Packaging Technologist

Please Note:
The deadline for applying is 23.59 the day before the job posting end date.

Job Title: Packaging Technologist

Business Function: R&D

Location: Port Sunlight Research Lab

Background & Purpose of the Job
Unilever is a global Fast-Moving Consumer Goods company with powerful brands like Dove, Axe, Magnum, Lipton, Vaseline, Suave, and Ben & Jerry’s. We create products that enrich and improve people’s lives today and for the changing environment tomorrow – aiming to make sustainable living commonplace. Unilever brings purpose, joy and delightful experiences to consumers and customers.

Beauty & Wellbeing brings together our Hair and Skin Care categories as one of the 5 Business Groups for Unilever. Through iconic products, cutting-edge science, and purposeful growth, we are creating a new era of beauty and wellbeing that is joyful, inclusive, equitable, and sustainable. This role is part of the B&W R&D Europe Team with big brands like Tresemme, Simple, Dove, Vaseline and Sunsilk.

The European Beauty & Wellbeing (Skin Care and Hair) Research and Development Team is looking for a dynamic and flexible team player joining our B&W R&D EU Packaging team.
As a Packaging Technologist, you will lead development and delivery of new packaging opportunities, taking innovations from concept to consumer validation and through factory scale-up. The position will be accountable for project leadership, technical engineering, and material validation while implementing designs into Unilever manufacturing facilities. The role will partner with brand teams, supply chain, and suppliers to design and implement sustainable packaging formats using leading-edge test methods and digital capabilities.

The position is part of fast-paced, dynamic team environment with real responsibility for business impact by delivering innovative and sustainable products to market that directly contribute to Unilever’s success.

The individual will be responsible for the design and delivery of primary and secondary packaging for innovation, renovation, sustainability and cost savings initiatives. You will manage multiple development projects and prioritize tasks based on timelines. You will deliver effectively in a cross‑functional team environment by working with Brand, Planning, Formulation, Procurement, Quality, and many external suppliers. The position will also interface with Supply Chain for manufacturing scale‑up including line trials, production start‑ups, cost savings, and improving line efficiency.

The ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with technical and non‑technical backgrounds is essential.

You’re constantly looking to improve consumer experiences through package development and create new ways to deliver more value to Unilever’s business growth.

By combining technical knowledge with a passion for creative problem‑solving, you never hesitate to act when faced project obstacles.
You love to win and have fun doing it:
An infectious passion for success is a must. You’re detail‑orientated with an ability to manage multiple fast‑track projects in a collaborative team environment. An entrepreneurial mindset is advantageous.

You put sustainability at the forefront of packaging development through combining an environment‑first mindset with your technical capability and translating the benefits into an impactful business story.

• Academic degree in Engineering, Product Design, Material Science, or Technical Project Management (science & technology focus), and ideally at least 2 years’ experience in research and development field, preferably in the FMCG industry.
• Good working knowledge of rigid plastics development, moulding processes, material characteristics, and performance behaviours.
• Broad project design and engineering knowledge with experience in concept development, packaging materials, and manufacturing processes.
• A creative, logical and analytical mind set to generate innovative design solutions to technical challenges.
• Must demonstrate a general understanding of project development to understand the…