Principal Product Design Architect

As the Principal Product Design Architect at Magic Leap, you'll be responsible for leading the end-to-end mechanical design of next-generation augmented reality devices. This involves spearheading the technical architecture, solving complex architectural challenges, and ensuring that designs meet critical product performance indicators. Your work will primarily focus on early-stage ideation and solution development, alongside collaboration with cross-functional teams from initial concept through to high-volume manufacturing.

To qualify for the Principal Product Design Architect position at Magic Leap, candidates should have over 15 years of professional mechanical engineering design experience, particularly in mobile, handheld, or wearable consumer electronics. A Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering is fundamental, along with extensive experience in CAD design, especially in Creo and NX. Understanding of FEA for structural and thermal simulation and expertise in user experience design is also highly beneficial.

The Principal Product Design Architect role at Magic Leap requires master-level experience in CAD design and proficiency in tools such as Creo and NX. Strong understanding of design for manufacturing (DFM) and experience in prototyping, testing, and bringing high-volume products to market are essential. Additionally, experience with human factors and structural design simulations, including Finite Element Analysis (FEA), is critical for success in this position.

At Magic Leap, the Principal Product Design Architect has significant career development opportunities. You will work alongside industry experts, mentoring early-career mechanical engineers and driving innovative projects. The company fosters a culture of collaboration and empowers its employees to explore new ideas and drive impactful change, making it a fantastic environment for professional growth.

The Principal Product Design Architect position at Magic Leap is available in two exciting locations: Plantation, Florida, and Sunnyvale, California. Both locations offer unique advantages, from warm weather and proximity to vibrant tech communities to the opportunity for a hybrid work arrangement, creating the right balance for a rewarding career.

When answering this question, highlight specific projects you've worked on, emphasizing your role in the design process. Discuss challenges faced and how you overcame them, along with the DFM and user experience considerations you integrated into your designs.

Share specific examples of past collaborations, detailing how you effectively communicated design ideas, gathered feedback, and resolved conflicts. Emphasize your adaptability and ability to find common ground to achieve a shared vision.

Discuss your proficiency in CAD tools like Creo and NX, focusing on your experience with their functionalities that streamline design iterations. Share specific examples where these tools helped you achieve complex designs more efficiently.

Explain how Finite Element Analysis is critical for validating your designs under various conditions. Provide examples of how FEA helped identify weaknesses in your designs and guided modifications that improved overall product performance.

Share a story illustrating your mentoring approach, including specific skills or knowledge you imparted. Highlight any positive outcomes, such as the engineer's improvement in design quality or their successful project contributions.

Discuss your methods for integrating user feedback into the design process, including how you balance technical feasibility with user requirements. Providing an example of how you’ve successfully aligned design parameters with user expectations can reinforce your answer.

Share your strategies for professional development, such as attending industry conferences, participating in webinars, or engaging with professional networks. Mention how this knowledge informs your design practices at Magic Leap.

Detail a particular challenge you encountered, the factors contributing to it, and the methods you employed to resolve the issue. Highlight skills like problem-solving, creativity, and persistence to demonstrate your capability in overcoming hurdles.

Explain your planning process for prioritizing tasks, ensuring crucial deliverables align with project timelines. Discuss how you manage time effectively while maintaining quality in complex projects.

Articulate your vision of effective teamwork throughout the product lifecycle, emphasis on communication, synergy, and shared goals. Sharing a successful experience can illustrate your understanding of collaboration and its importance in product design.