Senior Packaging Materials Engineer

Senior Packaging Materials Engineer Job Description

You’re not the person who will settle for just any role. Neither are we. Because we’re out to create Better Care for a Better World, and that takes a certain kind of person and teams who care about making a difference. Here, you’ll bring your professional expertise, talent, and drive to building and managing our portfolio of iconic, ground‑breaking brands. In this role, you’ll help us deliver better care for billions of people around the world.

It starts with YOU.

The Packaging Injection Molding Materials Engineer provides end‑to‑end materials and molding leadership for rigid packaging components used in consumer products (e.g., flip lids and closures), from concept through qualification and commercialization. They define resin and additive strategies, lead supplier/tooling qualification, and deliver performance, cost, and sustainability outcomes that enable brand plans and reliable operations. The role serves as a subject matter expert across polymers, processing, tooling, and specification systems, and influences cross‑functional decisions across R&E, Product Supply, Quality, Design, Marketing, and Procurement.

In this role, you will:

• Lead selection, development, and optimization of injection‑molded materials and color systems (e.g., PP/PE, TPE/TPV, masterbatch, stabilizers, UV/antioxidants) to meet cost, performance, aesthetics, regulatory, and sustainability targets for rigid packaging components;
  Translate consumer/brand and engineering requirements into resin grades, additive packages, and molding strategies; define CTQs, tolerances, and performance criteria for part function, fit, and appearance.
• Own material and componentspecifications in PLM; create and maintain BOMs, approved sources, and change control and design control with full traceability across SKUs and artwork dependencies.
• Define and execute robust qualification plans (T=0, line trials, accelerated/real‑time where applicable), including mechanical, sealing/closure force, hinge fatigue, dimensional stability, environmental/chemical compatibility, and distribution‑relevant testing; synthesize results into risk assessments and release recommendations.
• Lead supplier and tooling partner engagement: resin technical vetting, molder audits, mold DFM/DFA, Moldflow, gating/runner/cooling strategy, cycle‑time optimization, and maintenance/refurbishment plans.
• Drive cost/value engineering (grade moves, design/geometry optimization, wall‑thickness and rib strategy, resin consolidation, dual‑sourcing) with quantified business cases and disciplined implementation.
• Ensure compliance with applicable product safety and regional regulatory requirements for packaging contact conditions and additives; partner with Regulatory/Quality to maintain documentation and audit readiness.
• Advance sustainability outcomes for rigid packaging (e.g., increased PCR content, bio‑based options, design for disassembly, resin identification and on‑pack recyclability guidance) and ensure on‑pack claims align to internal guidance and artwork workflows.
• Partner with Design and Packaging peers to convert brand intent into manufacturable parts, aligning texture/gloss, color matching, knit/weld line management, and living hinge performance with line capability and consumer expectations.
• Serve as category SME for injection‑molded rigid packaging (including flip lids): coach and mentor engineers, codify standards/standard work, and share best practices across programs and sites;
  Lead cross‑functional project work through stage‑gate/IMF processes with clear plans, risks, timing, and stakeholder alignment; present succinct technical recommendations and tradeoffs to management.

Huggies®. Kleenex®. Cottonelle®. Scott®. Kotex®. Poise®. Depend®. Kimberly-Clark Professional®. You already know our legendary brands—and so does the rest of the world. In fact, millions of people use Kimberly-Clark products every day. We know these amazing Kimberly-Clark products wouldn’t exist without talented professionals, like you.

At Kimberly-Clark, you’ll be part of the best team committed to driving innovation, growth and impact. We’re founded…