Principal Mechanical Engineer

Socket.dev; Westerville (OH); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Vertiv is recruiting a Principal Mechanical Engineer to shape next‑generation thermal management technologies for data center and critical infrastructure applications. You will lead technical strategy, direct cross‑functional teams, and develop robust guidelines to hand over to NPDI for productization.

The role emphasizes mentoring engineers, collaborating with external partners, and advancing thermal architectures toward scalable, high-density cooling solutions.

Qualifications

• BSME or related degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 6+ years of experience in mechanical engineering with thermal management.
• Ability to travel 10%.
• Proven track record as a technical lead managing multi-disciplinary teams from concept to validation.
• Strong written and verbal communication to executives and teams.
• Deep expertise in thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the technical strategy for mission critical thermal advanced development projects from concept through prototype validation.
• Serve as the senior technical lead on cross-functional project teams, directing engineering activities, resolving complex technical challenges, and ensuring milestones are met.
• Develop and document design guidelines and specifications for handover to NPDI when projects transition to product development.
• Communicate complex technical information clearly to diverse audiences including senior leadership and customers.
• Mentor and lead engineers and technicians, fostering a high-performance team environment.
• Establish partnerships with external research partners to identify and advance emerging thermal technologies.
• Conduct and oversee thermal analysis, modeling, and testing to validate cooling concepts.
• Influence technology roadmaps and provide guidance on industry trends, regulatory developments, and refrigerants.
• Drive continuous improvement in advanced development methods, tools, and processes.
• Perform engineering calculations including stress, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics.

Skills

Thermodynamics

Heat transfer

Fluid mechanics

Technical leadership

Project management

Communication skills

Team mentoring

Education

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

This Principal Mechanical Engineer is responsible for helping lead and shape the strategic direction of next-generation thermal management technologies - including liquid cooling, cryo-cooling, waste heat recovery, footprint density improvement, etc. - for data center and critical infrastructure applications. The goal is to advance Vertiv's thermal technology portfolio from concept through proof-of-concept, establish technical best practices across the advanced development organization, and deliver robust design guidelines that enable seamless handover to New Product Development & Introduction (NPDI) teams for productization.

Vertiv's Thermal Business Unit is a global leader in designing, manufacturing, and servicing mission-critical thermal management solutions for data centers, communication networks, and commercial and industrial facilities worldwide. The Thermal BU's portfolio spans the complete thermal chain from chip to atmosphere, including room cooling, in-row cooling, rack cooling, direct-to-chip liquid cooling, coolant distribution units (CDUs), rear-door heat exchangers, chillers, dry coolers, and trim coolers. Operating across all major regions (Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific), the Thermal BU serves hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, and edge data center customers with solutions optimized for increasingly high-density AI and high-performance computing environments. Within this business unit, the Advanced Development group is responsible for incubating next-generation thermal technologies and proving their viability before transitioning them to NPDI teams for productization. This role sits at the forefront of that mission, driving innovation in emerging thermal architectures that will define Vertiv's competitive position in the rapidly evolving data center cooling market.

Responsibilities

Define and lead the technical strategy for mission critical thermal advanced development projects from concept through prototype validation.

• Serve as the senior technical lead on cross-functional project teams, directing engineering activities, resolving complex technical challenges, and ensuring milestones are met on time and within budget.

• Develop and document comprehensive design guidelines and specifications for handover to NPDI teams when projects transition from advanced engineering to product development.

• Communicate complex technical information clearly and effectively to diverse audiences including senior leadership, cross-functional teams, external partners, and customers.

• Mentor and lead engineers and technicians on projects, fostering a collaborative and high-performance team environment and helping to develop the next generation of technical talent.

• Establish and maintain relationships with external research partners (e.g., universities, national labs) to identify and advance emerging thermal technologies.

• Conduct and oversee thermal analysis, modeling, and testing to validate cooling concepts.

• Influence technology roadmaps and provide expert guidance on industry trends, competitive technologies, and regulatory developments in thermal management and refrigerants.

• Drive continuous improvement in advanced development methods, tools, and processes across the organization.

• Perform a variety of engineering calculations using traditional engineering methods to verify design requirements, which may include stress calculations, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics.

• Other Duties as assigned

Education and Certifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) or directly related degree at minimum.

• Advanced Degree preferred

Requirements

• Min 6+ years of experience

• Able to travel 10%

• Highly self-directing with the ability to set priorities, define project scope, and drive results with minimal oversight

• Extensive track record as a technical lead directing multi-disciplinary project teams from concept through prototype/validation, with demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent programs.

• Demonstrated leadership in guiding and developing others to complete projects efficiently and on schedule

• Deep expertise in thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics

• Strong ability to write clear, actionable design guidelines and technical documentation suitable for use by downstream product development teams

• Demonstrated history of delivering quality products to market with understanding and respect for phases of the product development process

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to present complex technical concepts to executive leadership and non-technical stakeholders

• Recognized as a technical authority within the organization or industry

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