Under the new circumstances of deepening globalization, the interweaving and collision of diverse cultures, and the digital transformation of education, engineering textbooks serve as the core knowledge carriers for cultivating engineering talents in universities. They not only fulfill the functions of imparting specialized engineering knowledge and fostering students' practical engineering skills but also shoulder the ideological mission of shaping young students' correct worldview, outlook on life, and values. As the primary platform for the publication of engineering textbooks, the quality of ideological work in university presses directly impacts the direction of engineering talent cultivation and the foundation of national innovation and development. On the basis of the author's years of experience in the publishing industry and teaching practice, this paper employs literature research, systematic analysis, and case study methods as core approaches. Grounded in the dual value of ideological work as both an orientation guarantee and core support for engineering textbooks, it systematically addresses four new ideological challenges faced by engineering textbooks publishing in the new era: the increasing subtlety of ideological infiltration leading to difficulties in identification and prevention, digital publishing transformation creating regulatory dilemmas hindering risk control, the development of emerging engineering disciplines posing challenges for value integration and practical implementation, and the diversification of student values raising new demands for value guidance, making precise alignment difficult. This study delves into the underlying causes of issues in the publishing process, such as insufficient ideological review coverage, weak review personnel capabilities, lack of proactive engagement, and outdated review mechanisms, and clarifies the core requirements for ideological development in engineering textbooks. Combined with practical exploration, this study proposes four-dimensional practical pathways: first, university presses must uphold the fundamental principle of "the Party overseeing ideological work" to improve review mechanisms; second, enhancing oversight capabilities can be achieved by strengthening editors' ideological acuity and handling skills, leveraging parent university resources to bolster professional competence, and increasing the weight of ideological performance evaluations; third, value orientation is reinforced by "strict standards and strong guidance"; and fourth, educational outcomes are enhanced by "innovation emphasis and targeted effectiveness". This study clarifies the core contradictions and key focal points of ideological work in engineering textbook publishing. The findings provide solid theoretical references and actionable practical insights for university presses to fortify ideological security defenses, address pain points and challenges in the ideological construction of engineering textbooks, and promote the high-quality development of such textbooks. This supports universities in cultivating high-caliber engineering talent with both professional competence and a correct value orientation through superior engineering textbooks, thereby contributing to the national innovation-driven development strategy.