Principal Mechanical Engineer - NPD

Principal Mechanical Engineer

We are seeking a highly skilled and technically strong Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead mechanical architecture and design for our Actuator product lines. This role requires deep expertise in drive train and gear design, mechanical power transmission, housing and enclosure development, and precision fabrication. You will serve as the technical authority for actuator mechanical systems, driving the design of gears, clutches, housings, sealing systems, and motion components while ensuring structural integrity, reliability, and manufacturability.

As a senior technical leader, you will guide end-to-end mechanical development—from concept through prototyping, analysis, qualification, and launch—while collaborating closely with electrical, controls, firmware, and systems engineering teams. You will also lead design reviews, drive DFM and cost optimization, engage with suppliers, and support lifecycle management and root cause investigations. This role is critical to advancing our actuator platforms and delivering robust, compliant, and high-performance mechanical solutions.

Job Responsibilities:

• Lead actuator mechanical architecture including gears, clutches, housings, sealing systems, and precision motion components.
• Design and integrate complex mechanical assemblies such as gear trains, motors, torque transfer mechanisms, and injection-molded parts.
• Perform structural and thermal analysis using FEA to validate integrity under static, dynamic, fatigue, and thermal loads.
• Drive reliability engineering through load path analysis, stress evaluation, wear modeling, and fatigue life prediction.
• Develop actuator enclosures with consideration for hazardous location requirements, structural integrity, thermal management, EMI shielding, and environmental protection.
• Select materials and manufacturing processes including casting, machining, molding, and advanced coatings.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with electrical, controls, firmware, and systems engineering teams to ensure integration of motors, electronics, sensing mechanisms, control systems, and user interfaces with mechanical systems and housing.
• Lead design reviews and contribute to validation, qualification, and verification activities.
• Maintain engineering documentation including BOMs, specifications, test plans, and ECOs.
• Drive DFM and cost optimization across actuator components and assemblies.
• Engage with suppliers to resolve fabrication issues and ensure quality standards.
• Manage component lifecycles including obsolescence planning and alternate sourcing.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for mechanical failures or field issues.
• Ensure compliance with global regulatory and industry standards including hazardous locations (UL, CE, ATEX, IEC, RoHS, REACH).
• Provide end-to-end mechanical leadership from concept through prototyping, testing, qualification, and launch.
• Coordinate global engineering teams and collaborate closely with electronics, firmware, and software leaders.

Who you are:

You scan the environment for new technical skills, knowledge, or capabilities that can benefit business or personal performance. You create competitive and breakthrough strategies that show a clear connection between vision and action. You use knowledge of business drivers and how strategies and tactics play out in the market to guide actions.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills:

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering (or related discipline) with 8+ years of mechanical or electromechanical product engineering experience OR Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering (or related discipline) with 10+ years of relevant engineering experience.
• Deep experience with industrial equipment including drive trains, gears, housings, sealing systems, and mechanical power transmission.
• Strong background in motor‑driven systems, motion control, and integration of mechanical and electrical subsystems.
• Proficiency in advanced CAD modeling and design of machined, cast, and molded components.
• Experience performing structural analysis and FEA, including static, dynamic, fatigue, and thermal evaluations.
• Expertise in formal design processes, including DFMEA, PFMEA, DFM, DFA, design reviews, and structured engineering documentation.
• Demonstrated leadership across the full product lifecycle, from concept through prototyping, testing, qualification, and launch.
• Experience working with cross‑functional engineering teams, including electrical, controls, firmware, systems, manufacturing, and suppliers.
• Strong communication, documentation, and technical leadership skills, with the ability to mentor and guide engineering teams

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills:

• Background in actuator‑specific technologies, including sealing systems, environmental protection, and long‑life reliability engineering.
• Experience designing and certifying products for use in hazardous locations (FM, ATEX, IECEx, etc)
• Experience with global regulatory and industry standards (ISO 22153, API6DX, RoHS, REACH).
• Experience with castings (sand, investment, high pressure die)
• Familiarity with industrial networking, motor‑control systems, and electromechanical integration.
• Experience leading global or multi‑site engineering teams and coordinating complex development programs.
• Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt) or equivalent process‑improvement training.

Our Culture & Commitment to You At Emerson, we prioritize a workplace where every employee is valued, respected, and empowered to grow. We foster an environment that encourages innovation, collaboration, and diverse perspectives—because we know that great ideas come from great teams. Our commitment to ongoing career development and growing an inclusive culture ensures you have the support to thrive. Whether through mentorship, training, or leadership opportunities, we invest in your success so you can make a lasting impact. We believe diverse teams, working together are key to driving growth and delivering business results.

We recognize the importance of employee wellbeing. We prioritize providing flexible, competitive benefits plans to meet you and your family's physical, mental, financial, and social needs. We provide a variety of medical insurance plans, with dental and vision coverage, Employee Assistance Program, 401(k), tuition reimbursement, employee resource groups, recognition, and much more. Our culture offers flexible time off plans, including paid parental leave (maternal and paternal), vacation and holiday leave.

About Us

WHY EMERSON

Our Commitment to Our People

At Emerson, we are motivated by a spirit of collaboration that helps our diverse, multicultural teams across the world drive innovation that makes the world healthier, safer, smarter, and more sustainable. And we want you to join us in our bold aspiration.

We have built an engaged community of inquisitive, dedicated people who thrive knowing they are welcomed, trusted, celebrated, and empowered to solve the world's most complex problems — for our customers, our communities, and the planet. You'll contribute to this vital work while further developing your skills through our award-winning employee development programs. We are a proud corporate citizen in every city where we operate and are committed to our people, our communities, and the world at large. We take this responsibility seriously and strive to make a positive impact through every endeavor.

At Emerson, you'll see firsthand that our people are at the center of everything we do. So, let's go. Let's think differently. Learn, collaborate, and grow. Seek opportunity. Push boundaries. Be empowered to make things better. Speed up to break through. Let's go, together.

Work Authorization

Emerson will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1(including those with OPT or CPT), H-1, H-2, L-1, B, J or TN, or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Emerson is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to providing a workplace free of any discrimination or harassment.

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Job Info

• Job Identification 26006236
• Job Function Development Engineering
• Posting Date 06/10/2026, 08:38 PM
• Job Schedule Full time
• Locations 19200 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX, 77065, US (On-site)