Senior Packaging Engineer
Location: Chicago, IL, United States
Job Function: Innovation Quality & Food Safety
Req Number: 1161
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Description
We are a global leader in food & beverage ingredients. Pioneers at heart, we operate at the forefront of consumer trends to provide food & beverage manufacturers with products and ingredients that will delight their consumers. Making a positive impact on people and planet is all part of the delight. With a deep-rooted presence in the countries where our ingredients are grown, we are closer to farmers, enabling better quality, and more reliable, traceable and transparent supply. Supplying products and ingredients at scale is just the start. We add value through our unique, complementary portfolio of natural, delicious and nutritious products. With our fresh thinking, we help our customers unleash the sensory and functional attributes of cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts and spices so they can create naturally good food & beverage products that meet consumer expectations. And whoever we’re with, whatever we’re doing, we always make it real.
Position Summary
We're seeking a highly skills and strategic Senior Packaging Engineer to lead packaging initiatives across our organization. Reporting to the Director of Packaging Engineering, Package Center of Expertise (COE), the Senior Packaging Engineer is responsible for leading and supporting all aspects of package innovation and development. Extensive experience with Thermoformed Rigid Plastic molds and equipment qualifications and implementation and testing of sustainable packaging are required. The role is accountable for guiding, identifying, developing and supporting package engineering activities for project activity relating to bulk products, private label and retail innovation efforts from front end development through commercialization.
A critical part of this role is to work influentially and collaboratively with cross-functional teams across multiple levels of management (sr. management through individual contributors) and global regions. An in-depth knowledge of plastics (design and manufacture), and material sustainability is required.
This hands-on role will require a broad network of suppliers and technologies. This leader will work closely with innovation and site teams to direct and foster package innovation to proactively cultivate and drive development of new incremental growth platforms and ideas within platforms which satisfy new need states, consumers and usage occasions.
Position Responsibilities
- Lead, direct and deploy packaging project activity to deliver against innovation development and commercialization agenda.
- Understanding of material structures and sustainability applications. Awareness of legislation and trends in sustainable packaging
- Support ofi project teams in making informed decisions based on hard data and are comfortable thinking big while executing details flawlessly
- Manages packaging development timelines, ensuring that all critical launch milestones are met and information is communicated as necessary to key stakeholders
- Drive and direct key packaging supplier relationships on innovation opportunities while developing and fostering strong connections with suppliers.
- Demonstrable experience working closely with packaging vendors, contract manufacturers, operations and marketing teams
- Oversee development of outside vendors and manufacturing facilities to enable innovation program success and implementation of sustainability objectives.
- Creates packaging briefs, and initiates and oversees applicable product/product testing
- Creates packaging testing protocols and associated/cross-functional SOP’s
- Supports Quality team in creation of finished product specifications
- Proactively seek out and understand packaging technologies that may have application to business
- Integrate new packaging solutions and technologies into the pipeline that can be leveraged to drive new innovation platforms.
- Develop and drive productivity improvement opportunities for packaging and innovation function.
- Drive alignment with key project stakeholders on packaging development direction for innovation programs with solid project solving skills and business acument
- Troubleshoot issues, removes barriers and elevates issues appropriately that arise during development and commercialization.
- Understand relationship between package, product and process.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Position Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Package Engineering or related field is required.
- Eight (8) years direct experience in packaging development and commercialization is required
- Extensive knowledge of Thermoformed Rigid Plastic, plastic molds, and equipment qualifications is required
- Food Consumer Packaging and Specright (specification data mgmt. platform) strongly preferred
- Strong leadership, influencing, people management and collaboration skills are required.
- Must have a depth of technical expertise on multiple packaging materials or packaging/processing systems.
- Ability to handle multiple moderate to high-risk projects concurrently using sound technical methodology with flawless execution is required.
- Ability to understand the cost and performance drivers of packaging materials is required.
- Understand material and format alternatives for a given application is required.
- Ability to function independently is required.
- Travel up to 25% to manufacturing sites, and suppliers will be required.
- Exceptional written, verbal and interpersonal skills
- Strong working knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook)
The pay for this role in the state of Illinois ranges from $101,000 - $130,000 and is based on position responsibilities and geographic location. Actual pay within this range may be determined based on the candidate's experience, qualifications, and/or other determining factors.
Additional components include but are not limited to:
- Bonus: Eligible for a discretionary performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents
- Benefits: Employees (and their eligible dependents) covered through affordable access to healthcare, protection, and saving for the future
- Well-being: We offer events, resources and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle for our employees and their families
Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.
Olam provides equality of opportunity for all persons with respect to hiring without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation. All employment will be decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us for support at: [email protected]
At Olam, we celebrate our diversity. Olam Americas Inc. is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.
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