Assistant Packaging Engineer

About the role

PIM Brands is seeking an Assistant Packaging Engineer to join our Research and Development team at our headquarters in Park Ridge, New Jersey. This position reports to the Associate Sourcing Director, Packaging and plays a crucial role in developing packaging solutions for high-speed manufacturing of confections and fruit snack products.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and commercialize packaging solutions tailored for high speed manufacturing of confections and fruit snack products.
• Provide technical support during initial production runs and troubleshoot packaging lines at internal and external facilities.
• Maintain and evolve sustainable packaging programs in alignment with company and industry targets.
• Create an innovative portfolio of sustainable packaging options for product innovations, promotional displays, graphic refreshes, and customer specific packs.
• Coordinate performance testing, qualifications, and validations (e.g., shelf life) related to key package dimensions and consumer attributes.
• Develop technical specifications for finished goods and packaging materials.
• Conduct root cause analysis and problem solving to address packaging issues and apply sound design practices to new concepts.
• Generate ideas, concepts, and prototypes to solve problems and meet customer/consumer needs in superior ways.
• Collaborate with manufacturing plants to drive efficiencies in packaging, including cost savings, reduced changeover time, and consolidation efforts.
• Translate marketing insights into packaging concepts, rapidly converting ideas into functional and testable prototypes.
• Participate in packaging associations and global networks to stay current on trends, technologies, and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or related field required.
• 1 or more years of experience in packaging engineering, preferably within food, beverage, or consumer goods industries.
• Knowledge of recycling technologies and how sustainable materials fit within industry guidelines.
• Working knowledge of multiple materials and processes across distribution environments, including rigid plastics, flexible materials, corrugated and paperboard packaging, and labels.
• Extensive knowledge of packaging machinery.
• Proven ability to contribute to cross-functional teams, with strong communication skills across all organizational levels, including senior leadership.
• Demonstrated innovation mindset with the ability to convert ideas into prototypes quickly.
• Strong network and relationships with organizations providing guidance on packaging converters and sustainability compliance, is preferred.