Remote Principal Mechanical Engineer — Lead System Architect

Placements24; Upington; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive compensation package

Global benefits

Remote-first culture

Equity options

Professional development

Autonomy to work from anywhere

Job summary

Placements24 in South Africa seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer for a fully remote role, leading design of complex systems and guiding distributed engineering teams. You will define architectures, perform multi-physics analyses, and shape technical direction on global projects.

This senior position emphasizes innovation, leadership, and rigorous documentation, with remote collaboration across hardware, software, and systems disciplines.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 15+ years in advanced mechanical design and system engineering with a record of innovation.
• Expertise in complex systems design incl. robotics, aerospace, or advanced materials.
• Proficient in CAD/CAE and multi-physics simulation techniques.
• Proven leadership of diverse, remote engineering teams.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design and architecture of complex, novel systems.
• Define requirements, conduct feasibility studies, develop design concepts.
• Perform multi-physics analyses and system-level modeling.
• Mentor and guide other mechanical engineers remotely.
• Collaborate with hardware/software/systems teams in a remote setting.
• Oversee development, testing and validation of components and subsystems.
• Maintain documentation, standards and best practices.
• Stay at the forefront of new technologies and provide strategic direction.

Skills

15+ years experience

Complex mechanical design

Remote leadership

Analytical problem-solving

Strong communication

Remote collaboration

Education

PhD or MSc in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CAD/CAE tools

Job description

Placements24 in South Africa seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer for a fully remote role, leading design of complex systems and guiding distributed engineering teams. You will define architectures, perform multi-physics analyses, and shape technical direction on global projects.

This senior position emphasizes innovation, leadership, and rigorous documentation, with remote collaboration across hardware, software, and systems disciplines.