OverviewLutron Electronics Co., Inc has an immediate opening for a highly motivated Principal Mechanical Engineering Architect at our Austin, Texas Engineering office. In this role, you would be a key part of the Engineering team, developing innovative and high-quality products that maintain and expand our market position as the world leader in automated lighting and shades.
You will have the opportunity to join a dynamic group-learning from experiences and from one another; we are always seeking to discover new technologies, design techniques, materials, and aesthetic design. The products and systems you develop are destined for use in the most cutting edge residential and commercial environments.
The Principal Mechanical Engineering Architect is a senior technical leadership role responsible for defining, guiding, and governing the mechanical architecture of complex products across the company's portfolio. This individual serves as the highest-level mechanical engineering authority, ensuring that designs are robust, scalable, manufacturable, and aligned with business, quality, and regulatory objectives.
Responsibilities - Define and own the mechanical architecture for new and existing products, from concept through production.
- Lead technical decision-making for mechanisms, thermal solutions, structural systems, material selection, and manufacturing approaches.
- Translate system-level requirements into mechanical design strategies and product design roadmaps.
- Evaluate trade-offs between performance, cost, manufacturability, reliability, and schedule.
- Ensure designs are optimized for manufacturability, assembly, serviceability, and cost at scale.
- Establish design standards, best practices, and architectural principles across mechanical systems.
- Provide hands-on technical guidance during concept development, detailed design, prototyping, verification, and validation.
- Guide tolerance analysis, DFM/DFA efforts, and production readiness reviews.
- Mentor and develop senior and junior mechanical engineers.
- Review and approve critical mechanical designs, analyses, and test plans.
- Support root-cause analysis and resolution of complex technical issues in development and production.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with electrical, software, optical, semiconductor packaging, industrial design, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and regulatory teams to ensure mechanical designs are fully integrated and meet all functional, aesthetic, and compliance requirements.
- Support customer, partner, and supplier technical discussions as a mechanical subject-matter expert.
- Collaborate with suppliers, consultants, and industry experts on design feasibility and process selection.
- Influence engineering culture by promoting technical rigor, documentation, and design excellence. Set and maintain a high bar for quality.
- Contribute to long-term technology roadmaps and R&D strategy.
- Proven problem-solving and analytical skills with the ability to balance innovation with practical execution.
- Identify cost reduction and product improvement opportunities.
Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field (Master's degree preferred)
- Minimum, cumulative GPA of 3.00 GPA (or equivalent) for all degrees earned
- 12+ years of progressive mechanical engineering experience, including leadership on complex product development programs.
- Proven experience architecting mechanical systems for commercial products shipped at scale.
- Expertise in materials, mechanisms, structural design, thermal management, and manufacturing processes.
- Advanced proficiency with CAD and PLM tools (e.g., SolidWorks, Creo, Windchill).
- Excellent technical communication and design review skills.
- Track record of solving tough problems with cross-functional curiosity and sound decision making.
- Experience working in regulated, safety-critical, or high-reliability environments is a plus.
