Principal Research & Development and Product Development Engineer

PRINCIPAL R&D/PRODUCT DVL ENGINEER At TE, you will unleash your potential working with people from diverse backgrounds and industries to create a safer, sustainable and more connected world. Job Overview As a Principal Structural & Multiphysics Engineer in the Mechanical Center of Excellence team, you will lead advanced structural predictive analysis and validation efforts for cutting-edge interconnect systems used in AI data centers, high-performance computing, and next-generation communication infrastructure Your role involves supporting development of novel mechanical structures, executing Multiphysics structural simulations, validating materials, and collaborating cross-functionally to enhance product performance, reliability, and manufacturability. You will operate with a high degree of autonomy and technical depth to define and drive innovation across mechanical platforms—from early-stage PoCs through NPI handoff This role is highly cross-functional, requiring collaboration with structural, electrical, signal integrity, system architecture, manufacturing, and supplier development teams. BU Overview Consumer, network, and data center applications change at an exponential pace and the Data & Devices (D&D) business unit at TE Connectivity is at the heart of a continuously expanding connected life. Accordingly, we provide responsive, iterative, and fundamentally agile capabilities and conceive, design, and manufacture to support today's demands. Our customers are building the devices and the infrastructure that redefine what information technology means. Our products push markets and meet the ever-changing needs of the evolving, more connected, data-driven world. We are improving how we do business, focusing on the most important things and staying agile and responsive to the needs of a faster, more connected world. The Mechanical Center of Excellence (ME COE) plays a critical role in shaping the future of thermomechanical design, reliability engineering, and platform-based product development. By integrating advanced system level Multiphysics simulation in realm of product engineering and manufacturing, ME COE empowers faster, more scalable, and more robust innovation across TE’s high-speed connectivity and AI infrastructure portfolios. Roles & Responsibilities: 1. Strategy & Architecture Lead & support end-to-end structural multiphysics simulation strategy and method development for structural performance of complex electro-mechanical systems across product portfolios in Datacenter business unit. Support mechanical architecture development to optimize performance based on interaction between structural, SI & PI performance. 2. Simulation method development & Support on Design Execution for next data center interconnect products Lead development of high-fidelity structural simulation methodologies to detect failure modes and mechanisms and establish correlation between simulation-test for mechanical requirements across products in Datacenter business unit. Standardize methodologies and scalable models to enable reusable simulation frameworks, digital twins, and cross-platform design libraries. Perform advanced nonlinear full system level structural analysis, structural design optimization and drive material selection across projects in AES, balancing mechanical, SI and manufacturability performance. Support design governance and technical reviews (DFMEA, PFMEA), ensuring robust multiphysics considerations in product decisions. 3. Cross-Functional Integration Collaborate with cross functional teams to drive adoption of above methodologies by other teams in the organization 5. Leadership & External Engagement Mentor engineers and build domain expertise in thermal sciences, multiphysics simulation, and physics-based design. Represent the organization externally with customers, industry forums, and standards bodies on advanced thermal challenges. Required Skills/ Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Physics with 12+ years of experience, or Master's with 10+ years of experience, or PhD with 6+ years of experience, or equivalent amount of experience in mechanical product development in connector, electronics, or high-reliability hardware industries. Hands-on experience with mechanical design and modeling using tools such as Creo, SolidWorks, or NX. Expertise in simulation tools such as ANSYS, Abaqus, LS Dyna for structural analysis. Proven experience in DFM, DFA, and transition of mechanical designs to high-volume manufacturing. Deep understanding of materials science, including polymers, metals, and thermal materials. Experience conducting reliability testing: thermal cycling, vibration, drop/shock, and HALT/HASS. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills with a focus on root cause analysis and continuous improvement. Excellent communication skills to engage with global engineering, operations, and customer teams Nice to have Skills/Experience: Ph.D. in Engineering or equivalent. Experience with micro-mechanics, co-packaged optics, or liquid cooling solutions. Familiarity with data analytics, Six Sigma methodologies, or AI-driven simulation optimization. Experience working on system-level hardware such as AI servers, switches, or RF modules. Patent filings or published research in mechanical design and materials. Experience managing cross-functional or global engineering projects Experience Level Senior Level