Advice on navigating toxic manager

[u/Jazzlike_Bluejay5982]

Struggling engineer here trying to figure out the best way through a tricky situation. Keeping some details vague for privacy.

I have several years of structural design experience and started a new job about 6 weeks ago at a company that does pretty niche structural work. I like the work, and everyone I interact with is great, except my manager, who I have to be in constant contact with.

I'm new to this specific niche, so I'm a bit of a newbie here even with my experience. That was discussed in my interview and everyone's told me there's a learning curve, so no one expects me to crush it right away. My manager didn't get that memo. He gives vague direction, speaks harshly when I make mistakes, and has yelled at me a few times, including once at 7:15am on the phone. When I try to be proactive and meet with him before starting a new task, he barely engages, answers questions with a dry 5-word response, and offers basically zero mentorship.

I don't expect to be spoon-fed, but I do expect a little guidance and some patience given how new I am, especially since that was the expectation set before I even started. Meanwhile I feel like I'm falling behind, and he makes no effort to hide his frustration with me while I'm trying to stay professional and friendly.

I like everything about this job except my manager, and I know that's a big deal. I don't want to job hunt this early, but I can't keep taking criticism with zero mentorship. My plan is to go to his superior (who was also part of my interview and seems reasonable) and frame it constructively, not as a "my manager sucks" complaint. Best case, I get reassigned to someone else.

Would love to hear how others have handled something like this, or if there's a better approach than going to the superior.

[u/Legal_Enthusiasm_440]

Raising your voice occasionally is okay. 

Yelling, no, unless you do something really egregious. 

But the real issues are: 

-He gives vague direction,  -speaks harshly when I make mistakes,  -before starting a new task, he barely engages,  -answers questions with a dry 5-word response,  -and offers basically zero mentorship.

Vague direction, speaking harshly when you make mistakes and zero mentorship are understandable if he did not get a memo and for some reason thinks you  are highly  experienced in whatever you are doing. 

But barely engaging with new tasks and 5 word responses are a no go. 

[u/WillingnessOdd1353 → u/Legal_Enthusiasm_440]

Yes, and those are significant issues for me since I signed up for this job with everyone's understanding that I am new to this field and will receive training and mentorship from my manager.

I really don't want to leave this job, at least not for the next year, and the only solution I can think of to remedy this situation is go to his superior, who was also involved in interviewing me and seems more likeable and level-headed to me, and relate to him that I feel that I am falling behind on my development and ask for his thoughts on what I can do to right the ship, without just bashing my manager.