Principal Mechanical Engineer

Viken Detection; Burlington (MA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Viken Detection in Burlington, MA seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer to provide technical leadership and architectural ownership across advanced detection and imaging systems. This high-level individual contributor role shapes design strategy and delivers manufacturable, reliable solutions from concept through sustaining engineering.

This role requires engineering excellence, strong communication, and the ability to mentor teams.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in complex mechanical product development.
• Proven system ownership on shipped products.
• Experience with electromechanical systems.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes.
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Serve as mechanical system architect for major product platforms.
• Lead design decisions, trade studies, and risk mitigation.
• Establish mechanical standards and reusable architectures.
• Drive cross-functional alignment across teams.
• Oversee NPI, production readiness, and supplier engagement.
• Mentor engineers and lead technical reviews.

Skills

System leadership

System architecture

Cross-functional collaboration

Product development

Mentoring

Risk mitigation

Manufacturing knowledge

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Onshape

FEA

Job description

Description

Viken Detection is seeking a highly experienced Principal Mechanical Engineer to provide technical leadership and architectural ownership across our advanced detection and imaging systems. This highest-level individual contributor role sets mechanical design strategy, drives cross-platform alignment, and tackles complex system-level challenges. The Principal Mechanical Engineer partners closely with Engineering, Physics, Program Management, and Operations to deliver high-performance, manufacturable, reliable, and cost-effective solutions from concept through sustaining engineering.

Responsibilities

• Serve as mechanical system architect for major product platforms
• Lead system-level design decisions, trade studies, and risk mitigation
• Establish mechanical standards, best practices, and reusable design architectures
• Drive cross-functional alignment across mechanical, electrical, software, and physics teams
• Lead development of complex electromechanical systems including structures, mechanisms, and enclosures
• Drive early-stage innovation by assembling and testing proof-of-concept prototypes to validate concepts and reduce technical risk
• Own mechanical execution across the full product lifecycle from concept through sustaining
• Resolve high-impact, cross-subsystem technical challenges
• Oversee tolerance analysis, structural integrity, environmental robustness, and reliability
• Partner with Operations to ensure manufacturable, scalable, and cost-effective designs
• Lead mechanical NPI efforts, production readiness, and supplier engagement
• Incorporate production, quality, and field feedback into continuous improvement
• Mentor engineers and lead technical design reviews
• Influence engineering roadmaps, resourcing, and long-term technical strategy
• Advise engineering leadership on mechanical risk, capability, and execution
• Promote engineering rigor, documentation quality, and technical excellence
• Travel as needed (e.g., to suppliers, manufacturing partners, field deployments, or customer sites) to support development, integration, and issue resolution

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering
• 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience in complex product development
• Proven technical lead or system owner on shipped products
• Experience designing electromechanical systems such as handheld devices, large-scale industrial or vehicle-mounted equipment, or precision mechanisms
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes including injection-molded plastics, structural metals, welded assemblies, and tolerance management
• Advanced proficiency with SolidWorks or Onshape; working knowledge of FEA and mechanical simulation
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Demonstrated ownership of designs from concept through full-rate production
• Experience with ruggedized, safety-critical, or harsh-environment products; collaboration with Physics or Imaging teams preferred
• Passion for mission-driven engineering and real-world impact

Additional Information

Location: This role is based in Burlington, MA. We are seeking local candidates, as relocation assistance is not available.

Work Authorization: Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis.