Principal Engineer (PE)

Description

The Principal Engineer is the enterprise-level technical authority for Test & Measurement, responsible for defining and governing engineering standards and analysis methodologies, providing final technical authority on complex/high-risk decisions, and shaping the technical strategy that drives long-term engineering excellence and compliance. This is a non-management role that partners closely with Engineering Management with a heavy emphasis on mentorship and review of engineering deliverables.

Responsibilities (not limited to)

• Define and govern technical standards and methods for seismic/wind certification (analysis workflows, modeling assumptions, verification/validation, test methods); ensure consistent use of the company’s Certification Scheme.
• Serve as final technical authority for complex/high-risk projects: approve major modeling assumptions, boundary conditions, load cases, and final technical deliverables.
• Develop and validate advanced analysis workflows, including nonlinear static, transient dynamic, modal/response-spectrum, and multi-load-case FEA; set acceptance criteria and verification plans.
• Provide technical oversight for the most challenging efforts, such as review and sign off on complex test-fixture designs and ensure alignment between test plans and analytical predictions of members of the department.
• Develop and maintain department technical manuals and guidelines.
• Lead root-cause investigations and corrective actions for failures or unexpected test results; codify learnings into methods and training.
• Enable accreditation readiness: ensure technical compliance with ISO/IEC?17065, AC-156, and applicable building codes/standards (IBC, ASCE?7, AISC); review technical content of Certificates of Conformance and certification packages prior to submission.
• Represent the organization as a senior technical SME in audits and HCAI meetings (Engineering Manager leads external representation), and support executive-level customer technical reviews as requested.
• Partner cross-functionally with Engineering Management, Technical Specialist, engineers, sales, labs, and field/testing staff to align on scope, feasibility, risks, and acceptance criteria.
• Mentor and coach the Technical Specialist and all engineers on advanced structural analysis, test methods, and technical writing; lead peer reviews and knowledge-sharing to lift overall quality.
• Scan emerging trends (codes, tools, methods) and recommend strategic updates to keep the T&M engineering practice best-in-class.

Expertise

• Operates as a recognized authority whose decisions have enterprise-level technical and business impact.
• Ensures alignment between technical execution and organizational strategy.
• Integrates market, regulatory, and technical insights.

Accountability

• Accountable for enterprise-level technical outcomes and risk management.
• Makes high-impact technical decisions within policy and accreditation constraints.
• Ensures alignment between technical execution and organizational strategy owned by management.

Leadership & Influence

• Influences senior leadership and cross-functional partners by articulating complex issues clearly and credibly; builds alignment around standards, risks, and trade-offs.
• Partners with Engineering Management (who owns leadership/people management) to drive execution and external representation, while retaining individual-contributor status.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Civil, or Structural Engineering
• Professional Engineer (PE) license
• 8–12+ years of progressive engineering experience with significant expertise with the following:
  • Detailed structural focusing on stiffness methods
  • FEA tools (e.g., FEMAP, ANSYS or equivalent)
  • AutoCAD and Inventor or similar 2D/3D modeling software(s)
  • Experimental testing (e.g., shake-table and wind testing), and certification programs
  • Deep working knowledge of IBC, ASCE?7, AISC, and AC-156; proven ability to interpret and apply these to non-structural equipment certification
  • Demonstrated ability to produce high-level technical reports and to review/sign off on high-complexity deliverables