Principal Automation Engineer — Strategy & Innovation

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 209,000 - 270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP

401(k) plan

Competitive pay & benefits

Paid holidays and vacation

Job summary

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. is seeking a Principal Engineer to unite customer needs, market opportunities, and technical innovation in the automation space.

This role serves as a strategic bridge among customers, Marketing, Product Management, Sales & Customer Service, Engineering Services, and R&D, turning insights into differentiated products that create value and fuel growth. The successful candidate will lead discovery, market analysis, and strategy, influence roadmaps, mentor

Qualifications

• BS degree in Electrical Engineering or applicable discipline.
• 15+ years working knowledge and experience of electric power systems or equivalent.
• Demonstrated leadership, advocacy and expertise within SEL and industry practices.
• Strong ability to mentor engineers and lead cross-functional teams.
• Excellent training, speaking, writing, and customer service skills.
• Willingness to travel as needed.
• Strong documentation and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead discovery, development, evaluation, and advancement of ideas and technologies in automation.
• Drive market analysis, benchmarking, customer engagement, and trend analysis.
• Establish and manage a pipeline of strategic opportunities from market inputs and innovation initiatives.
• Translate market opportunities into product requirements with cross-functional teams.
• Provide deep technical expertise to ensure offerings address market needs.
• Influence product strategy, roadmaps, and technical narratives to drive growth.
• Drive customer adoption, market expansion, and revenue through ongoing engagement.
• Act as a primary bridge between customers and internal teams and participate in industry forums.
• Monitor product performance and customer value realization to guide decisions.
• Educate internal and external audiences about SEL capabilities and emerging tech.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring engineers

Communication

Technical writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master's and/or PhD in Engineering

Job description

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. is seeking a Principal Engineer to unite customer needs, market opportunities, and technical innovation in the automation space.

This role serves as a strategic bridge among customers, Marketing, Product Management, Sales & Customer Service, Engineering Services, and R&D, turning insights into differentiated products that create value and fuel growth. The successful candidate will lead discovery, market analysis, and strategy, influence roadmaps, mentor