Principal Product Design Engineer Plainville, CT, US Posted ago

Position: Principal Product Design Engineer Plainville, CT, US Posted 6 hours ago
## Principal Product Design Engineer Plainville, CT, United States We are seeking a
** Principal Product Design Engineer
** to serve as a technical authority in the design and development of rugged electro-mechanical sensors for industrial fluid sensing and control applications. This role combines hands-on design with engineering mastery of mechanical fundamentals to translate complex requirements into manufacturable, reliable, and high-performance products. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in mechanical design, materials, fluid dynamics, and manufacturing processes, with the ability to drive cross-functional development of integrated sensor systems used in the most demanding industrial/critical environments.
** Essential Functions**:
* Convert customer requirements into engineering requirements, design objectives, exploratory research topics, feasibility analyses, innovation opportunities, risk assessments, and comprehensive design specifications.
* Lead mechanical design of sensor components and systems with tight tolerance control and robust structural integrity.
* Utilize 3D CAD modeling and simulation tools to evaluate stress, vibration, heat transfer, and fluid flow characteristics influencing sensor performance.
* Develop material selection criteria emphasizing liquid compatibility, thermal stability, corrosion resistance, mechanical durability, and manufacturability.
* Specify and optimize manufacturing and assembly processes including injection molding, CNC machining, die casting, stamping, welding, crimping, over-molding, and adhesive bonding.
* Design leak-tight sealing systems using O-rings, gaskets, welded joints, and other sealing strategies suitable for critical industrial environments.
* Define and execute mechanical and environmental validation plans to verify performance, reliability, and compliance with industrial standards. Construct prototypes and design articles for verification and validation testing.
* Collaborate closely with electrical, firmware, and manufacturing teams leading the cohesive integration of mechanical, electronic, and sensing subsystems.
* Author and publish comprehensive engineering documentation, including detailed engineering drawings, design specifications, simulation results, tolerance analyses, test plans, FMEA, safety review, failure analysis reports, and bill of material cost.
* Apply core engineering principles—thermal analysis, fluid mechanics, strength of materials, and material science—throughout all development phases.
* Assess and integrate the latest technological developments by researching industry trends, vendor networks, competitors, and academic sources.
* Mentor junior engineers and contribute to continuous improvement of mechanical design methodologies and product development best practices.
** Critical Success Factors:**
* ** Technical Excellence**:
Apply deep mechanical engineering expertise to deliver robust, high-performance sensor designs.  Robust design documentation of experimentation, analysis, verification and validation, and final design deliverables are key outcomes.
* ** Design for Manufacturability & Lifecycle Performance:
** Design with process capability, material behavior, and environmental durability in mind, ensuring long-term performance and cost efficiency. Sensor products that are easy to build, highly reliable, and maintain consistent performance throughout their operational life are key outcomes.
* ** Cross-Functional Collaboration**:
Integrate seamlessly with electrical, firmware, and manufacturing teams to ensure cohesive product development.  Anticipation of team needs, successful production scale up, and on-time product launches are key outcomes.
** Education & Experience

Required:

*** Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering preferred.
* 10+ years of hands-on mechanical design experience, ideally in industrial instrumentation, electro-mechanical devices, or precision systems.  Similar industrial background considered.
* Expert proficiency in 3D CAD (Solid Works preferred) and simulation tools for mechanical, thermal, and/or fluidic analysis (FEA/CFD).
* Proven…