Packaging Engineer

Overview

PLZ is committed to product stewardship and innovation, strong ethical standards, sustainable operations and most importantly, the development of our people. Whether at our manufacturing facilities or corporate headquarters, PLZ prioritizes health and safety, and offers you the support you need to create the career you want, through engagement, equity and inclusion, and opportunity.

From household cleaning solutions to personal care products, and food to automotive lubricants, PLZ produces more than 2,500 different aerosol and liquid products in our facilities across the continent. We know that being the partner of choice for our clients starts with being the partner of choice for our employees. Learn more at  or visit

PLZ is hiring a Packaging Engineer to support the Personal Care Strategic Business Unit. The Packaging Engineer designs, tests, and implements packaging designs that emphasize sustainability and are an integral part of the organization’s Product Development process. They also review and improve existing packaging designs to ensure safe and efficient product storage and transportation as well as to continuously improve sustainability and product quality and cost.

1300 E North St, Coal City, IL 60416, USA; 2375 Third Street, Riverside, CA 92507, USA

• Lead R&D-driven packaging development for new and reformulated products, with a primary focus on component selection, compatibility, and performance for aerosol and liquid delivery systems.
• Source, evaluate, and qualify primary packaging components (e.g., valves, actuators, containers, pumps, caps) to ensure compatibility with formulations, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations.
• Design and develop secondary packaging solutions (e.g., cartons, labeling, shipper configurations) to support product protection, branding, and supply chain efficiency.
• Conduct package/formula compatibility assessments, including pressure, leakage, corrosion, and performance testing for aerosol systems and dispensing functionality for liquid products.
• Partner closely with R&D to match packaging systems to formulation rheology, chemistry, and delivery requirements, ensuring optimal product performance and consumer experience.
• Drive technical troubleshooting and root cause analysis related to packaging performance issues (e.g., spray quality, clogging, leakage, component interaction), delivering timely, data-driven solutions.
• Establish and maintain technical packaging specifications, including component drawings, performance standards, and test methods.
• Build and manage relationships with packaging suppliers, leading component sourcing, qualification, and ongoing performance evaluation.
• Support innovation and cost optimization initiatives through alternative component sourcing, material selection, and packaging design improvements without compromising performance or quality.
• Champion sustainable packaging solutions, including material reduction, recyclability, and responsible sourcing aligned with company and customer goals.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with R&D, procurement, engineering, operations, and commercial teams to transition packaging concepts from lab to scale-up and commercialization.
• Participate in new product development teams, contributing packaging expertise from concept through commercialization.
• Develop and utilize test methods, validation protocols, and performance metrics to ensure packaging systems meet functional, regulatory, and customer requirements.
• Ensure packaging designs are scalable and manufacturable, supporting efficient filling line performance and minimizing production risk.
• Effectively manage multiple development projects in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment.

• Bachelor’s degree in packaging engineering is required.
• 5+ years of experience in designing packaging for consumer-packaged goods that deliver via all modes of transportation (small parcel, LTL, TL)
• Technical knowledge of various end user packaging designs for liquids and/or aerosols (cartons, containers, closures, etc.) and associated packaging materials (corrugate, aluminum, HDPE, PET, etc.)
• Demonstrated success…