Principal Engineer (Testing) - Military Flight Controls Division

Researches and carries out complex or innovative engineering assignments requiring the development of new or improved methods, techniques, and procedures. Contributes to and has responsibility for the completion of significant assignments with broad product, technology, customer, and strategic business impact.

Essential Functions:

• Develops new or refined equipment, materials, processes, products, concepts and/or scientific methods by applying advanced theories, concepts, principles, and processes for assigned area.
• Evaluates costs, available resources, time limitations, company planning, and other technical and economic factors.

• Provides expert technical information concerning manufacturing or processing techniques, materials, properties, and process advantages and limitations which affect long range plant and product engineering planning by carefully analyzing and applying advanced engineering principles.

• Communicates and coordinates with other technical resources to provide technical recommendations, lessons learned, methods for problem-solving, analysis methodology, etc. to maximize contribution to multiple projects or programs.

• Makes technical proposals and presentations to various internal and customer groups to influence business decisions.

• Conducts analyses and/or tests pertaining to the development of new designs, methods, materials, equipment or processes and completes required documentation by determining required actions, performing or directing completion of tasks and publishing findings and/or results.

• Compiles and analyzes operation, test, and research data to establish performance standards for newly designed or modified equipment or products.

• Assesses the feasibility and soundness of proposed engineering evaluation tests, products, or equipment when necessary data are insufficient or conformation by testing is advisable.

• Investigates, researches, and operationalizes new technologies in specialty or related areas to improve cost and performance by applying advanced engineering design methods, theories, and research techniques.
• Applies and leads continuous improvement initiatives through the development of new engineering technology, product development, analytic tools, and key production principles and techniques.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending advanced-level educational workshops, reviewing technical and research publications, and/or participating in professional associations.
• Complies with Parker policies and aerospace industry regulations. Consistently applies established engineering practices, standards, and documentation methods.
• Plans and conducts complex special assignments, generally involving the larger and more important projects or multiple projects. Reviews progress and evaluates results.
• Recommends major changes in procedures. Establishes goals and objectives to carry out programs or functions by coordinating efforts within and across the divisions.
• Acts as consultant to top management on significant issues.
• May provide technical leadership to others in integrated product development teams.
• Serves as technical subject expert and resource.
• Shares specialized knowledge with others and ensures knowledge transfer on technologies and products.
• Represents company on specific major projects. Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
• Work assignments may include cross-functional or project team responsibilities (e.g. continuous improvement).

• Bachelors degree (BS) in mechanical, aerospace, electronic, or systems engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Demonstrated ability to perform the essential functions of the job typically acquired through ten or more years of related experience. MS preferred.

• Advanced knowledge of mechanical, electronic, packaging, and/or optics engineering principles, theories, concepts, techniques, industry practices, regulations, and policies.

• Comprehensive knowledge of, and ability to lead and implement, continuous improvement principles and techniques.
• Ability to use standard business applications software and specialized data analysis, design, and project management tools.
• Ability to apply comprehensive knowledge of other related engineering areas or from other technical experts to own area of expertise.
• Ability to plan and conduct complex assignments where analysis of situations or data requires an evaluation of intangible variables and/or complete data; understand problems from a broad, long-term perspective.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex policies and recommend major changes to procedures.
• Ability to respond to significant inquiries or complaints from division leadership, external customers, other divisions, and top management on complex and critical matters.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to exercise independent judgement in developing methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.
• Ability to lead technology projects or work of others.
• Ability to effectively demonstrate team member competencies and participate in goal-setting, performance feedback, and self-development activities.

$122,910.00 - $215,170.00 / yr parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, tuition reimbursement, 401(k), retirement plan United States, California, Irvine 14300 Alton Parkway (Show on map) Oct 15, 2026, This position is subject to meeting U.S. export compliance and/or U.S. Government contracting citizenship eligibility requirements.

Pay, Benefits, Work Schedule

Competitive Compensation

• Pay Range: $122910 to $215170 annually
• Participation in Annual Incentive Program

Benefit & Retirement Plans

Parker offers competitive benefit programs, including:

• Comprehensive coverage for medical, prescription drugs, dental, vision, voluntary optional life, accident insurance, hospital indemnity insurance and critical illness insurance with competitive premium cost.
• 401(k) Plan with company matching contributions at 100% of the first 5% of pay.
• Company provided defined-contribution retirement plan with annual contribution equal to 3% of pay.
• Career development and tuition reimbursement.
• Other benefits including paid parental leave, short and long-term disability programs, adoption assistance, a Care.com membership and financial planning assistance are provided at no cost to you.
• Supplemental benefit programs including identity protection, legal protection, and pet wellness are available at competitive rates.
• Paid Time Off and Company-Paid Holidays.

Parker Hannifin is a Fortune 250 global leader in motion and control technologies. For more than a century, the company has been enabling engineering breakthroughs that lead to a better tomorrow.

At Parker Aerospace, we develop technologies and innovative solutions that enable reliable, efficient and increasingly sustainable flight for the lifecycle of the aircraft, including aftermarket support. Our passionate people with deep engineering expertise, together with our breadth of differentiated technologies, ensure that we make the extraordinary happen and continue to shape the future of aviation in partnership with our customers.

As a member of our team, you are instrumental in fulfilling our mission: ‘Enabling Engineering Breakthroughs that Lead to a Better Tomorrow.’ Pursuing a career at Parker presents unlimited opportunities for both professional and personal development. Working with some of the most brilliant minds in the industry, your contributions will be pivotal in developing innovative technologies and products, significantly contributing to Parker’s goal of addressing the world’s most pressing engineering challenges. At Parker, our team members belong, matter and make a difference.

Military Flight Controls Division Supporting aircraft worldwide, Parker Aerospace’s Military Flight Controls Division (MFCD) provides primary and secondary flight control systems that make flight possible. Tested, proven and trusted in commercial and military applications for decades, MFCD provides precise position-control actuation solutions for military aircraft across the United States and with foreign partners. The division’s JetPipe electrohydraulic servovalve (EHSV) technology is used across commercial and military aircraft around the world. Headquartered in Irvine, California, the Military Flight Controls Division is the global leader in fly-by-wire flight control systems and electrohydraulic products and offers the world’s most advanced motor design capabilities for flight controls.