Principal Engineer

Job Title: Principal Sterilization & Process Systems Engineer Job Description
This role serves as a senior technical authority for sterilization processes, process equipment, system performance, and reliability within advanced chamber-based and batch processing environments. You will integrate process engineering, equipment engineering, sterilization science, reliability, manufacturing, and new product development to deliver robust, repeatable sterilization solutions. The position focuses on developing deep expertise in nitrogen dioxide (NO) sterilization and supporting products, customers, engineering teams, and manufacturing partners. You will work cross-functionally across Engineering, Service, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, suppliers, and customers, contributing to both current products and next-generation sterilization systems.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a principal technical authority for sterilization processes, process equipment, and overall system performance and reliability.
- Analyze and optimize how equipment design, process conditions, instrumentation, controls, and product or load characteristics interact to deliver repeatable and robust sterilization processes.
- Develop deep technical expertise in nitrogen dioxide (NO) sterilization and apply this knowledge to existing products and new system designs.
- Lead process engineering efforts for sophisticated chamber-based or batch processes, including scale-up from development to manufacturing environments.
- Drive design for manufacturability in new product development, ensuring that sterilization equipment and process systems are reliable, scalable, and efficient to produce.
- Collaborate closely with Engineering, Service, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, suppliers, and customers to address technical issues and improve system performance.
- Support new product development projects by defining process requirements, equipment specifications, and performance criteria for sterilization systems.
- Apply reliability engineering principles, including design of experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis, to improve system robustness and reduce variability.
- Contribute to the development, validation, and continuous improvement of sterilization processes in compliance with ISO and GMP expectations.
- Utilize knowledge of heat transfer, mass transfer, fluid mechanics, vacuum systems, gas handling, and reaction engineering to design and troubleshoot process systems.
- Work with PLC-based automation, sensors, and industrial control systems to ensure accurate control and monitoring of sterilization processes.
- Engage with HVAC and vacuum manufacturing concepts to ensure proper integration of environmental and vacuum systems into sterilization equipment.
- Provide technical support to customers and internal stakeholders, including troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and performance optimization of installed systems.
- Contribute to documentation, including technical reports, process descriptions, and engineering specifications, to support regulatory and quality requirements.
- Participate in international and domestic travel several weeks per year to support installations, technical reviews, and collaboration with partners and customers.
Essential Skills
- Advanced degree such as a Masters or PhD in Engineering or Physics.
- Strong foundation in mechanical engineering principles applied to process and equipment design.
- Proven experience in process engineering within sophisticated chamber-based or batch processing environments, such as pharmaceutical lyophilization, semiconductor gas-phase processing, vacuum drying, pharmaceutical coating and drying, specialty-gas or chemical processing, or environmental chamber systems.
- Experience with sterilization technology or equipment, nitrogen dioxide (NO), or chemical manufacturing.
- Demonstrated experience in new product development and design for manufacturability for complex process or equipment systems.
- Hands-on experience with reliability engineering, including design of experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis.
- Background in heat transfer, mass transfer, fluid mechanics, vacuum systems, gas handling, or reaction engineering.
- Experience working with PLC automation, sensors, and industrial control systems to control and monitor process equipment.
- Familiarity with ISO and GMP practices as they relate to process systems and equipment in regulated or quality-focused environments.
- Ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams and communicate complex technical concepts clearly to diverse stakeholders.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Experience with HVAC manufacturing or integration of HVAC systems into process equipment.
- Experience with vacuum manufacturing or vacuum system design and integration.
- Exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO) sterilization or other advanced sterilization modalities.
- Background in industrial control systems and advanced instrumentation for process monitoring and control.
- Experience working in environments involving chemical manufacturing or specialty-gas processing.
- Comfort with international collaboration and occasional international travel.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills applied to complex process and equipment challenges.
Work Environment
This position operates in a highly technical engineering and manufacturing environment focused on cutting-edge sterilization equipment and process systems. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Engineering, Service, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, suppliers, and customers, in a setting that emphasizes innovation, reliability, and regulatory compliance. The standard working hours are approximately 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., providing a structured daytime schedule. The role does not include direct people management responsibilities, allowing you to focus on technical leadership and subject-matter expertise. Travel is required for approximately 4 to 6 weeks per year, including international trips (such as to Europe) and domestic travel (such as to Philadelphia), to support installations, technical reviews, and collaboration with partners and customers. The environment involves working with advanced process equipment, PLC-based automation, sensors, industrial control systems, and integrated HVAC and vacuum systems, offering exposure to modern engineering tools and technologies.
Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of Hanover, MD.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $155000.00 - $185000.00/yr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. 11 Holidays, 3 weeks of PTO. Benefits include health insurance, 401k.
Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of Hanover, MD.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Nov 13, 2026.
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Hanover,MD. About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

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Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the
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