Principal Mechanical Engineer

Jobtailor; Orange (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in Orange County, CA is seeking a senior mechanical/electro‑mechanical engineer to own the technical development of connected products from concept through production launch. You will define architecture, requirements, and technical direction balancing customer needs, performance, manufacturability, cost, and schedule.

You will be hands‑on with design, prototyping, analysis, and troubleshooting of complex systems, lead cross‑functional teams, develop validation strategies, oversee

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 7+ years of progressive mechanical/electro‑mechanical new product development experience.
• Experience leading mechanical product development from concept to production.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead the technical development of new connected products from concept through production launch.
• Define product architecture, engineering requirements, and technical direction while balancing customer needs, performance, manufacturability, cost, and schedule.
• Be a hands‑on resource with design, prototyping, analysis, and troubleshooting of complex electromechanical systems.
• Lead and coordinate cross‑functional engineering teams (internal and external), including mechanical, electrical, firmware, and test engineers.
• Develop validation strategies, oversee testing, and use data to drive continuous product improvements.
• Partner with Product Management, Project Management, suppliers, and contract manufacturers to deliver high‑quality products on schedule.
• Drive engineering excellence through design reviews, FMEA, RCCA, and other structured problem‑solving methodologies.
• Protect innovation through patent development and contribute to engineering best practices.

Skills

Technical leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Structured problem-solving

RCCA

FMEA

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

CAD

Job description

Responsibilities

• Own and lead the technical development of new connected products from concept through production launch.
• Define product architecture, engineering requirements, and technical direction while balancing customer needs, performance, manufacturability, cost, and schedule.
• Be a hands‑on resource with design, prototyping, analysis, and troubleshooting of complex electromechanical systems.
• Lead and coordinate cross‑functional engineering teams (internal and external), including mechanical, electrical, firmware, and test engineers.
• Develop validation strategies, oversee testing, and use data to drive continuous product improvements.
• Partner with Product Management, Project Management, suppliers, and contract manufacturers to deliver high‑quality products on schedule.
• Drive engineering excellence through design reviews, FMEA, RCCA, and other structured problem‑solving methodologies.
• Protect innovation through patent development and contribute to engineering best practices.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field
• 7+ years of progressive mechanical / electro‑mechanical new product development experience
• Demonstrated experience leading mechanical product development from concept through production
• Strong mechanical fundamentals with the ability to independently solve complex problems using structured problem‑solving and risk tools (KT, RCCA, FMEA, fault trees, etc.)
• Experience prioritizing requirements in ambiguous environments and making product‑level tradeoffs
• Hands‑on experience with CAD, BOM management, and design documentation
• Experience designing or overseeing test fixtures, validation systems, and verification plans
• Ability to travel up to 10% domestically and internationally (typically ~1 overseas trip/year)

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in leading mechanical and electromechanical product development from concept to production, with a strong focus on engineering requirements, validation strategies, and structured problem‑solving methodologies. Proficient in collaborating with cross‑functional teams to deliver high‑quality products while balancing customer needs and technical constraints.