Senior Principal Engineer

Global Life Sciences Solutions Operations UK Ltd; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Cytiva is seeking a Senior Principal Engineer to lead a major engineering domain within Filtration R&D, Portsmouth. The role reports to the Senior Director, R&D – Filtration Products & Connectors and requires on-site presence at Harbourgate, Portsmouth.

You will influence senior stakeholders and drive multi-disciplinary programs from concept through transfer to manufacturing. As a recognised technical expert, you will shape roadmaps, resolve high-impact design challenges, and ensure compliance

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design, or related engineering discipline.
• Extensive experience in a principal/lead technical role.
• Recognized technical expert with broad knowledge of related engineering disciplines.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary, geographically distributed initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical direction within a significant engineering domain.
• Translate customer needs and regulatory considerations into roadmaps.
• Solve complex engineering problems with broad business impact.
• Act as a senior design authority for hardware and disposable devices.
• Build alignment across R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory and other functions.

Skills

Mechanical Eng

Technical leadership

Cross-functional influence

Problem solving

Regulatory awareness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

3D CAD

Job description

Bring more to life. Are you ready to accelerate your potential and make a real difference within life sciences, diagnostics and biotechnology? At Cytiva, one of Danaher’s 15+ operating companies, our work saves lives—and we’re all united by a shared commitment to innovate for tangible impact. You’ll thrive in a culture of belonging where you and your unique viewpoint matter. And by harnessing Danaher’s system of continuous improvement, you help turn ideas into impact – innovating at the speed of life. Working at Cytiva means being at the forefront of providing new solutions to transform human health. Our incredible customers undertake life‑saving activities ranging from fundamental biological research to developing innovative vaccines, new medicines, and cell and gene therapies. At Cytiva you will be able to continuously improve yourself and us – working on challenges that truly matter with people that care for each other, our customers, and their patients. Take your next step to an altogether life‑changing career.

About the Role

The Senior Principal Engineer is a recognized functional and technical expert who provides leadership across a significant engineering domain. The role anticipates complex product, technology, business and regulatory challenges and leads high‑impact developments from early concept through design, validation, industrialization and transfer to manufacturing. The position contributes to functional strategy, leads complex multidisciplinary teams, and influences senior stakeholders through authoritative technical guidance. This position reports to the Sr Director, R&D – Filtration Products & Connectors and is part of the Filtration R&D team located at Harbourgate, Portsmouth and will be an on‑site role.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide recognized technical expertise and direction within a significant engineering domain, advancing engineering approaches, standards and technologies.
• Contribute to product, technology and functional strategy by translating customer needs, market trends, regulatory considerations and technical opportunities into technical roadmaps and priorities.
• Solve unique and complex engineering problems with broad business impact, applying conceptual and innovative thinking to develop effective solutions.
• Act as a senior design authority for new and existing hardware and disposable devices, challenging requirements, architectures, technical concepts, risk decisions and design trade‑offs.
• Build alignment across R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain, Sourcing, Commercial and other functions on complex or sensitive technical decisions.

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design, or another relevant engineering discipline; advanced degree preferred.
• Extensive relevant engineering experience, including substantial experience in a principal, lead or equivalent technical role.
• Demonstrated recognition as a technical expert in a relevant engineering field, with deep expertise in the job family and broad knowledge of related engineering disciplines.
• Proven experience leading complex, multidisciplinary and geographically distributed technical initiatives with notable risk and business impact.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and cross‑functional stakeholders without relying on direct authority.
• Strong track record of resolving novel and highly complex engineering problems and converting ambiguous needs into practical product or technology solutions.

Travel and Physical/Environment Requirements

• 20% global travel, overnight stays
• Must have a valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record

Preferred Experience

• Knowledge of design and development practices, including 3D CAD and relevant mechanical design/manufacturing methods such as plastics, assemblies, sheet metal, welding, machining and related processes.
• Experience applying applicable quality, safety and regulatory requirements, for example CE, USP, EMC, Low Voltage, cGMP and Machinery Directive requirements as relevant to the product domain.
• Experience with engineering analysis and validation approaches, including appropriate simulation, strength calculations, verification and validation methods.

Company Overview

We partner with customers across the globe to help them solve their most complex challenges, architecting solutions that bring the power of science to life. For more information, visit www.danaher.com. Danaher is a leading global life sciences, biotechnology, and diagnostics innovator, helping to solve many of the world’s most important health challenges, ultimately improving quality of life for billions of people today, while setting the foundation for a healthier, more sustainable tomorrow. The Danaher ecosystem is made up of more than 15 businesses united by a shared commitment to innovate for tangible impact.