Principal Mechanical Engineer

Job Description This Principal Mechanical Engineer is responsible for helping lead and shape the strategic direction of next-generation thermal management technologies - including liquid cooling, cryo-cooling, waste heat recovery, footprint density improvement, etc. - for data center and critical infrastructure applications. The goal is to advance Vertiv's thermal technology portfolio from concept through proof-of-concept, establish technical best practices across the advanced development organization, and deliver robust design guidelines that enable seamless handover to New Product Development & Introduction (NPDI) teams for productization. Vertiv's Thermal Business Unit is a global leader in designing, manufacturing, and servicing mission-critical thermal management solutions for data centers, communication networks, and commercial and industrial facilities worldwide. The Thermal BU's portfolio spans the complete thermal chain from chip to atmosphere, including room cooling, in-row cooling, rack cooling, direct-to-chip liquid cooling, coolant distribution units (CDUs), rear-door heat exchangers, chillers, dry coolers, and trim coolers. Operating across all major regions (Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific), the Thermal BU serves hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, and edge data center customers with solutions optimized for increasingly high-density AI and high-performance computing environments. Within this business unit, the Advanced Development group is responsible for incubating next-generation thermal technologies and proving their viability before transitioning them to NPDI teams for productization. This role sits at the forefront of that mission, driving innovation in emerging thermal architectures that will define Vertiv's competitive position in the rapidly evolving data center cooling market. Responsibilities * Define and lead the technical strategy for mission critical thermal NPDI projects from concept through product validation. Serve as the senior technical lead on cross-functional project teams, acting as design authority in design reviews of CAD design, resolving complex technical challenges, and ensuring milestones are met on time and within budget. * Leverage extensive real-world product design experience to conduct thorough design reviews, ensuring manufacturability and functional integrity while mentoring junior engineers on industry best practices and lessons learned. Communicate complex technical information clearly and effectively to diverse audiences including senior leadership, cross-functional teams, external partners, and customers. * Mentor and lead engineers and technicians on projects, fostering a collaborative and high-performance team environment and helping to develop the next generation of technical talent. * Influence technology roadmaps and provide expert guidance on industry trends, competitive technologies, and regulatory developments in thermal management and refrigerants. * Drive continuous improvement in advanced development methods, tools, and processes across the organization. * Perform a variety of engineering calculations using traditional engineering methods to verify design requirements, which may include stress calculations, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics. Requirements * Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) or directly related degree at minimum. * Min 6+ years of experience * Highly self-directing with the ability to set priorities, define project scope, and drive results with minimal oversight * Track record as a technical lead directing multi-disciplinary project teams from concept through