Senior Packaging Development Engineer

Principal Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Promote applicable safety, regulatory, GMP requirements in lab, pilot plant, and manufacturing facilities.
• Aid in writing new policy and procedures as needed.
• Owns the technical direction and execution of complex packaging development programs from concept through commercialization across multiple product lines and plants.
• Serve as the technical authority for assigned packaging platforms, materials, and formats, providing clear direction and decision-making throughout the development lifecycle.
• Lead packaging design, material selection, testing strategies, and validation activities to ensure solutions meet performance, regulatory, customer, and consumer requirements.
• Plan and execute lab, pilot, and plant trials, including scale-up and commercialization activities across manufacturing locations.
• Anticipate and mitigate technical and operational risks associated with packaging changes and new introductions.
• Develop, review, and approve packaging specifications, material standards, and test protocols with a focus on consistency, scalability, and long-term performance.
• Establish best practices and technical guidance for packaging development, validation, and documentation.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and complete documentation of development work, supplier qualifications, and commercialization trials.
• Lead plant-level packaging issue resolution and performance improvement efforts, including root cause analysis and corrective action implementation.
• Support manufacturing teams during startup, changeover, and sustained production phases to ensure packaging systems perform as intended.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement, standardization, and simplification across plants.
• Drive cost optimization through material selection, design efficiency, and standardization without compromising product integrity or brand expectations.
• Evaluate and recommend packaging technologies, materials, and suppliers based on total cost of ownership, risk, and long-term strategy.
• Provide technical input into capital projects, major packaging changes, and supplier transitions.
• Partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Quality, Operations, Procurement, and Regulatory to scope, prioritize, and implement packaging solutions.
• Serve as a primary technical interface with packaging suppliers, equipment vendors, and external testing partners.
• Support customer-facing engagements related to packaging performance, innovation, and issue resolution as required.
• Lead competitive benchmarking and internal testing to evaluate packaging technologies, materials, and formats.
• Stay current on industry trends, emerging technologies, and regulatory developments, translating insights into actionable opportunities.
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to junior and mid-level packaging engineers.
• Review challenges on technical work to raise overall capability, rigor, and consistency within the packaging organization.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Packaging Engineering or related discipline, plus 6 -10 years related work experience.
• In the absence of a Bachelor’s Degree, total experience must equal 12 years.
• Demonstrated expertise in packaging development processes, materials, barrier systems, packaging equipment, testing methods, and commercialization.
• Strong technical problem-solving skills with the ability to work independently on complex, ambiguous challenges.
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional partners without direct authority.
• In-depth knowledge of food manufacturing processes and packaging system integration.
• Expertise in poultry processing and/or related food product systems.
• Ability to travel up to 50%.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Master’s degree with 4 years related experience or PhD with 2 years’ experience.
• Experience supporting multiple plants or product platforms.

Physical Requirements and Environmental Factors

• May need to move light equipment or supplies from one place to another.
• May need to access files, supplies and equipment.
• Exposure primarily consists of wet and moist floors which include metal and plastic grating surfaces.
• May be exposed to temperatures of 28 degrees to 100 degrees Fahrenheit with both ambient and 100% humidity.
• May handle products from 25 degrees to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
• May be exposed to noise ranges of 50 db to 110 db.
• May be exposed to all chemicals used in poultry, food, and processing facility.
• Must wear and use protective and safety equipment required for the job as directed by the Company.