Principal Engineer - Test & Measurement
Location: Bloomingdale, NJ
Salary: $90,000-$110,000 per year
Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt
Position Summary
We are seeking a Principal Engineer to serve as a senior technical authority within the Test & Measurement engineering organization. This is a non-management, individual contributor role focused on advanced structural analysis, seismic and wind certification, engineering standards, testing methodologies, and technical review.
The Principal Engineer will provide final technical guidance on complex and high-risk projects, establish and govern engineering methods and standards, and ensure technical deliverables meet applicable codes, certification requirements, and quality standards.
This role also has a strong emphasis on mentoring and developing engineers while partnering closely with engineering management, testing laboratories, sales, and field personnel.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Leadership & Engineering Standards
Serve as a senior technical authority for Test & Measurement engineering.
Define and govern technical standards, engineering methods, modeling assumptions, and analysis workflows.
Establish and maintain department technical manuals, guidelines, templates, and best practices.
Provide final technical review and approval for complex and high-risk projects.
Identify technical risks early and develop strategies to mitigate them.
Structural Analysis & Certification
Develop and validate advanced structural analysis workflows, including nonlinear static, transient dynamic, modal/response-spectrum, and multi-load-case FEA.
Review and approve complex modeling assumptions, boundary conditions, load cases, and final technical deliverables.
Apply structural engineering principles and applicable codes to non-structural equipment certification.
Provide technical oversight for complex test-fixture designs and ensure test plans align with analytical predictions.
Support certification programs and technical packages through final review.
Testing & Root-Cause Analysis
Provide technical oversight for experimental testing, including seismic/shake-table and wind testing.
Establish acceptance criteria and verification plans for engineering analyses and testing.
Lead root-cause investigations related to failures, unexpected test results, or technical issues.
Translate lessons learned into updated engineering methods, standards, and training.
Compliance & Accreditation
Ensure technical work aligns with applicable building codes, certification standards, and accreditation requirements.
Support compliance with ISO/IEC 17065 and applicable certification requirements.
Review technical content of Certificates of Conformance and certification packages prior to submission.
Support external audits and technical meetings as a senior subject matter expert.
Stay current on changes to industry codes, standards, tools, and engineering practices.
Mentoring & Collaboration
Mentor and coach engineers and technical specialists in advanced structural analysis, testing methods, and technical writing.
Lead peer reviews and knowledge-sharing activities to improve overall engineering quality.
Partner with engineering management, sales, laboratory, field testing, and other technical teams to evaluate project scope, feasibility, risk, and acceptance criteria.
Support complex customer technical reviews as needed.
Recommend improvements to engineering tools, processes, and technical capabilities.
Working Conditions
Primarily office-based with prolonged computer work.
Occasional lifting of up to approximately 10 pounds.
May require additional hours periodically to meet project deadlines.
Minimal travel expected.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Civil, or Structural Engineering.
Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
8-12+ years of progressive engineering experience with significant expertise in structural analysis and testing.
Hands-on experience with experimental testing, including shake-table and/or wind testing, and engineering certification programs is required.
Strong experience with detailed structural analysis, including stiffness methods.
Proficiency with FEA tools such as FEMAP, ANSYS, or equivalent.
Experience with AutoCAD and Inventor or comparable 2D/3D engineering software.
Deep working knowledge of IBC, ASCE 7, AISC, and AC-156.
Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply applicable codes and standards to non-structural equipment certification.
Experience producing high-level technical reports and reviewing complex engineering deliverables.
Strong technical communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Preferred Qualifications
Master's degree in Mechanical, Civil, or Structural Engineering.
Experience with MATLAB, Python, or other scripting/automation tools for engineering analysis and verification.
Experience supporting ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation evidence or participating in external audits.
Experience with HCAI-related technical reviews or meetings.
Familiarity with project management and ERP systems.
Experience with MEP and structural construction projects.