Mechanical Principal - Labs

HDR; Pennington (NJ); On-site; USD 136,931 - 195,615; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement savings plan

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

A leading engineering firm in Pennington, NJ seeks a Mechanical Engineer to coordinate mechanical system designs in commercial and institutional projects. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, at least 10 years of experience in mechanical design, and a professional engineering license. The role involves client relations, project management, and collaboration with various engineering teams. Excellent compensation and comprehensive benefits are offered, with a salary range of $136,931 - $195,615 based on experience and location.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years in mechanical system design for commercial or institutional buildings.
• Requires a professional engineering license recognized in the location offered.
• Previous experience with architectural/engineering or engineering consulting firms.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the work of Mechanical Engineers within a multidisciplinary team.
• Establish client relations and participate in project design meetings.
• Conduct schematic and contract document work sessions at project sites.

Skills

Mechanical system design

Leadership skills

Project management

Microsoft Office

AutoCAD

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree in Mechanical or Architectural Engineering

Tools

MS Project

AutoCAD

Job description

Overview

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?

Watch Our Story: https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

We believe building engineering is more than systems and structures, it’s about powering progress and enabling innovation. As part of HDR’s Building Engineering Services Group, you’ll help design the critical infrastructure that supports the digital age and shapes the spaces where people work, connect, and thrive. From high-performance data centers driving the future of AI to dynamic commercial environments, your work will directly support technological advancement, sustainability, and human experience. We bring together mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineering experts to solve complex design challenges with precision, creativity, and collaboration. Whether you\'re optimizing energy efficiency, integrating resilient systems, or engineering the backbone of next-generation facilities, your contributions will help define the future of the built environment. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to lead innovation, engineer impact, and build a legacy of excellence.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the work of Mechanical Engineers with the balance of a multidiscipline team throughout the entire project\'s development
• Establish client relations, and participate in the marketing, design and production meetings with regard to mechanical systems
• Assume the mechanical lead on many projects
• Participate in reviews with various governing agencies for code compliance
• Conduct schematic, design development and contract document work sessions at project sites in conjunction with the Project Manager, Project Architect and other disciplines
• Coordinate workload through the entire project development to complete documents on schedule
• Track the financial aspects of projects, and coordinate and adjust the work efforts with the team to ensure that the work is completed within the parameters of the agreed-upon schedule
• Work with the Project Manager, Regional Controller and Regional Director for project reviews with corporate management as needed
• Perform other duties as needed

Preferred Qualifications

• Master\'s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Architectural Engineering with Mechanical emphasis
• Understand the design process for research and laboratory facilities and facilitate clear communication to provide leadership for the entire design team.
• Be a conceptual thinker who can engage and challenge our integrated architecture and engineering teams during the early stages of projects to inform design strategies.
• Work with the local leadership to drive the growth of new business through new client relationships, while also continuing to focus on growing our scope of service offering to existing clients.
• Develop strategies, capture plans, and initiate/build relationships with key clients.
• Collaborate with leadership to support pursuit go/no-go and strategy discussions.
• Possess and maintain knowledge of client technical needs and plans, track current and trending business environment, and maintain awareness of client assessment of HDR to anticipate, track, and capture contract assignments.
• Work in partnership with others, including other Sectors and Business Groups, to drive new business prospects and more existing client opportunities.
• Support the development of qualifications packages and proposal submittals by developing scope, schedule, and fees and addressing staffing and expertise requirements.
• Monitor and track projects for successful execution inclusive of technical and financial aspects.
• Healthcare, Science and Technology and/or Lab facilities experience
• Preference given to local candidates

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor\'s degree in Mechanical Engineering
• A minimum of 10 years in mechanical system design of commercial or institutional buildings
• Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office, MS Project and AutoCAD
• Demonstrated leadership skills, previous team coordination and project management experience
• Previous experience with an architectural/engineering or engineering consulting firm
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other\'s life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee ownership, employee health, performance, and success, which includes medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time away, parental leave, paid holidays, a retirement savings plan with employer match, employee referral bonus and tuition reimbursement. The expected compensation range for this position depends upon skills, experience, education and geographical location. (Stated benefits are for full-time regular positions. Temporary and part-time roles eligible for limited benefits.)

{Pennington, NJ}: $136,931 - $195,615

Primary Location: United States-New Jersey-Pennington

Industry: Building Engineering

Schedule: Full-time

Employee Status: Regular

Business Class: Building Mechanical

Job Posting: Jan 23, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer (https://www.hdrinc.com/equal-employment-opportunity-employer). We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.