Lead Mechanical Design Engineer Speed Rotating Machinery

Lead Mechanical Design Engineer – High-Speed Rotating Machinery

Cypress, United States | Posted on 06/29/2026

• Compensation Salary is commensurate with level of experience.
• City Cypress
• State/Province California
• Country United States

Sapphire Technologies is seeking a Lead Mechanical Design Engineer to lead the development and production launch of advanced high-speed rotating machinery incorporating active magnetic bearings, high-speed electric machines, power electronics, and precision mechanical systems.

The role will support a major new product platform serving rapidly growing energy and thermal‑management applications, including data‑center infrastructure. The program is progressing from product development into validation and will require a significant production ramp over the next several years.

This is a hands‑on technical leadership role with responsibility for mechanical architecture, system integration, validation, and production readiness. The successful candidate will lead a small team of engineers and designers while working closely with electrical, controls, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and program‑management teams.

Work at the intersection of high‑speed rotating machinery, rotor dynamics, magnetic bearings, permanent‑magnet machines, thermal management, precision manufacturing, and power electronics.

Own mechanical decisions that directly affect product performance, reliability, cost, manufacturability, and Sapphire’s ability to execute a major production scale‑up supporting the growth of data‑center infrastructure.

Grow into a technical authority for high‑speed magnetic‑bearing systems, with opportunities to lead platform architecture, engineering teams, reliability initiatives, technology development, and future product programs.

• Assume ownership of the mechanical architecture and critical system interfaces.
• Review the design, analyses, drawings, DFMEA, validation plan, and open technical issues.
• Identify and drive closure of the highest mechanical, rotor‑dynamic, thermal, and manufacturing risks.
• Lead design reviews and support timely DFM and drawing‑release milestones.
• Success means:
  The design direction is clear, critical risks have credible closure plans, and no unidentified mechanical issue that threaten the next scheduled build.

• Lead mechanical readiness for production‑intent builds.
• Support assembly, testing, and disposition of design, manufacturing, and supplier issues.
• Use inspection and test data to drive root‑cause analysis and design improvements.
• Incorporate lessons learned into subsequent hardware and production documentation.

• Deliver a mechanically mature product ready for launch and production scale‑up.
• Close or formally control major structural, rotor‑dynamic, thermal, sealing, reliability, and manufacturability risks.
• Define critical‑to‑quality requirements for key components and assemblies.
• Establish mechanical design standards and strengthen the capabilities of the engineering team.
• Develop a product‑improvement roadmap addressing performance, reliability, cost, and manufacturability.

• Serve as the primary mechanical technical authority for high‑speed rotating machinery products.
• Own mechanical architecture, system interfaces, technical trade studies, and major design decisions.
• Lead the design and analysis of rotors, shafts, impellers, housings, bearing systems, seals, cooling systems, pressure‑containing components, and supporting structures.
• Lead design reviews, DFMEA, validation planning, root‑cause investigations, and corrective actions.
• Ensure timely release of accurate CAD models, drawings, specifications, analyses, and bills of material.
• Partner with manufacturing and suppliers to develop robust, cost‑effective, and scalable designs.
• Mentor engineers and designers while establishing strong engineering practices and accountability.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline; master’s degree preferred.
• Eight or more years of experience developing turbo machinery,…