Project Engineer-Development Acceleration Team

Intralox’s Development Acceleration Team exists to accelerate our ability to identify, evaluate, and mature new product opportunities. We operate with the mindset of an internal startup, moving quickly from idea to reality through prototyping, experimentation, and customer-driven learning. Success is measured not by how many projects we complete, but by how quickly and accurately we determine which opportunities deserve future investment.

About the role

We are seeking a Project Engineer to lead a newly formed rapid-development team focused on turning promising ideas into validated opportunities. This team will operate as an internal startup, moving quickly from concept to prototype, prototype to testing, and testing to informed investment decisions. The Project Engineer will orchestrate the team’s efforts, eliminate obstacles, guide prioritization, and ensure the right decisions are made rapidly. Success is measured by how quickly the team can assess uncertainty and generate actionable business and technical insights.

The ideal candidate enjoys creating functional solutions quickly, testing assumptions, and building just enough capability to evaluate an idea without over-engineering. You thrive with incomplete information, take action quickly, and understand that prototypes are tools for learning rather than finished products. These designs will help inform the real engineering requirements that downstream teams need to create robust products.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional efforts to evaluate new products, technologies, and business concepts.
• Establish rapid experimentation plans and validation strategies.
• Coordinate engineering, prototyping, testing, and customer validation activities.
• Drive decision-making through data, testing, and customer feedback.
• Manage project portfolios with varying levels of ambiguity.
• Facilitate executive reviews and investment recommendations.
• Create repeatable frameworks for rapid concept assessment.
• Balance technical feasibility, customer value, and commercial potential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years leading complex technical projects or innovation initiatives.
• Experience working in product development, R&D, or new-venture environments.
• Strong understanding of engineering development processes.
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to lift 40 lbs and climb ladders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Startup, incubator, or innovation-lab experience.
• PMP, Agile, or Lean Startup certification.
• Experience with physical product development.

Success Metrics

• Time from idea submission to prototype.
• Number of concepts validated or rejected through testing.
• Quality of investment recommendations.
• Team throughput and learning velocity.

What makes someone successful in this role

• Naturally curious and energized by solving difficult technical challenges.
• Comfortable moving between CAD software, manufacturing discussions, testing environments, and field applications.
• Able to work independently while collaborating effectively across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Thrives in environments where problems are not always clearly defined and creative thinking is encouraged.
• Excited by the opportunity to see designs move quickly from concept to prototype to customer application.
• Passionate about continuous improvement and motivated by making products better with every iteration.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to approach issues from both mechanical and controls perspectives.
• Comfort working in an ambiguous development environment where design objectives, equipment concepts, and performance targets may evolve over time.

Schedule

• Position is required to be in office 5 days a week when not traveling.
• Travel will be required (10–30%) to investigate customer issues that drive ideas or to support on-site testing of prototypes.

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, and disability insurance.
• Paid time off.
• 401K.
• Flexible spending account.
• Life and AD&D insurance.
• Long-term care.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Additional voluntary benefits.

Pay

Salary range: $73,500 to $156,200. The position is eligible for commissions, discretionary incentives, or production incentives according to plan terms.

Location: Hanover, MD.