How to hire a principal mechanical engineer

How to hire a principal mechanical engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step principal mechanical engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a principal mechanical engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new principal mechanical engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a principal mechanical engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The principal mechanical engineer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A principal mechanical engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, principal mechanical engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents principal mechanical engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Principal Mechanical Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Principal Mechanical Engineer	Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices, including tools, engines, and machines.	$37-63
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62
   Lead Design Engineer	A Lead Design Engineer produces design solutions that can be purchased, installed, and commissioned effectively. They are also responsible for the cost-effectiviness and safety of new designs.	$39-68

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Mechanical Engineering
   • CAD
   • Mechanical Design
   • Creo
   • DOD
   • Solidworks
   • GD
   • Engineering Design
   • Mechanical Systems
   • Structural Analysis
   • FEA
   • Ansys
   • Design Reviews
   • RF

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Used SolidWorks to design implantable leads, anchors, introductory devices and other accessories.
   • Manage and drive continuous improvement programs (CIP) of RF plasma ion immersion implanting equipment for the semiconductor industry.
   • Provide mechanical design and sustaining engineering expertise to troubleshoot manufacturing defect trends and achieve a more robust and producible product.
   • Used Matlab to compare results and gather data.
   • Perform stress analysis and strength calculations using FEA and 1st principals.
   • Used actual measurements to validate FEA model of complete fuel cell system.

   More principal mechanical engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your principal mechanical engineer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A principal mechanical engineer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, principal mechanical engineers' average salary in arkansas is 40% less than in new mexico.
   • Seniority. Entry-level principal mechanical engineers 41% less than senior-level principal mechanical engineers.
   • Certifications. A principal mechanical engineer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a principal mechanical engineer's salary.

   Average principal mechanical engineer salary

   $102,451yearly

   $49.26 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level principal mechanical engineer salary

   $78,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average principal mechanical engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$129,251	$62
   2	Washington	$118,005	$57
   3	Massachusetts	$117,787	$57
   4	Texas	$113,551	$55
   5	District of Columbia	$111,039	$53
   6	Colorado	$104,812	$50
   7	Maryland	$101,989	$49
   8	Georgia	$100,508	$48
   9	Michigan	$100,500	$48
   10	Arizona	$94,056	$45
   11	Illinois	$93,837	$45
   12	Indiana	$92,466	$44
   13	Ohio	$91,972	$44
   14	Wisconsin	$90,933	$44
   15	Pennsylvania	$89,232	$43
   16	Alabama	$86,577	$42
   17	Utah	$83,650	$40
   18	Florida	$83,189	$40
   19	Minnesota	$83,070	$40

   Average principal mechanical engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Microsoft	$144,845	$69.64	540
   2	The Walt Disney Company	$143,162	$68.83	85
   3	Amazon	$133,597	$64.23	726
   4	GoPro	$125,702	$60.43	2
   5	TransMedics	$119,291	$57.35	11
   6	Engineering Resource Group	$116,576	$56.05
   7	Brooks Automation	$115,877	$55.71	1
   8	SMUD	$115,579	$55.57
   9	Atkins	$114,896	$55.24	3
   10	ASML Holding	$114,774	$55.18	5
   11	Randstad North America, Inc.	$113,165	$54.41	1
   12	Western Digital	$112,751	$54.21	34
   13	Kelly Services	$112,418	$54.05	48
   14	QuantumScape	$112,233	$53.96	4
   15	CyberCoders	$112,125	$53.91	8
   16	Occidental Petroleum	$111,384	$53.55	2
   17	Edmund Optics	$110,020	$52.89
   18	DRS	$109,529	$52.66	32
   19	Gulf Interstate Engineering	$108,817	$52.32	4
   20	Elbit Systems of America	$108,367	$52.10	2

4. Writing a principal mechanical engineer job description

   A good principal mechanical engineer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a principal mechanical engineer job description:

   Principal mechanical engineer job description example

   Status: Exempt (salaried)
   Department: Mechanical Engineering
   Job Location: Latham, NY
   
