Principal Mechanical Design Engineer (Onsite)

Prattwhitney; Asheville (NC); On-site; USD 108,000 - 205,000; Full time

Job summary

Pratt & Whitney, based in Asheville, NC, seeks a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer to provide senior technical leadership for airfoil production support. You will drive corrective actions, engineering changes, producibility improvements, and cost reduction while mentoring onsite and outsource design teams as a technical focal for airfoil hardware.

In this role, you will lead cross-functional teams, develop data-driven decisions, and act as CIPT Delegate Approver.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering with 8 years of relevant engineering experience.
• Experience in mechanical/design engineering, production support, corrective action, and problem solving.
• Airfoil design experience preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead corrective action, QN, COPQ, and producibility initiatives.
• Develop and approve Class II engineering changes using Pro-Cert.
• Serve as SME and CIPT Delegate Approver for airfoil families and engine hardware.
• Lead cross-functional teams to resolve root causes and investigations.
• Mentor onsite and outsource design teams toward delegate authority

Skills

Technical leadership

Airfoil design

Pro-Cert

CIPT leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

MS Office

Teamcenter

SAP

Unigraphics NX

Job description

At RTX, the world's largest aerospace and defense company, 185,000 great minds are united by purpose and inspired to make a difference solving the world’s most complex problems. With our three market leading businesses, world‑class operations and investments in research and development, we offer capabilities and opportunity no one else can. Together, we push the boundaries of known science and find new ways to connect and protect our world. Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power systems and has been revolutionizing modern flight for over 100 years. Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense.

Pratt & Whitney’s Hot Section Engineering Support to Operations (HSE ESTO) is seeking a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer – HSE ESTO Airfoils in Asheville, NC. In this role, you will provide senior technical leadership for military and commercial airfoil production support, driving corrective actions, engineering changes, producibility improvements, and cost reduction while mentoring onsite and outsource design teams and serving as a technical focal point for applicable airfoil hardware.

What You Will Do:

• Lead corrective action, Quality Notifications (QN), Cost of Poor Quality, and producibility initiatives to deliver measurable improvements in quality, cost, and production performance.
• Develop and approve Class II engineering changes using Pro-Cert, data‑driven decision making, and risk‑based “Right‑size Analysis” to improve airfoil hardware and processes.
• Serve as technical Subject Matter Expert (SME) and Component Integrated Product Team (CIPT) Delegate Approver for assigned airfoil part families and engine hardware while developing onsite and outsource engineering teams toward delegate authority.
• Lead cross‑functional teams with operations, quality, procurement, suppliers, and engineering SMEs to resolve root causes, Stop Delivery Order (SDO)/Fleet Podding Notification (FPN) investigations, eSRI requests, and Materials Resource Planning (MRP) related requirements.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship by managing outsource design quality, presenting recommendations to CIPTs/HSE‑ESTO/Program Management, and driving continuous improvement and lessons learned.

What You Will Learn:

• Advanced HSE ESTO airfoil design, production support, and military/commercial engine hardware.
• Leadership of QN, corrective action, Class II engineering change, COPQ, and producibility improvement activities.
• CIPT technical leadership, Delegate Approver responsibilities, and risk‑based engineering decision making.
• Technical mentoring and development of onsite and outsource design teams and SMEs.
• Continuous improvement, supplier engagement, defect assessment, and production process optimization.

Qualifications You Must Have:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field with 8 years of relevant engineering experience, or an advanced degree with 5 years of relevant engineering experience.
• Relevant expereince in engineering in mechanical/design engineering, production support, corrective action, and technical problem solving.

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Advanced Engineering degree.
• Aerospace industry experience in a design or manufacturing environment.
• Previous airfoil design experience.
• Working proficiency with MS Office, Teamcenter, SAP, and Unigraphics/NX.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, relationship‑building, and cultural awareness skills.

What We Offer:

• Eligible for Relocation.

Department/Segment Overview:

ESTO provides dedicated support by eliminating quality notifications, escapes, works stops and enabling producibility and delivery of legacy and new parts, assemblies, modules, and engines. ESTO covers all engine programs and part families, enabling engine deliveries, first piece reviews, first article inspections, analysis automation, process certification. ESTO also supports the Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) initiative in Operations. Technical disciplines in ESTO include Project Engineering, Mechanical Design, Structural Analysis, Product Definition, and Manufacturing Engineering.

Role Type:

This position is classified as: Onsite: Employees who are working in Onsite roles will work primarily onsite. This includes all production and maintenance employees, as they are essential to the development of our products. Candidates will learn more about the role type and current site status throughout the recruiting process. For onsite and hybrid roles, commuting to and from the assigned site is the employee’s personal responsibility. As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure hiring process, candidates may be asked to attend select steps of the interview process in‑person at one of our office locations, regardless of whether the role is designated as on‑site, hybrid or remote.

Salary Range:

The salary range for this role is 107,500 USD - 204,500 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels.

Benefits:

• medical
• dental
• vision
• life insurance
• short-term disability
• long-term disability
• 401(k) match
• flexible spending accounts
• flexible work schedules
• employee assistance program
• Employee Scholar Program
• parental leave
• paid time off
• holidays

Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective‑bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance.

Location and Eligibility:

This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.

Application Window:

RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

Company Overview:

RTX is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. It comprises three industry‑leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon. Its 195,000 employees enable the company to operate at the edge of known science as they imagine and deliver solutions that push the boundaries in quantum physics, electric propulsion, directed energy, hypersonics, avionics and cybersecurity. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.