Associate Project Engineer

Company Description Innovative Design Engenuity Agency (I.D.E.A.) operates a full-service package testing laboratory in northern New Jersey, providing end-to-end product validation for beauty, spirits, and consumer goods brands. The organization offers a single, integrated location where clients can assess package performance, durability, and customer experience outcomes. With a pragmatic and engineering-focused approach, I.D.E.A. helps clients ensure that product launches meet strict quality and usability expectations. The team collaborates closely with customers to translate technical testing into actionable improvements that support successful market introductions.

Associate Project Engineer, Technical Client Services

Location: Mahwah, NJ - On-site 5 days/week

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced engineer to join our Technical Client Services team. This role combines project management, client engagement, and technical engineering expertise, with a focus on supporting more complex technical projects and consulting opportunities as demonstrated readiness is established.

The Project Engineer will manage projects from initial client engagement through testing, analysis, and final reporting while serving as a technical resource to clients and internal teams. This individual will be expected to independently assess technical challenges, develop test plans and engineering approaches, interpret results, and provide practical recommendations.

The ideal candidate will have 3-5 years of relevant experience , preferably within the consumer products industry, with experience in personal care, packaging, product development, materials, testing, or engineering strongly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Technical & Engineering

• Serve as a technical resource for clients on packaging, product, material, and performance-related challenges.
• Develop test plans, technical approaches, and recommendations based on engineering principles and client objectives.
• Analyze test results and technical data to identify trends, risks, and potential root causes.
• Provide technical interpretation and actionable recommendations rather than simply reporting test results.
• Support technical consulting engagements, including package/product evaluations, troubleshooting, failure investigations, and design or material assessments.
• Interpret technical drawings, specifications, and product/package requirements.
• Apply knowledge of package and consumer product development processes to client projects.
• Prepare clear, accurate technical reports and presentations.

Project Management

• Manage projects from initial client request through execution, analysis, reporting, and closeout.
• Develop project timelines, scopes, deliverables, and documentation.
• Coordinate internal technical, laboratory, and operational resources.
• Manage multiple projects and priorities while maintaining quality and deadlines.
• Communicate project status, risks, findings, and recommendations to clients and internal stakeholders.
• Support development of project scopes and proposals for new opportunities.

Client Engagement

• Serve as a trusted technical point of contact for clients.
• Lead technical discussions with client engineering, R&D, packaging, quality, and product development teams.
• Translate complex technical information into clear, practical business recommendations.
• Understand client needs and identify opportunities for additional testing, engineering, or consulting services.
• Support client onboarding and education around testing capabilities and technical services.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve testing, engineering, and client-service processes.
• Contribute to new technical methodologies, tools, and service offerings.
• Stay current on relevant consumer product, packaging, testing, and industry developments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or related STEM field .
• 3-5 years of relevant professional experience in engineering, package development, product development, materials, testing, or technical consulting.
• Consumer products experience is strongly preferred; personal care/beauty/cosmetics experience is a plus .
• Experience developing custom tooling for plastic and/or glass components is strongly preferred.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and root-cause analysis skills.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings, specifications, and test data.
• Familiarity with packaging materials, product/package interactions, and package performance.
• Knowledge of relevant testing standards such as ISTA and ASTM preferred.
• Strong project management, organization, and client relationship skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience working with cross-functional R&D, engineering, packaging, quality, or manufacturing teams preferred.

What Success Looks Like

The Associate Project Engineer will operate at both the project-management and engineering levels , taking an ambiguous client problem, determining the appropriate technical approach, coordinating execution, interpreting results, and delivering a clear recommendation.

The goal is for this individual to become a trusted technical advisor to clients and help expand the company's ability to provide higher-value engineering and consulting services.