Principal Mechanical Engineer

MKS Inc.; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation days

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

MKS Inc. in Irvine, California, is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to provide technical leadership for the Vibration Control Group. You will be responsible for leading mechanical design efforts, ensuring that products are manufacturable and cost-effective while maintaining high performance.

The ideal candidate should have a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and over 8 years of relevant experience. This role involves collaboration across multiple departments and offers a competitive salary along with comprehensive benefits including health insurance and a great work-life balance.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive mechanical engineering experience in precision mechanical systems.
• Hands-on prototyping and test experience: instrumentation, data analysis.
• Proven ability to lead technical workstreams and drive design reviews.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design of vibration control products.
• Define and execute verification/validation strategies.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with product management.

Skills

Mechanical engineering experience

Structural dynamics expertise

3D CAD proficiency (SolidWorks)

Problem-solving skills

Excellent communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

ANSYS

SolidWorks

Job description

A Day in Your Life at MKS: We are seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to provide technical leadership for the Vibration Control Group, developing and sustaining precision vibration isolation and structural support products (optical tables, breadboards, platforms, isolators, and integrated customer solutions). You will own challenging mechanical designs from concept through release, guide verification and validation, and partner cross‑functionally with product management, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and sales to deliver high‑performance, manufacturable, and cost‑effective solutions.

You Will Make an Impact By:

• Leading mechanical design of vibration control products and custom customer solutions, balancing performance, cost, schedule, and manufacturability.
• Owning requirements definition and technical trade studies (stiffness, damping, modal behavior, load capacity, thermal effects, cleanliness/non‑magnetic constraints, vacuum compatibility as applicable).
• Performing analysis and simulation (hand calcs, FEA, vibration/modal analysis) and correlating models to test data.
• Defining and executing verification/validation strategies including prototype builds, characterization tests, environmental/vibration testing, and design reviews.
• Serving as a technical authority and mentor, reviewing designs and coaching junior engineers/designers.
• Driving technical risk management: proactively identifying failure modes, executing root‑cause investigations, and implementing corrective/preventive actions.
• Maintaining complete engineering documentation (CAD, drawings, GD&T, BOMs, test plans/reports, compliance documentation) in accordance with MKS processes and PLM/ERP systems.
• Collaborating cross‑functionally with product management and sales to support roadmap execution, technical customer engagements, and lifecycle management of existing platforms.

Skills You Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (or closely related engineering discipline) required; Master’s degree preferred.
• 8+ years of progressive mechanical engineering experience in precision mechanical systems and vibration mitigation.
• Demonstrated expertise in structural dynamics and vibration fundamentals (modal behavior, transmissibility, stiffness/damping tradeoffs) and applying them to real products.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD (SolidWorks preferred) including GD&T, tolerance analysis, and creation/review of production‑ready drawings and BOMs.
• Experience with analysis tools (ANSYS or equivalent) and test correlation; ability to select appropriate simplifications and validate assumptions.
• Hands‑on prototyping and test experience: instrumentation, test planning, data analysis, and clear technical reporting.
• Proven ability to lead technical workstreams, drive design reviews, and influence cross‑functional decisions without direct authority.
• Strong problem‑solving and root‑cause analysis skills with a track record of closing issues in design and production environments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical details for customers and internal stakeholders.
• Customer‑facing experience (requirements clarification, technical reviews, issue resolution) strongly preferred; willingness to engage with customers is a must.
• Comfort operating in a regulated/quality environment with disciplined configuration control and documentation practices.

Preferred:

• Experience designing vibration isolation/support systems (optical tables, breadboards, pneumatic/electronic isolation, elastomeric systems) and/or precision welded structures.
• Experience with PLM/ERP systems (Agile, SAP, etc.), and familiarity with cleanliness/non‑magnetic materials, vacuum compatibility, and RoHS/REACH considerations.

In addition to the above responsibilities, the following are considered material job duties of the position:

• Ability to take and follow directions and instructions.
• Ability to interact with other employees, customers, suppliers, vendors, or the public, in a safe, professional, and respectful manner.
• Access to sensitive and confidential business systems and software, personally identifying information, the company’s financial information, and/or the ability to maintain physical security and safety.
• Because this position involves the above material job duties, trustworthiness, reliability, and good judgment also are material job duties.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

Ability to travel domestically and internationally as necessary to support business goals. Travel is estimated at

Compensation and Benefits:

Salary Pay Range: $140,000.00 - 210,000.00 per year. This range is a good faith estimate of the expected salary range for this position, based on a wide range of factors including qualifications, experience and training, operational and business needs and other considerations permitted by law.

Bonus: This position is eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, in an amount to be determined by MKS [or as applicable].

Benefits: MKS offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance coverage (medical, dental and vision), 401(k) with company match, life and disability insurance, 12 paid holidays, sick time, 15 paid vacation days, [6 weeks fully paid] parental leave, adoption assistance and tuition reimbursement [and for participation in any stock programs, signing bonus, etc.

MKS will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act and the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers.

We are interested in a qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we will not be sponsoring work visas for this position, at this time.

MKS is an equal opportunity employer, including disability, veteran status and all categories protected by law. Please review our EOE statements for additional details.