State College consistently ranks among the best college towns of Pennsylvania and the U.S. With a borough (city) population of just over 40,000 and a metropolitan statistical area population of around 160,000, the home of the Pennsylvania State University, aka “Penn State,” feels like a small town, yet offers a range of outdoor and cultural amenities to residents and visitors alike.

Located in rural, central Pennsylvania, the pedestrian and bike commuter-friendly State College is surrounded by a tremendous amount of easily accessible public lands. In a short 10-15 minute drive or a slightly longer pedal, you’ll be outside of town and at the edge of the 96,975-acre Rothrock State Forest, a year-round venue for outdoor recreation lovers. Go a bit further, and you’ll get to enjoy another gem: the 194,602-acre Bald Eagle State Forest. No less than eight Pennsylvania State Parks lie within close proximity (30-minute drive) of State College.

Whether you love to ride your bike on quiet, tree-lined, paved town streets or country roads, crush miles of lightly traveled gravel, or shred singletrack mountain bike trails filled with renowned East Coast Rocks, you can’t go wrong riding a bike in Centre County and other adjacent counties. It’ll take you years to explore its abundant network of local roads, greenways, and trails.

Into outdoor pursuits besides riding a bike? Central Pennsylvania boasts countless opportunities for hiking, trail running, bouldering, golfing, camping, and backpacking. Hunters flock to nearby Pennsylvania State Forests and State Game Lands each year in pursuit of deer, pheasants, grouse, and turkey. World-class trout fishing entertains anglers along many local spring-fed creeks. And water sports enthusiasts spend summer weekends kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, boating, or swimming in local lakes and creeks. Even moto and dual sport riders enjoy numerous on and off-road riding opportunities in the region.

With its unique position deep in the midst of what locals affectionately call “Happy Valley,” State College sits at the geological intersection of the Appalachian Plateau and the Ridge and Valley portion of the Appalachian mountains. Its endless ridges and valleys and generally higher elevations make it more consistently cooler, cloudier, and greener than many parts of Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic.

In fact, State College’s humid continental climate brings four distinct seasons and an average 40 inches of annual rainfall. In spring, a brilliant, fresh green appears in every fertile, farm-filled valley and marches inexorably up adjacent mountainsides. The area’s mostly deciduous forests then turn into a lush, dense Appalachian green for the summer. Fall brings cool, crisp temperatures and a colorful annual display of changing red, orange, and yellow leaves. Finally in winter, the views open up for miles and miles as the trees lose their leaves, although even in the depths of winters, patches of mountain laurel, rhododendrons and hemlocks create reassuring oases of green. Most winters bring snow suitable for consistently carving turns at the local Tussey Mountain ski hill, just minutes from downtown State College, or for occasional backcountry exploration on skis or snowshoes thanks to ~45 inches of average annual snowfall.

As the home to the main campus of Pennsylvania’s largest state university with more than 40,000+ students, the population of State College skews young, with ~25% between 20 and 30 years old. Immediately surrounding the university, you’ll find a vibrant, college town atmosphere, especially during the academic year, with a plethora of casual bars, restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, bike shops, and cafes and a surprisingly lively arts and music scene. By contrast, townie summers are conspicuously quiet and peaceful, with an annual mid-summer, five-day Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts interspersed to liven things up. And, of course, with the fall comes a half dozen big home football game weekends that draw tens of thousands of enthusiastic Penn State Football alumni and fans from all over.

With its highly educated population, area residents enjoy excellent local public schools and family-friendly activities. State College is a generally safe community with low crime rates. Its cost of living is in line with the national average. Metro area median household income was $66,789 in 2021 (the most recently available data), and as of the spring of 2023, both the median listing and sold home prices were ~$485K for an average home price per square foot of $196. The largest ethnic groups in State College are Non-Hispanic White (~85%), Asian (~6%), Black or African American (4%), and Hispanic (3%).

Located within four hours of New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington, DC, city lovers have several options for weekend-long, big city excursions.

