Principal Engineering Design

Woodward is committed to creating a great workplace for all team members. Our company and its members are committed to acting with integrity, being respectful and accountable to one another, and staying humble and driven, while maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards. We are steadfastly committed to attracting the best talent across our communities creating a rewarding workplace. Together we are fulfilling our purpose to design and deliver energy control solutions our partners count on to power a clean future. Woodward supports our members’ wellbeing and regularly benchmarks with other companies in our industry to offer an extensive Total Reward package for this position. Salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.  Estimated annual base pay: $113,000 (minimum) - $147,000 (midpoint) - $181,000 (maximum) All members included in annual cash bonus opportunity.  401(k) match (4.5%) Annual Woodward stock contribution (5%) Tuition reimbursement and Training/Professional Development opportunities for all members   12 paid holidays, including floating holidays.  Industry leading medical, dental, and vision Insurance upon date of hire Vacation / Sick Time / Vacation Buy-up / Short Term Disability / Bereavement leave.  Paid parental leave. Adoption Assistance   Employee Assistance Program, including mental health benefits.  Member Life & AD&D / Long Term Disability / Member Optional Life  Member referral bonus  Spouse / Child Optional Life / Optional AD&D / Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending  Voluntary benefits, including:   Home / Auto Insurance discounts  Whole Life Insurance / Critical Illness Insurance / Legal Assistance / Military Leave  Summary: Engineering Leadership: Proven ability to lead high-performing teams specializing in electromechanical actuation systems for aerospace applications, including commercial and military flight controls, utility actuation, and next-generation systems within a New Product Introduction (NPI) environment.Cross-Functional Collaboration: Extensive experience working with multidisciplinary teams and organizational functions, such as Technology/Platform Development, Design & Drafting, Product Engineering, and Aero Electronics, to drive growth strategies and deliver innovative solutions.Technical Expertise: Deep knowledge in the design, development, and production of electromechanical products, including proficiency in requirements management, design tools, analysis and simulation tools, and advanced manufacturing methods.Operational Flexibility:Willingness and ability to work on-site at the Woodward Niles facility, with occasional travel (<20%) to other Woodward locations and customer facilities as required.Key Responsibilities:Drive Continuous Improvement: Implement and support systemic and process improvements to enhance product development velocity, ensure robust design culture, and pursue better ways of working through learning, adapting, and driving measurable progress.Go and See Leadership: Actively engage with teams by showing up where the work happens, listening deeply, and understanding team needs to provide effective support.Coach and Mentor Staff: Build trust, empower team members, and provide feedback to grow individuals to their full potential while maintaining a highly skilled and adaptable team using talent management systems, training matrices, and performance reviews.Develop and Maintain Design Standards: Create, maintain, and improve design standards to ensure high-quality, compliant products while leveraging lessons learned to enhance future designs.Budget and Resource Management: Develop and manage budgets to align with profit planning activities, assign resources effectively to meet business needs, and achieve the company’s profitability objectives.Key Skills:Leadership and People Management: Strong leadership and motivational skills to coach, mentor, and empower individuals while fostering collaboration and teamwork.Adaptability and Learning Agility: Ability to adapt to changing environments, maintain a customer-focused mindset, and learn quickly to address emerging challenges.Technical Expertise: Proficiency in tools like CAD systems, CAE systems, design evaluation matrices, DFMEA, GD&T, configuration management, ECR management, and test methods.Continuous Improvement Knowledge: Expertise in Design for Six Sigma, lean product development, waste elimination, and structured problem-solving methods.Communication and Presentation Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present ideas clearly and effectively.Product Life Cycle Knowledge: Strong understanding of the product life cycle, including key deliverables and integration of lessons learned into future designs.Strategic Thinking: Ability to align technical direction with corporate strategic goals, execute effectively, and drive meaningful progress.Risk Management: Superb skills in identifying, analyzing, and mitigating risks to ensure robust product designs.Training and Development: Skilled in creating training programs and maintaining training matrices to upskill staff to meet organizational needs.Financial Analysis and Budgeting: Strong understanding of financial analysis tools and the ability to manage budgets effectively to meet objectives.Other Qualifications:4year Bachelors BS AND 10+ years equivalent experience in Management and Engineering.This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).   All applicants must be U.S. Persons within the meaning of the ITAR and EAR, or eligible to obtain all required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The ITAR defines a U.S. Person as a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident (i.e., 'Green Card holder'), or a protected person (e.g., asylee, or refugee).Woodward is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local laws. #LI-AT1SummaryLocation: Niles, IL, US; Fort Collins - Drake Campus; Peterborough, Ontario, Canada; Santa Clarita, CA, US; Fort Collins - Lincoln Campus; Zeeland, MI, US; Irvine, CA, US; Rockford - Loves Park Campus (LPC); Windsor, CO, US; Rockford - Rock Cut Campus (RCC)Type: Full time