Principal Engineer

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Job Type

Full-time

Description

OVERVIEW

Cadrex is seeking a Principal Engineer who serves as the senior technical authority for the mechanical design, development, and industrialization of advanced data center rack systems, with a focus on OCP, Open Rack Platforms, and industry infrastructure standards. This role leads the development of scalable, cost-effective rack structures and mechanical subsystems for hyperscale computing, AI, and high-performance computing environments, leveraging expertise in structural design, sheet metal fabrication, welded assemblies, thermal management, and design for manufacturing. The Principal Engineer translates customer requirements and industry standards into manufacturable products, guiding designs from concept through validation and full-scale production. This position partners with customers, engineering, manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and operations while establishing technical standards, resolving complex engineering challenges, mentoring engineering talent, and advancing the company's data center infrastructure product portfolio.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead mechanical architecture, design, and development of data center rack systems and related infrastructure.
• Design structural frames, sheet metal assemblies, mounting systems, power supports, cable management, and associated components.
• Establish modular product architectures that support scalability, customization, and component standardization.
• Develop mechanical solutions for high-density computing, AI infrastructure, power distribution, and liquid-cooling applications.
• Establish engineering standards for materials, tolerances, finishes, fasteners, and product configurations.
• Lead structural analysis, FEA, and validation of rack systems to ensure strength, stability, load capacity, and durability.
• Establish design requirements for payload, deflection, weld integrity, dimensional accuracy, and safe handling.
• Develop and oversee prototype testing, engineering validation plans, and design qualification activities.
• Investigate and resolve structural failures, vibration, deformation, and mechanical performance issues.
• Optimize product designs for sheet metal fabrication, forming, welding, finishing, and final assembly.
• Develop designs that support automation, robotic welding, standardized tooling, and repeatable production.
• Reduce material usage, part complexity, weld requirements, rework, and manufacturing costs.
• Partner with manufacturing engineering to improve production efficiency, quality, throughput, and process capability.
• Maintain compliance with applicable OCP, Open Rack, customer, and industry specifications.
• Ensure mechanical designs accommodate IT equipment, power distribution, cable management, and cooling system interfaces.
• Collaborate with electrical, power, and thermal engineering teams to support evolving rack architectures.
• Lead compliance reviews, requirements documentation, and customer qualification activities.
• Serve as the senior mechanical engineering resource for strategic hyperscale and data center customers.
• Translate customer requirements into technical specifications, design solutions, and engineering proposals.
• Lead technical reviews, feasibility assessments, and design discussions.
• Support commercial teams with RFQs, technical presentations, cost assessments, and customer design-in activities.
• Lead mechanical engineering activities from concept and prototyping through validation and full-scale production.
• Oversee CAD models, engineering drawings, BOMs, specifications, and revision-controlled documentation.
• Partner with NPI and manufacturing teams to establish tooling, routings, work instructions, and inspection requirements.
• Resolve engineering issues during production ramp and ensure successful product transitions to sustaining engineering.
• Lead design-to-cost and value engineering initiatives to improve product profitability without compromising quality or performance.
• Evaluate materials, fabrication methods, suppliers, and assembly processes to identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Use production data, scrap trends, quality performance, and customer feedback to drive design improvements.
• Establish mechanical engineering standards, CAD practices, design procedures, and product development methodologies.
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to mechanical and manufacturing engineering teams.
• Review and approve critical designs, structural calculations, and validation plans.
• Advance engineering capabilities, product innovation, design standardization, and long-term product development strategies.

Requirements

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 10+ years of progressive mechanical engineering experience in industrial equipment, sheet metal fabrication, structural assemblies, or data center infrastructure.
• Direct experience in designing or manufacturing OCP and/or industry racks for hyperscale data center customers.
• Familiarity with OCP/industry rack and power specifications, including implementation-specific rack frames, power shelves, and IT gear interfaces.
• Experience with high-payload rack structures, busbar integration, high-power rack platforms, and liquid-cooling infrastructure.
• Expertise in robotic welding, automated fabrication, weld-fixture design, distortion control, and dimensional process capability.
• Experience supporting high-volume manufacturing in a multi-site or global manufacturing environment.
• Familiarity with APQP, DFMEA, PFMEA, root cause analysis, and structured design verification.
• Experience with manufacturing cost modeling, should-cost analysis, and product platform standardization.
• Experience presenting technical solutions directly to hyperscale or enterprise data center customers.

EDUCATION

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related field.

LOCATION

• Onsite

SCHEDULE

• Monday-Friday

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to work near moving mechanical parts, vibration, hot parts & sharp edges. The employee is occasionally exposed to the risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and occasionally loud.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, sit, use hands and fingers, handle or feel, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, color vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

CADREX CORE VALUES

• Safety first, rising to the challenge, collaboration, accountability, and doing the right thing

TOTAL COMPENSATION INCLUDES

• Health/dental/vision coverage
• Employer-paid and supplemental life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Generous paid time off and holiday pay
• Monthly remote work stipend (for remote employees who qualify)
• 401(k) investment plan, with an employer match of up to 4%
• Education support program
• Safety eyeglasses/shoe reimbursement
• Referral bonuses
• Bonus plan for all full-time employees

ABOUT US

CADREX Manufacturing Solutions is a leading provider of complex sheet metal and machined production parts, assemblies, and weldments for a variety of end markets, including electrical transmission and distribution, warehouse automation, technology, aerospace & defense, medical, food, and industrials. With locations in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Washington, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Monterrey Mexico, CADREX offers numerous in-house manufacturing capabilities, including laser cutting, sheet metal fabrication, complex assembly, CNC punching, CNC machining, forming, robotic welding, stamping, fastener insertion, and tool and die manufacturing, to effectively serve customers with lights-out manufacturing capabilities for mid- to high-volume production. For more information, visit www.cadrex.com. Cadrex provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Salary Description

$200k - $300k

Notice of AI Use in Job Application Review As part of our commitment in creating a fair, efficient, and consistent hiring process we may use artificial intelligence (AI) to help our recruiting teams organize, summarize, and analyze information provided by candidates, including resumes, application responses, and other materials submitted during the application process.AI may be used to identify patterns, highlight relevant skills, and experience, and assist in comparing a candidate’s qualifications with the requirement of a specific role. These tools are to improve efficiency and consistency while supporting more informed hiring decisions, which will ultimately be made by the hiring team.