Principal Mechanical Design Engineer

At F5, we strive to bring a better digital world to life. Our teams empower organizations across the globe to create, secure, and run applications that enhance how we experience our evolving digital world. We are passionate about cybersecurity, from protecting consumers from fraud to enabling companies to focus on innovation.    Everything we do centers around people. That means we obsess over how to make the lives of our customers, and their customers, better. And it means we prioritize a diverse F5 community where each individual can thrive.

F5 is seeking an accomplished Principal Mechanical Design Engineer to lead the development of advanced hardware solutions for high-performance electronic systems. As a key member of the Hardware Development Team, you will drive the design of complex electrical subsystems from concept through production release, providing technical leadership, mentoring, and strategic input across projects. This role requires deep expertise in multiple areas of hardware design and the ability to influence architecture decisions, ensure design excellence, and foster innovation.

Uphold F5’s Business Code of Ethics and promptly report violations of the Code or other company policies. Act as a technical authority, independently determining methods and procedures for new or complex assignments. Lead system-level mechanical design for new products, including architecture definition, functional specifications, and requirements development. Drive design for manufacturability, testability, and reliability across all phases of development. Research and evaluate emerging technologies to enhance existing products and guide new product directions. Oversee and mentor engineers, providing technical guidance and reviewing work to ensure quality and efficiency. Conduct internal and external technical presentations and disseminate knowledge within the Hardware Development Team. Develop and maintain schedules for deliverables, ensuring timely and high-quality documentation and testing. Interface with suppliers and manufacturing partners for validation and issue resolution. Support sustaining engineering for legacy products and assist in manufacturing training for new designs. Participate in design reviews and contribute to continuous improvement of design processes and standards. Hands-on support of prototype builds and evaluation of changes. Reviewing and checking engineering drawings. Creation and release of Bills of Materials. Preparation and release of Engineering Change Orders and Deviations.

Required: Understand and comply with F5 internal processes and requirements. BS in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent required; MS in Mechanical Engineering is desirable. 10+ years of experience in mechanical design for enterprise and service provider network systems. Advanced troubleshooting skills at component, assembly, and system levels. Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) or equivalent certification. Extensive experience in the following: Server appliance and chassis design in traditional enterprise or Open Rack environments. Design of sheet metal, injection molding, castings, machined parts and similar. Mechanical layout of circuit board (PCB/PCA) assemblies. Component selection evaluation (fans, heat sinks, connectors, hardware, etc. Simulation, analysis, and validation of mechanical designs, including thermal modeling and structural evaluations. System-level integration, including chassis and backplane designs. Familiarity with relevant industry standards and compliance requirements. Proficiency in generating reports for testing, tolerance, and fit analysis studies. Competence with Microsoft Office software. Familiarity with basic shop tools. Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills. Preferred: Experience with regulatory compliance (UL, CE, FCC) and reliability testing. The Job Description is intended to be a general