Principal Mechanical Engineer

Airswift

Houston (TX)

On-site

USD 130,000 - 180,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

Airswift is seeking a Lead/Principal Mechanical Design Engineer to steer advanced nuclear technology projects in Houston. You will own the mechanical discipline, deliver complex plant and equipment designs, and drive technical standards across programs.

Responsibilities include leading design efforts, setting equipment specs, reviewing ASME/ANSI compliance, mentoring engineers, and collaborating with suppliers and cross-functional teams to ensure safe, robust, and cost-effective solutions in a

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
Proficiency in SolidWorks, Autodesk and ANSYS.
Approximately 10+ years of relevant technical experience.
Hands-on technical experience in the assigned discipline.
Experience leading complex technical work, projects, or teams.
Nuclear industry experience preferred or transferable from regulated environments.
Strong problem-solving, engineering judgment and decision-making.
Ability to operate in a growing organization with evolving processes.
Adaptability, comfort with ambiguity, hands-on ownership and lean, entrepreneurial mindset.

Responsibilities

Provide technical leadership for mechanical engineering across multiple programs.
Lead design, specification, analysis, and procurement for pressure vessels, heat exchangers, piping and plant systems.
Direct process and mechanical system design activities through design, testing, and commissioning phases.
Ensure compliance with ASME, ANSI and industry standards.
Mentor junior engineers and develop repeatable technical practices.
Coordinate with suppliers, manufacturers and project teams to ensure successful delivery and validation.

Skills

Hands-on leadership

Technical leadership

Project leadership

Engineering judgment

Problem solving

Ambiguity tolerance

Execution capability

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Autodesk

ANSYS

Job description

LEAD / PRINCIPAL MECHANICAL DESIGN ENGINEER Deployable Energy

Position Summary

Senior, hands‑on mechanical engineering leader responsible for building and executing mechanical engineering capability within a fast‑scaling advanced nuclear technology company. The organization is financially stable, lean, entrepreneurial, and operating in a fast‑paced environment with significant ambiguity. This role requires immediate ownership, strong execution, and the ability to establish discipline standards while remaining directly involved in plant, system, equipment, and component delivery.

Functional Scope Mechanical design Engineering

Provide technical leadership and subject matter expertise for mechanical engineering activities across multiple programs, ensuring high-quality engineering execution, technical rigor, and successful delivery of complex plant, system, equipment, and component designs.

Pressure Vessels, Heat Exchangers, Piping Systems, Plant Systems, and Mechanical Equipment/Components

Lead the design, specification, analysis, technical configuration control procurement specification, of pressure vessels, heat exchangers, piping systems, plant systems, and critical mechanical equipment in accordance with project, regulatory, and operational requirements.

Process Systems, System Design, Equipment Specification, and Plant Design/Build Execution

Direct process and mechanical system design activities, establish equipment requirements and specifications, and provide technical leadership throughout plant design, construction, testing, startup, and commissioning phases.

ASME and ANSI Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, Pressure Vessel Codes, Piping Codes, and Industrial Engineering Standards

Serve as the discipline authority for the application and interpretation of ASME and ANSI and other applicable engineering codes, standards, and regulatory requirements, ensuring compliant, safe, and robust engineering solutions.

Materials Engineering Exposure Viewed Positively

Provide engineering oversight and technical input regarding material selection, degradation mechanisms, fabrication methods, and component performance to support safe, reliable, and cost-effective system designs.

Structural / Stress Analysis

Review and guide structural, mechanical, and stress analysis activities as applicable, ensuring analytical approaches, assumptions, and results support sound engineering decisions and design integrity.

Manufacturing, Supplier Support, Testing, Installation, Commissioning, and Engineering Execution

Lead technical interfaces with suppliers, manufacturers, fabricators, testing organizations, and project teams to ensure successful equipment delivery, issue resolution, validation testing, installation, commissioning, and operational readiness.