   About the Company
   Plug Power Inc. (Stock: PLUG) is a global leading supplier for end-to-end clean hydrogen and zero-emissions fuel cell solutions. The company provides proton exchange membrane (PEM), fuel cell and fuel processing technologies, and fuel cell/battery hybrid technologies, as well as related hydrogen and green hydrogen generation, storage, and dispensing infrastructure. The company offers hydrogen-fueled PEM fuel cell system that provides power to material handling electric vehicles; liquid hydrogen fueling delivery, generation, storage, and dispensing system; fuel cell engines; and stationary fuel cell solution that offers modular PEM fuel cell power to support the backup and grid-support power requirements of the telecommunications, transportation, and utility sectors. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Latham, New York. The office is within the Capital District of New York State and is 2 miles from the Albany International Airport.
   
   About the Position
   The Principal Mechanical Engineer is a Subject Matter Expert who is responsible for the sizing, specification, analysis, optimization, testing and integration of mechanical and electromechanical components and subsystems used in fuel cell systems. The candidate should be a Subject Matter Expert in at least one of the following subjects: compressors, pumps, pressure/flow control valves, pressure regulators, pressure relieve devices, pressure vessels and piping codes, humidifiers, filters, fans, heat exchangers, separators, sensors, switches, solenoids, motors, and motor controllers, noise and vibration prediction and attenuation, etc. You will conduct technology studies to identify the most competitive technologies, search and qualify new suppliers and new products, analyze and optimize the duty requirements, write the specification and test plan, lead the test lab and test bench setup, and spearhead the validation test. You will have many opportunities to convert your creative and innovative thinking into game-changing solutions for our new products.
   The role requires close interaction with the systems, electrical, controls and packaging teams to ensure efforts are properly coordinated. The role also requires close interaction with supply chain, suppliers, quality, CAD design, manufacturing, reliability and service teams to ensure that designs meet all cross-functional requirements. The candidate must have strong industry experience in one or more domains mentioned above, be self-motivated, detail-oriented, able to guide and advise other team members, able to handle multiple project assignments and willing to adapt in a fast-paced engineering organization.
   The position reports to the Director of Mechanical Engineering.
   Core Duties and Responsibilities
   Lead definition and development of requirements, including performance, function, reliability, durability, inspection and test plans for a range of mechanical and electromechanical components and subsystems to meet overall fuel cell system design specifications and requirements.Create and maintain accurate, complete and concise engineering documentation to define critical components and subsystems' specifications and requirements, including engineering design, inspection, verification, and test plans.Conduct detailed engineering analysis and calculations to define and optimize critical design parameters and predict performance.Design, select, and source mechanical components and subsystems.Lead the execution of test plans. Write clear test reports that can be used to verify engineering analysis and drive fact-based decisions.Manage project schedules and lead root cause analysis and problem-solving.Lead development and continuous improvement in work processes, standards, specifications, guidelines, and engineering tools.Provide technical guidance to other team members. Lead the review and approval of other team members' work.Manage engineering changes for mechanical components and subsystems.Interface with customers, suppliers and business partners for new and existing products.Perform all other duties as assigned.Strictly follow all established company policies, including EHS policies.Some travel may be required.
   
   Education and Experience
   Minimum BS degree in Mechanical Engineering or closely related engineering discipline is required.A minimum of 15 years relevant industry engineering working experience in product development, specification, optimization and validation of at last one of the mechanical components and subsystems mentioned above. Research work during a relevant engineering Master's degree may count for up to 1 year and research work during a PhD's degree may count for up to 3 years.Strong experience on mechanical engineering principles and problem-solving methods.Practical experience on applicable industry codes and standards such as ISO, ASME, PED, SAE, UL, API, etc.Demonstrated experience for system thinking and creative problem solving.Demonstrated analytical abilities with needed attention to details.Ability to manage complex projects and multi-task effectively.Strong communication and presentation skills.Strong organizational skills preferred.Strong teamwork skills.Computer and software systems skills as applicable to position including but not limited to: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook.
   
   Plug Power Inc. is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right principal mechanical engineer for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your principal mechanical engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit principal mechanical engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with principal mechanical engineer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new principal mechanical engineer

   Once you've found the principal mechanical engineer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new principal mechanical engineer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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