Sr. Director Engineering

We are hiring a Sr. Director of Engineering to join our Sauna360 Engineering team!
 

DISCOVER

Are you ready to build something that lasts? At Sauna360, engineering is at the center of how we grow. Rooted in Nordic craftsmanship and operating within a fast-growing global wellness category, we design and manufacture premium sauna solutions that must perform flawlessly, meet international regulations, and scale with demand.

As Sr. Director of Engineering, you will lead the full engineering function for Sauna360. This is not a learn-on-the-job role. We are looking for someone who has already built, led, and scaled engineering teams and knows what “good” looks like.

This role is both strategic and deeply practical. You will set direction, build systems, develop talent, and work directly with our manufacturing plants and global partners to ensure our products are engineered for quality, compliance, and manufacturability.

If you enjoy foundation-building, solving complex puzzles, and leaving your personal stamp on a growing organization, this role was built for you.

YOUR RIPPLE EFFECT

• Do you know how to build an engineering foundation that scales? Lead the product and industrial engineering functions for Sauna360, establishing the systems, standards, and processes that support quality, speed, and long-term growth.
• Have you led experienced engineers and know what “good” looks like? Build, lead, and develop a high-performing engineering organization, starting with approximately 5–6 direct reports and responsibility for growing the broader team over time.
• Are you at your best connecting design to manufacturing? Work directly with two manufacturing plants today, ensuring products are engineered for manufacturability, reliability, and cost, while helping onboard and integrate additional suppliers as the business grows.
• Are you comfortable operating on a global stage? Partner closely with international teams, with frequent collaboration and travel to Sweden, periodic travel to China, and occasional travel to Mexico.
• Do you bring credibility in quality and compliance? Own global regulatory compliance and certifications, ensuring products meet international standards without slowing innovation in a lightly regulated but detail-driven category.
• Can you turn strategy into execution? Translate business objectives into engineered solutions that improve product performance, streamline processes, and support operational excellence.
• Do you understand how work gets done across cultures? Lead effectively within different international working norms, building trust, alignment, and accountability across geographies.
• Are you ready to represent engineering at the highest level? Serve as a senior technical leader with suppliers, partners, auditors, and regulatory bodies, strengthening Sauna360’s engineering reputation globally.
   

WHAT YOU BRING

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering. Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, or related discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive engineering leadership experience in manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrated success leading engineering teams and managers, ideally with experience overseeing teams larger than 10 total contributors.
• Strong background across product engineering and industrial or process engineering, with exposure to quality systems and regulatory compliance.
• Experience working with products that require global certifications or regulatory approval.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in international, cross-cultural environments.
• Hands-on leadership style paired with strategic thinking and sound judgment.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally, including regular travel to Sweden, periodic travel to China, and occasional travel to Mexico.
• Ability to work on site in Cokato 3–4 days per week.

WHAT YOU’LL GET

At Sauna360, a Watkins Wellness company, we believe that everyone should ‘Feel good. Live well’. We offer employees the opportunity to join a dynamic, growing industry leader with an outstanding and well-deserved reputation for leadership and commitment to our employees, customers and community. Our employees are eligible to receive exceptional health and wellness benefits, paid time off, company bonus, profit sharing, 401k match, education assistance, and much more. We are proud of the people we are and the products we make — products that make a difference to the health and well-being of others.

We look for candidates that exhibit The Watkins Way (always Ethical, endeavors to be Transparent, embraces Inclusion, welcomes Diverse backgrounds and perspectives, Accommodating, believes in Work-Life Balance, puts Safety First, Accountable, values Relationships, Passionate, Team Player, and Goal Driven).

The employee must frequently lift and move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision and depth perception. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire

Hiring Range: $141,900.00-$222,860.00

Many factor are taken into consideration in determining pay, including education and location.

Company: Watkins Wellness

Shift 1 (United States of America)

Full time

Watkins (the “Company”) is an equal opportunity employer and we strive to employ the most qualified individuals for every position. The Company makes employment decisions only based on merit. It is the Company’s policy to prohibit discrimination in any employment opportunity (including but not limited to recruitment, employment, promotion, salary increases, benefits, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment) based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, pregnancy, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, physical/mental disability, medical condition, marital/domestic partner status, military and veteran status, height, weight or any other such characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. The Company is committed to complying with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunities. This commitment applies to all people involved in the operations of the Company regardless of where the employee is located and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee of the Company.

Watkins is an E-Verify employer. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees in the United States. Please click on the following links for more information.

E-Verify Participation Poster: English & Spanish
E-Verify Right to Work Poster: English & Spanish