Principal Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical Engineer Principal (L7 equivalent), org-wide scope 12+ years

Other levels: Mechanical Engineer Senior Mechanical Engineer Staff Mechanical Engineer Lead Mechanical Engineer Junior Mechanical Engineer

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The job description

Tech stack. Mechanical architecture strategy, advanced FEA and multiphysics simulation, materials selection at scale, platform design, design standards governance, technology scouting, technical mentorship, failure analysis leadership

About the role

You will be the top mechanical technical authority at a company whose product lines span industrial pumps, compressors, and fluid handling systems sold into demanding process industries. Your scope covers every mechanical engineer and every product in the portfolio. You will define platform architectures that serve multiple product families, set the design standards governing materials selection and fatigue methods, and resolve the technical disputes that determine product strategy and warranty exposure. You will set mechanical design standards and architecture direction across the organization, reviewing the most consequential designs before they commit to tooling. Your technical authority will resolve the disputes that stall programs when teams disagree.

What you will achieve

Define the mechanical platform architecture serving multiple product families, standardizing core approaches to sealing systems, bearing arrangements, and structural design so new products inherit proven solutions.
Establish org-wide design standards for materials selection, fatigue life prediction, corrosion protection, and GD&T application that cut field failures and warranty costs measurably within two years.
Resolve the company's most consequential mechanical disputes with analysis, test data, and field evidence, unblocking programs and preventing expensive late-stage design changes.
Scout and qualify new materials and manufacturing technologies (advanced alloys, coatings, additive processes), delivering competitive advantage measured in cost, weight, efficiency, or service life.
Develop senior and staff engineers into recognized technical leaders who carry mechanical excellence into every team without your constant involvement.

What you will bring

Must-haves

12 or more years of mechanical engineering with deep expertise across design, analysis, materials, and manufacturing.
Track record of architectures or platforms adopted across multiple products with documented business impact.
Recognized authority in at least one specialty: fatigue and fracture, fluid machinery, advanced materials, or precision mechanisms, with peers seeking your judgment.
Experience setting engineering standards and driving their adoption across a multi-team organization.
Outstanding technical communication across engineering, operations, supply chain, and executive audiences.
BS in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent; advanced degree preferred.

Nice-to-haves

Patents issued or peer-reviewed publications in mechanical engineering.
Experience with global manufacturing footprints, supplier development, and technology transfer.
Background in highly regulated industries such as pressure vessels, medical devices, or aerospace.
Familiarity with reliability-centered design and warranty data analysis.