Principal Engineer

Job Title: Principal Systems Engineer – Innovation Center of Excellence Job Description This Principal Systems Engineer role sits within an Innovation Center of Excellence focused on developing novel, intelligent climate and energy technologies for HVAC&R (Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration) applications. You will act as a technical leader driving systems and technology development from early concept through proof-of-concept and validation, shaping high-impact innovation programs that deliver step-change improvements in performance, cost, sustainability, and digital capabilities. Operating at the intersection of research and product realization, you will help define future system architectures and technology roadmaps, transforming ambiguous challenges into structured learning plans and validated opportunities that can be transitioned into next-generation products for 2030 and beyond. Responsibilities

- Lead and drive the technical vision and development of novel systems and technologies from initial concept through proof-of-concept and validation.
- Own and guide research and development efforts, including exploring new technologies and tools, reviewing patents, journals, and public data, and synthesizing findings into feasible technical strategies.
- Translate ambiguous problem statements into structured technical approaches, experiments, and learning plans that reduce uncertainty and clarify next steps.
- Define system architectures, requirements, and key technical tradeoffs for early-stage concepts, balancing performance, cost, sustainability, and digital capabilities.
- Drive rapid prototyping, modeling, and experimental validation activities to reduce technical risk and demonstrate feasibility of new solutions.
- Identify, evaluate, and mature emerging technologies, including thermodynamic cycles, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, cooling systems, and HVAC&R concepts, and define clear integration paths into future products and value propositions.
- Develop intellectual property strategies that enable freedom to operate and protect key innovations, including contributing to invention disclosures and patents.
- Lead cross-functional teams across centers of excellence, platform organizations, and business units to align objectives, coordinate activities, and ensure successful technology maturation and transition into product roadmaps.
- Partner with external stakeholders such as universities, startups, industry collaborators, and external labs to accelerate innovation and execute feasibility studies and evaluations.
- Identify and lead the development of externally funded research proposals, including government-sponsored programs, aligned with strategic technology priorities, and, when awarded, lead these programs through technical execution and delivery.
- Design, execute, and analyze system- and component-level testing for technology development, including test rig design, instrumentation planning, and measurement system implementation.
- Apply design of experiments and measurement uncertainty analysis to ensure robust validation of new concepts and technologies.
- Communicate progress, risks, findings, and insights clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including executive leadership.
- Mentor and guide engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, technical excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement within the team.
- Serve as principal investigator or project team lead, providing approximately one-third of your time to project oversight and leadership of other engineers.
- Conduct independent research and analysis for approximately one-third of your time, including investigating new solutions in areas such as power, battery systems, filtration, and building systems.
- Dedicate approximately one-third of your time to "white space" innovation, ideation, feasibility studies, and conceptualizing solutions that have not yet been built, focusing on future products and architectures.
- Operate as a self-driven technical leader capable of autonomously driving development projects while actively gathering feedback from subject matter experts and stakeholders.
- Implement continuous improvement processes in both technical and project execution practices to enhance efficiency, quality, and impact.

Essential Skills

- Master’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Thermal, Chemical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering with at least 7 years of hands-on engineering experience, or a PhD in Mechanical, Aerospace, Thermal, Chemical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering with at least 5 years of hands-on engineering experience.
- A minimum of 3 years of experience working with thermodynamic cycles, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, or closely related engineering domains.
- At least 3 years of experience using physics-based modeling and simulation tools such as CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), FEA (Finite Element Analysis), or system-level modeling tools.
- Proven experience designing, executing, and analyzing system-level and component-level testing for technology development.
- Experience serving as a principal investigator or project team lead, with demonstrated responsibility for technical direction and project outcomes.
- Strong technical depth in thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, cooling systems, HVAC, and refrigeration systems.
- Demonstrated ability to translate ambiguous technical problems into structured approaches, experiments, and learning plans.
- Capability to define and analyze system architectures, including multidisciplinary integration and key technical tradeoffs.
- Proficiency in rapid prototyping, modeling, and experimental validation to reduce technical risk and validate new concepts.
- Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders and interact effectively with executive levels.
- Self-driven, highly motivated work style with the ability to drive development projects autonomously while incorporating feedback from experts and stakeholders.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

- PhD in Mechanical, Aerospace, Thermal, Chemical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering.
- Approximately 5 years of experience in HVAC&R or related industrial applications.
- Demonstrated track record of completing and delivering projects as a project lead.
- Familiarity with technology development processes and technology readiness levels (TRLs), including NASA or ISO TRL frameworks.
- Experience with system architecture development and multidisciplinary engineering integration across mechanical, thermal, electrical, and control domains.
- Experience developing intellectual property, including preparing invention disclosures and contributing to patent filings.
- Experience with design of experiments (DoE), test rig design, measurement system identification and implementation, instrumentation requirements development, and measurement uncertainty analysis.
- Experience working with universities, consortia, external laboratories, and start-ups, including coordinating feasibility studies and evaluations through statements of work or joint development agreements.
- Familiarity with electromechanical systems, including heat-related subsystems and their integration into larger platforms.
- Interest in or experience with future-focused innovation, including conceptualizing and validating solutions for next-generation products (e.g., future chillers, advanced building systems, power and battery-related innovations, and novel filtration technologies).
- Ability to foster a culture of innovation and technical excellence by mentoring and guiding engineers at various experience levels.

Work Environment You will join an Innovation Center of Excellence team of approximately 25 people focused on intelligent climate and energy solutions for HVAC&R applications. The environment emphasizes deep technical work, collaborative innovation, and long-term technology development, with a strong focus on designing and validating products and systems for 2030 and beyond rather than only near-term new product development. You will work closely with cross-functional teams across multiple centers of excellence, platform organizations, and business units, as well as external partners such as universities, consortia, start-ups, and external labs. The team culture values curiosity, structured experimentation, and continuous learning, offering clear growth opportunities toward experienced technical paths such as chief engineer or technical fellow. The work involves frequent use of physics-based modeling and simulation tools (including CFD, FEA, and system-level modeling), laboratory and test rig environments for system- and component-level testing, and advanced instrumentation and measurement systems. The organization positions itself as a global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions and is committed to creating solutions that matter for people and the planet, with a diverse workforce and a strong customer-centric focus.
Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of Syracuse, NY.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $120000.00 - $175000.00/yr. 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. Carrier Benefits summary will be provided. Health and Wellness, retirement, tuition reimbursement, 20% WFH
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Syracuse,NY.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Oct 8, 2026. About Actalent

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.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without
regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,
sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected
by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or
adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,
please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the
city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants
with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a
condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law
shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,
including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications
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