Associate, Product Engineer in Pinebrook, New Jersey at MaxLite, Inc.

Why MaxLite?

For nearly 35 years, MaxLite has led the industry in energy-efficient lighting solutions. As an early innovator in LED technology, we offer a comprehensive portfolio of advanced indoor and outdoor LED lamps and luminaires under the MaxLED® brand. A three-time ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year, we continue to push the industry forward through innovation, research, and operational excellence.

Our vision is simple: Transform the way people experience light. Guided by our values of mutuality, efficiency, responsibility, innovation, and teamwork, we strengthen our position as a trusted lighting and controls solutions provider — delivering high-performance products backed by superior service and lifetime support.

Ease of doing business is our core priority at MaxLite. We cultivate strong partnerships and streamlined operations to provide responsive service, reliable solutions, and long-term value to our customers. We empower our employees with the tools, autonomy, and support to make meaningful contributions and continuously improve how we serve the market.

Job Description:

MaxLite is seeking a talented and innovative Product Engineer to join our engineering team. In this role, you will be responsible for evaluating, designing, and improving lighting products that keep MaxLite at the forefront of energy-efficient lighting technology. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams throughout the product development lifecycle to ensure products meet performance, quality, safety, and regulatory standards. We are seeking a candidate with a passion for developing innovative, high-quality lighting products and a collaborative mindset to work effectively across engineering, manufacturing, quality, marketing, and product management teams. The ideal candidate embraces continuous improvement, with a strong focus on quality, operational efficiency, and delivering exceptional customer satisfaction.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

• Conduct product testing and evaluation for assigned projects, including thermal, photometric (using an integrating sphere), electrical, mechanical, and lighting controls compatibility testing to verify compliance with safety and performance requirements.
• Perform product life expectancy calculations and reliability evaluations.
• Collaborate with an international pool of manufacturing partners to co-develop and evaluate next-generation lighting solutions.
• Partner closely with Quality, Marketing, Project Management, Product Management, and overseas teams to ensure projects are completed on schedule, within budget, and meet performance expectations.
• Identify and resolve bottlenecks during the product development process to minimize delays.
• Create and maintain project documentation, including mechanical drawings, engineering specifications, bills of materials (BOMs), engineering change requests (ECRs), standard operating procedures (SOPs), instruction manuals, and product labels.
• Manage certification activities for assigned projects, including safety certifications (UL/ETL), performance certifications (DLC), and other regulatory requirements such as FCC, Ingress Protection (IP), and vibration testing.
• Perform product design activities and utilize CAD software, when appropriate, to reduce the need for physical prototypes.
• Perform all other duties as assigned

What We Look For:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering field.
• 2–4 years of engineering experience; lighting industry experience preferred.
• Knowledge of LED lighting products, electrical systems, manufacturing processes, tooling, and metal/plastic fabrication.
• Experience with PTC Creo CAD software and familiarity with UL, ETL, and DLC standards preferred.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and work effectively both independently and collaboratively.
• Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and comfortable working in a laboratory environment with occasional meetings outside normal business hours to support overseas teams and vendors.
• Quality Control experience is a plus.

Work Environment & Role Demands:

• This is an on-site position required to work out of our Pine Brook, NJ Headquarters, Monday through Friday, 5 days per week
• Must be able to commute to the work location
• Must be able to walk, talk, sit, stand, bend, listen, type, read
• Must be able to push, pull, lift up to 25 pounds on occasion
• Must be comfortable working in a laboratory environment with electrical equipment.
• Must be able to participate in occasional virtual meetings outside normal business hours to collaborate with overseas teams and vendors.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States

Career Progression & Growth at MaxLite:

At MaxLite, roles are built with long-term growth in mind. Career progression at MaxLite is performance-driven and aligned with business objectives — giving high-performing employees the opportunity to grow alongside a company that continues to innovate and expand.

During the first 6 months, successful employees will master MaxLite’s products and processes, establish credibility across teams, internal and external stakeholders, and consistently deliver against performance expectations and key objectives.

By the end of year one, employees are expected to operate independently within their role, demonstrate consistent performance, and begin contributing at a broader level through expanded responsibilities, process improvement, or cross-functional collaboration.

Year 3 and beyond, high-performing employees may take on increased scope, leadership of projects or initiatives, mentorship of peers, or transition into advanced, specialized, or leadership roles aligned with business needs and individual strengths.

We don’t just fill roles — we invest in people and build careers:

MaxLite offers competitive compensation, robust health and wellness benefits, paid time off, including holidays and flex days (for HQ-based employees), a 401(k) with company match, and a collaborative environment designed to support growth and meaningful contribution.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

MaxLite is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, protected veteran status, military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. MaxLite strictly prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in any aspect of employment.

Reasonable Accommodation

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state and local laws, MaxLite provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and to individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, unless doing so would cause undue hardship. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including the application and interview process. Applicants requiring accommodation should notify Human Resources.

Work Authorization

MaxLite does not provide visa sponsorship or support for employment-based work authorization. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and must not require current or future sponsorship.

At-Will Employment

Employment with MaxLite is at will. This means that either the employee or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, in accordance with applicable law. Nothing in this job description or related materials should be construed as a contract of employment