, and decisions.
- You’ll help shape how we operate, rather than simply executing inside someone else’s system.
- You’ll grow, technically and as a leader. And you’ll do it alongside driven, curious teammates who care about doing great work and getting better over time.
If you’re ready to build products and teams but feel like you’ve been forced to choose one over the other, this is your shot to do both.
Let’s build.
–Brandon Bartneck, Engineering Leader | Brandon.Bartneck@pjws.com