Job Title:
Engineering Lead

Are you a dynamic, experienced Engineering Lead looking for your next opportunity to shine? Challenge accepted.
Are you a strategic achiever with a passion for mentoring team members and a knack for delivering retail products and managing engineering projects? If you are a detail-oriented leader who feels as comfortable with the details as the big picture, you could be our next Engineering Lead bringing great parts and accessories to the bicycle market. We are on an exciting journey to grow our small team and are looking for fellow talented team members to join us in bringing our core values to life. We offer a friendly, collaborative environment, people-first culture, innovative products, and an unsurpassed opportunity to learn, grow and thrive!

Serving in a business-critical management role, you’ll deliver retail products, manage engineering projects, and lead a dedicated team of engineers – all vital to our continued growth and success. We appreciate and respect our employees and provide an exciting landscape to make a valued contribution, connect with customers, and directly impact our business. Take the opportunity to bolster your exceptional project management prowess and help team members succeed while designing a career you love.

Ready to join or take your next step in the bicycle industry? See what it takes in the job details outlined below.

CORE ATTRIBUTES
What You Bring to The Table
● Communicator - A savvy communicator, your written and verbal skills are top-notch
● Motivated - “Efficiency” is your middle name. You are results-driven, determined, and passionate about problem-solving. You are always a step ahead
● Curious learner - You ask questions, uncover insights, and dig deeper to understand better what is needed and how to make it better
● Detail-driven - You embrace timelines, keep within budgets, say please, and thank you, and can wrangle internal teams with the greatest of ease
● Collaborator - You understand optimized team dynamics and know precisely how to drive performance and resulting excellence
● Expert - You are steeped in the best engineering project management processes and procedures and have the pulse on the latest innovations, materials, and manufacturing techniques in the bicycle market
● Flexible - The calm in the storm. You are poised, professional, and exceptionally nimble – with the ability to pivot at a moment’s notice without missing a beat

RESPONSIBILITIES
What You Can Expect Day-to-Day
Providing vital mentorship and supervision on engineering projects, the following are the core tasks of the Engineering Lead:
● Lead and manage engineering projects from concept to production
● Collaborate with fellow engineers, product managers, and vendors to develop innovative products
● Research materials, manufacturing techniques, and competitors
● Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and company policies
● Manage and mentor engineering team members, assign workloads, and provide coaching
● Develop project schedules, manage resources, and report project status
● Collaborate with the Operations department to improve production processes and troubleshoot issues
● Participate in the product development team and provide necessary information/testing for product qualification
● Analyze and formulate solutions to complex engineering-related problems
● Manage patent research
● Maintain awareness of market expectations and requirements
● Drive continuous improvement in processes, product designs, and manufacturing techniques

REQUIREMENTS
What it Takes
The best Engineering Lead is an experienced, industry-savvy leader dedicated to seamless, innovative project processes and the team they serve.

Minimum Required:
Reporting to the Director of Product Management this role is on-site in State College, PA with hybrid opportunities following onboarding period. The target salary range is $80,000 - $95,000

● Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
● 7+ yrs. of experience in mechanical design
● Proven ability to deliver projects on time, lead a team, and develop talent
● Strong understanding of the bike market and the latest materials/manufacturing techniques
● 3D modeling experience and FEA (Solidworks preferred)
● Procedure and policy development, value engineering, and regulatory compliance experience
● Able to manage multiple projects and work closely within a team
● Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
● Leadership experience managing engineering teams, vendors, and university research projects
● Familiarity with patent research, license management, and competitor analysis
● Project management skills with the ability to keep projects on schedule and within budget
● Hands-on experience in product development, outdoor industry experience preferred
● Strong organizational, time-management, and leadership skills
● Continuous improvement mindset with a passion for engineering and new product development
● Self-motivated and results-driven

BENEFITS
● Healthcare; Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance Coverage
● Retirement; Traditional and Roth 401(k) with employer contribution
● Profit Sharing Plan
● Paid Time Off; Holidays, Vacation and Sick time
● Outdoor industry employee purchase programs

OUR COMPANY
Our commitment to You
Your success is our success. At Stan's, real support means more than standing behind our products. It means supporting those who use those products and the trails and causes that matter to them. We value our employees and are committed to their success and growth. We are committed to our team, customers, and community. If you are a dynamic, detailed leader with a talent for turning good ideas into great products looking for a rewarding and fulfilling opportunity, let's connect. Apply today.

We are committed to employing a diverse workforce. Qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or disability.

APPLY HERE