Principal Systems Engineer

• Lead and drive the technical vision and development of novel systems and technologies from concept through proof-of-concept and validation.
• Lead R&D efforts by exploring new technologies, reviewing patents, and synthesizing technical feasibility.
• Translate ambiguous problem statements into structured technical approaches and learning plans.
• Define system architectures, requirements, and key technical tradeoffs for early-stage concepts.
• Drive rapid prototyping, modeling, and experimental validation to reduce technical risk.
• Identify, evaluate, and mature emerging technologies and define integration paths into future products.
• Develop IP strategies to enable freedom to operate and protect key innovations.
• Lead cross-functional teams across COEs, platform teams, and business units to ensure alignment.
• Partner with external stakeholders, including universities and startups, to accelerate innovation.
• Identify and lead the development of externally funded research proposals and lead programs through execution and delivery.
• Communicate progress, risks, and insights to technical and executive leadership.
• Mentor and guide engineers, fostering a culture of innovation and technical excellence.
• Drive development projects autonomously while implementing continuous improvement processes.

• Masters degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Thermal, Chemical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering with 7+ years of hands-on engineering experience or PhD with 5+ years.
• 3+ years of experience in thermodynamic cycles, heat transfer, or fluid dynamics.
• 3+ years of experience with physics-based modeling and simulation tools.
• Experience designing, executing, and analyzing system- and component-level testing.
• Experience serving as principal investigator or project team lead.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• PhD in Mechanical, Aerospace, Thermal, Chemical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering.
• 5 years of experience in HVAC&R or related industrial applications.
• Familiarity with technology development process and technology readiness levels (TRLs).
• Experience with system architecture development and multidisciplinary engineering integration.
• Experience developing intellectual property, including invention disclosures and patents.
• Experience in working with universities, consortia, external labs, and start-ups.

Work Environment

Work with a team of 25 people in a Center of Excellence. Be part of a global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions, committed to creating impactful solutions for people and the planet. Our diverse workforce is dedicated to innovation and customer-centric solutions. Job Type & Location, Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.