Senior Structural Designer

Senior Structural Designer

Hood Container Corporation is seeking a Senior Structural Designer to join our design team at our Nashville Design Center in Lebanon, TN. This is a senior-level role for an accomplished professional ready to take ownership of a wide range of design challenges — from multi-component POP displays and retail-ready packaging for major national retailers to creative structural projects spanning both local and national accounts, all grounded in a strong understanding of the production environment.

In this role, you will lead projects from concept through production, serve as a technical resource and mentor to other designers, and work directly with sales, operations, and customers to deliver solutions that win business and run efficiently on our equipment.

• Lead the structural design of complex POP displays, retail-ready packaging, and industrial packaging using ArtiosCAD, from concept development through production release.
• Collaborate as part of the design team on high-visibility projects, including work for major national retailers with strict vendor and display guidelines (e.g., Walmart, Sam's Club, Costco, Lowe's, Home Depot).
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to other designers; lead design reviews and help raise the capability of the design team.
• Interpret design specifications, engineering drawings, testing requirements, and retailer guidelines, and translate them into manufacturable, cost-effective structures.
• Create prototypes, mock-ups, and samples for customer validation and approval; present design concepts in customer meetings alongside sales.
• Partner with production and converting teams to ensure designs are optimized for our equipment, resolve design-for-manufacturing issues, and drive cost and material efficiency (value engineering, board grade optimization, layout efficiency).
• Develop pack-out, distribution, and in-store setup instruction sheets for customer use.
• Maintain accurate design records, specifications, and revisions.
• Manage design materials and supplies (samples, mylars, mock-ups, etc.).
• Ensure design outputs and creative execution meet manufacturing specifications, performance requirements, and budgets.

Required:

• 6+ years of experience in structural packaging design, with significant corrugated experience.
• Demonstrated expertise designing POP displays (temporary and semi-permanent) and retail packaging.
• Advanced proficiency in ArtiosCAD (or equivalent, e.g., Impact CAD, with the ability to transition quickly).
• Strong understanding of corrugated materials, board grades, converting equipment, and manufacturing processes, including design-for-manufacturability and cost implications.
• Proven ability to work directly with customers and sales teams, including presenting design concepts and responding to technical questions.

Preferred:

• Experience with CAPE Pack or TOPS for palletization and unitization analysis.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator, Photoshop) and familiarity with 3D modeling/rendering tools (e.g., Blender, Solid Works).
• Knowledge of ISTA, ASTM, or other packaging test standards.
• Familiarity with major retailer display and vendor compliance guidelines.
• Experience mentoring or leading other designers.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• If available, a link to your design portfolio or samples of produced work (displays and packaging) is welcome and helpful, but not required.

Bachelor's degree in Packaging Science, Industrial Design, Engineering, Graphics, or a related field — or equivalent professional experience. Demonstrated industry expertise is valued as highly as formal education for this role.

• Competitive Pay & Benefits:
  Competitive compensation aligned with senior-level experience, bonus opportunities, and a comprehensive benefits package including healthcare, retirement plans, and paid time off. Relocation assistance may be available for the right candidate.
• Impact & Ownership:
  Your designs, your customer relationships, your technical judgment — senior designers here have real ownership and direct…