Packaging Development Engineer

Location: Remote (Candidates must be based in AZ, CA, MD, IL, or GA)

Summary: This role is with a premier specialty contract packaging(co-packer) and OEM food manufacturer recognized for developing customsolutions across a vast product portfolio. Their expertise ranges from drygoods, such as seasonings and mixes, to liquid and viscous products, includingsauces and dressings, serving a diverse customer base in retail, foodservice, and industrial sectors. They are seeking an experienced Packaging Development Engineer tojoin their R&D team. This critical role involves the end-to-end developmentand design of packaging materials for both new and existing food products. While this position offers a remote work structure for candidates based in CA, IL, or GA, it requires a professional comfortable with frequent travel toproduction facilities in Arizona and Maryland to ensure successful scale-up, testing, and implementation of packaging designs. Essential Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limitedto: Material Development: Develop, select, and design appropriate containers, films, and packagingmaterials for all new food products, specifically focusing on the uniquebarrier and shelf-life requirements for sauces, seasonings, and dry mixes. Sustainability Leadership: Propose, champion, and implement sustainable packaging solutions, such aspaper conversion and the increased use of recycled and biodegradablematerials. Vendor Liaison: Act as theprimary technical contact, collaborating and negotiating with externalpackaging material suppliers, printing companies, and filling machinemanufacturers. On-Site Integration: Travel to manufacturing sites in Arizona and Maryland to evaluate andconfirm the suitability of packaging on mass production and filling lines; they will provide expert technical support to troubleshoot and resolvepackaging-related production issues. Standards &Testing: Establish comprehensive packaging specifications and define quality anddurability testing standards to ensure product integrity throughout thesupply chain. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Marketing, Product Development, and Manufacturingteams to deliver optimal packaging solutions throughout the entire productlifecycle. Value Engineering: Lead efforts toidentify and implement strategic cost-reduction measures related topackaging design and materials procurement.

Qualifications: Technical Breadth: Demonstratedknowledge of a wide variety of packaging materials, including plastics, laminated films, paper containers, and bottles. Operational Insight: Solid understanding of packaging machinery and filling equipment, including the ability to conduct formal compatibility assessments on-site. Commercial Acumen: Proven experiencein technical negotiations with packaging suppliers and the strategicpurchasing of packaging materials.

Required: Residency inCalifornia, Illinois, or Georgia. Willingness andability to travel frequently (up to 40-50%) to AZ and MD facilities. A minimum of 3years of professional packaging design or material development experiencewithin the food, beverage, or Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industries. Proven trackrecord of successful supplier management and negotiation.

Preferred: Direct experiencewith packaging materials for dry goods (seasonings/mixes) and/orliquid/viscous products (sauces/dressings).Direct experienceworking within a contract packaging (co-packer) or OEM manufacturingenvironment. A Bachelor'sdegree in Packaging Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.