Engineering Configuration and Change Management

Establish and maintain disciplined configuration management and change‑control practices, ensuring engineering documentation, design modifications, technical decisions, and design records remain accurate, traceable, reviewed, and compliant throughout the project lifecycle.

Technical Leadership

Serve as a senior technical resource and subject matter expert within the assigned discipline.
Lead and personally execute complex technical work across multiple nuclear projects and programs.
Establish and maintain discipline‑specific engineering standards, methodologies, procedures, and best practices.
Lead and participate in technical reviews, design reviews, and technical decision‑making.
Identify and resolve complex multidisciplinary engineering issues while maintaining appropriate technical rigor.

Engineering / Technical Execution

Perform and review mechanical engineering calculations, analyses, specifications, and technical evaluations.
Lead the design and evaluation of mechanical systems, equipment, components, and interfaces.
Support engineering activities from early design through detailed design, testing, implementation, and ongoing technical support.
Perform or oversee structural, stress, mechanical, and related engineering analyses as applicable.
Coordinate with drafting/design resources to develop and maintain controlled engineering documentation.
Support material selection, fabrication, manufacturing, supplier engagement, testing, installation, and commissioning activities as required.

Team & Capability Development

Help establish and grow the discipline capability within the organization.
Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior and early‑career personnel.
Support technical assessment of future team members.
Develop repeatable technical practices and workflows that support continued organizational growth.
Promote knowledge transfer, accountability, and continuous technical development.

Technical Governance

Ensure technical activities align with applicable nuclear industry codes, standards, regulations, quality requirements, and company procedures.
Support engineering quality, configuration management, document control, and change‑control practices.
Ensure technical work is appropriately developed, reviewed, documented, and controlled.
Incorporate technical risk management into engineering decision‑making.
Support corrective actions and continuous‑improvement initiatives.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with engineering leadership, project leaders, and adjacent technical disciplines.
Collaborate with quality, safety, licensing/regulatory, testing, manufacturing, operations, supply chain, and project delivery functions.
Support multidisciplinary technical integration across concurrent projects.
Interface with suppliers, manufacturers, laboratories, engineering partners, and other external stakeholders as required.

Safety & Quality

Champion a strong nuclear safety culture and disciplined engineering execution.
Promote quality‑focused technical work and risk‑informed decision‑making.
Maintain technical rigor while operating effectively in a fast‑moving, evolving organization.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline
Proficiency in current design and drafting software such as SolidWorks ,Autodesk and ANSYS.
Approximately 10+ years of relevant technical experience, unless discipline‑specific requirements indicate otherwise.
Demonstrated hands‑on technical experience within the assigned discipline.
Experience leading complex technical work, projects, workstreams, or engineering teams.
Experience within the nuclear industry is preferred, but candidates from highly regulated, safety‑critical, or engineering‑execution‑oriented industrial environments should also be considered where transferable mechanical engineering experience is strong.
Strong technical problem‑solving, engineering judgment, and decision‑making capability.
Ability to operate successfully within a growing organization where processes and capabilities are still being developed.
Demonstrated adaptability, comfort with ambiguity, hands‑on ownership, and ability to contribute immediately in a lean, entrepreneurial organization.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with structural or stress analysis, pending further client clarification on whether this should be treated as a core requirement.
Familiarity with thermal and fluid systems.
Experience supporting manufacturing, fabrication, testing, suppliers, commissioning, or operations.
Advanced degree in a relevant discipline.
Professional Engineering registration, Chartered Engineer status, or equivalent credential where applicable.
Direct nuclear industry experience.
Experience establishing or improving technical processes, standards, and organizational capability.
Experience mentoring or developing junior technical personnel.
Experience supporting multidisciplinary or matrixed engineering organizations.
Experience with pressure vessels, heat exchangers, piping systems, plant systems, process systems, equipment specification, commissioning, or plant design/build projects.

Core Competencies