Senior Principal Systems Engineer

Overview

 

 

Join a team at the forefront of innovation in analytical science and help define the future of liquid chromatography.

 

As a Systems Engineer within the Next Generation Liquid Chromatography (NGLC) Systems Group, you will play a pivotal role in the creation of industry-leading chromatography solutions that advance scientific discovery, pharmaceutical development, and quality assurance worldwide. Working at the intersection of customer needs, business strategy, and technology innovation, you will help transform bold product concepts into commercially successful products that set new standards for performance, usability, connectivity, and customer value.

 

This highly collaborative and hands-on role requires a versatile engineer who thrives in multidisciplinary environments. You will work closely with Product Management, Marketing, Software, Electrical, Mechanical, Quality, Regulatory, Service, Manufacturing, and Commercial teams to define product capabilities, develop system requirements, guide technical decision-making, and verify that innovative solutions deliver exceptional customer outcomes.

 

From early product ideation through system integration and launch, you will influence every stage of development—combining systems thinking, technical leadership, and practical engineering execution. Whether defining next-generation workflows, developing system architectures, executing hands-on testing, or solving complex integration challenges, you will play a key role in bringing breakthrough technologies to market.

 

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of liquid chromatography while working alongside some of the industry's leading scientists, engineers, and product innovators.

 

 

Responsibilities

 

• Collaborate with Product Management, Marketing, and Engineering teams to define next-generation liquid chromatography products and customer solutions.
• Translate customer and business needs into clear, testable, and traceable system requirements.
• Partner with software, electrical, mechanical, and scientific teams to develop innovative system-level solutions.
• Support product architecture and technical decision-making throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Lead cross-functional discussions to align requirements, resolve technical issues, and drive project execution.
• Develop verification and validation strategies to ensure products meet customer needs and performance expectations.
• Plan, execute, and analyze hands-on testing of prototypes and integrated systems.
• Investigate system-level issues, perform root cause analysis, and drive effective corrective actions.
• Identify and mitigate technical risks while balancing performance, schedule, quality, and business objectives.
• Promote systems engineering best practices, including requirements management, traceability, and design verification.
• Provide technical leadership and influence across multiple functions without direct authority.
• Support the successful commercialization of industry-leading liquid chromatography solutions.

 

Qualifications

 

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Physical Sciences, Chemistry, or a related technical discipline; advanced degree preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in systems engineering, product development, or multidisciplinary engineering environments involving complex hardware and software products.
• Demonstrated success leading system-level development efforts from product concept through commercialization.
• Extensive experience translating customer needs, business objectives, and market requirements into product architectures and system requirements.
• Proven ability to influence technical direction and drive decisions across multiple engineering disciplines, business functions, and organizational levels.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams through ambiguity, complex trade-offs, and challenging technical problems without direct organizational authority.
• Strong understanding of systems engineering principles, including requirements development, architecture definition, integration, verification, validation, traceability, and risk management.
• Experience with large-scale system integration involving hardware, software, firmware, data, connectivity, and user workflows.
• Demonstrated hands-on technical leadership in laboratory, industrial, scientific, medical device, analytical instrumentation, or other complex technology environments.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, including engagement with executive leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and elevate systems engineering capabilities across organizations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Physical Sciences, Chemistry, or a related technical discipline; advanced degree preferred.
• Strong preference for candidates with direct experience designing, developing, integrating, servicing, supporting, or utilizing HPLC, UHPLC, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, or other analytical instrumentation platforms.
• Deep understanding of liquid chromatography workflows, laboratory operations, and customer applications within pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, chemical, food, environmental, or clinical markets.
• Experience developing complex electromechanical products that integrate hardware, software, firmware, fluidics, robotics, and data systems.
• Experience driving system architecture and technical strategy for multi-disciplinary product development programs.
• Familiarity with chromatography system design considerations including fluidics, sample management, solvent delivery, detection technologies, column management, thermal control, and laboratory workflow integration.
• Experience with cloud-enabled products, cybersecurity requirements, laboratory informatics, connectivity, and data management platforms.
• Experience with Design Controls, Risk Management, Verification & Validation, and regulated product development processes.
• Experience with requirements management and systems engineering tools such as DOORS, Jama, Polarion, or equivalent platforms.
• Recognized technical expert with a track record of patents, publications, technology leadership, or significant product contributions.

 

Company Description

Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT)  is a global leader in life sciences and diagnostics, dedicated to accelerating the benefits of pioneering science through analytical technologies, informatics, and service. With a focus on regulated, high-volume testing environments, our innovative portfolio harnesses deep scientific expertise across chemistry, physics, and biology. We collaborate with customers around the world to advance the release of effective, high-quality medicines, ensure the safety of food and water, and drive better patient outcomes by detecting diseases earlier, managing routine infections, and combating antibiotic resistance. Through a shared culture of relentless innovation, our passionate team of ~16,000 colleagues turn scientific challenges into breakthroughs that improve lives worldwide.  

 

 

 

Diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our core values at Waters Corporation. It benefits our employees, our products, our customers and our community. Waters complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to sex, race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, marital status (including civil unions), military service, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, legally recognized disability, domestic violence victim status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Waters is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All hiring decisions are based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.