Principal Product Design Engineer

Scope and Decision Rights

• Own recommended product-design standards, methods, review criteria, and technical practices subject to approved governance.
• Lead or delegate qualified technical reviews and make release-readiness recommendations.
• Require unresolved safety, regulatory, interface, manufacturability, analysis, testability, or configuration concerns to be addressed before release.
• Provide technical direction and mentoring without assuming people-management authority unless assigned. Escalate significant technical deviations and risks to the Director and accountable functions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Define product architecture, modularity, reusable assemblies, design rules, interfaces, and technical standards.
• Lead DFM/DFA, large-assembly, weldment, sheet-metal, machining, GD&T, tolerance, fastening, sealing, shielding, thermal/airflow, and serviceability reviews.
• Lead the most complex product designs, first-of-kind systems, prototypes, design corrections, and technical investigations.
• Ensure complete models, drawings, BOMs, specifications, analyses, design verification, and controlled changes.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering on process capability and production readiness while retaining product-design authority.
• Mentor Levels 1 through 3 through reviews, coaching, paired work, and standards development. Convert lessons from production, FAT, installation, service, suppliers, and customers into controlled designs and retained knowledge.

Working Interfaces

• Product Management: product strategy, requirements, priorities, standard-versus-custom decisions, commercial targets, and product-performance feedback.
• Manufacturing Engineering: DFM/DFA, process capability, factory-flow, tooling, standard-work, capacity, and production-readiness feedback.
• Automation & Electrical Systems: controls/electrical architecture, panel requirements, equipment wiring interfaces, I/O, safety functions, and test readiness.
• Advanced Manufacturing and Plant Operations: manufacturability, build sequence, material flow, fabrication, machining, assembly, installation, and production feedback.
• GMP & Acceptance Testing: requirements traceability, document needs, FAT/SAT, deviations, acceptance criteria, and turnover.
• Safety & Quality: design risk, code, safety, quality-system, inspection, nonconformance, and controlled-correction requirements. Project Management and Procurement: schedules, estimates, approved changes, suppliers, material capability, lead times, and technical clarifications.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Expert mechanical/product design, large assemblies, sheet metal, weldments, machining, GD&T, tolerances, materials, and DFM/DFA.
• Advanced CAD/PDM, drawing, BOM, configuration-control, analysis, prototype, test, and root-cause capability.
• Ability to influence cross-functional decisions through evidence and technical judgment.
• Strong mentoring, facilitation, technical writing, and customer communication.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field; advanced degree preferred but not required.
• Typically 10 or more years of progressive product-design experience with recent hands-on DFM responsibility. Demonstrated success releasing products manufactured, assembled, tested, documented, and improved through multiple cycles.

Success Measures

• Product platforms are reusable, maintainable, manufacturable, documented, and scalable.
• Technical risks and integration defects are identified before production and FAT.
• Engineers demonstrate measurable growth in judgment, drawing quality, and design ownership. Prototype and factory lessons become standards and controlled product improvements.

Physical and Work Requirements

• Prolonged CAD, analysis, and technical-review work.
• Regular presence in fabrication, assembly, test, and production.
• Supplier, customer, and field travel as required.
• PPE and site-safety compliance.