Senior Packaging Engineer & Category Manager

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Wonder is the premiere platform to feed every craving in one order. Our 25+ award‑winning restaurant partners span every cuisine, from Greek to Thai, and we partner with chefs such as Bobby Flay, José Andrés, and Marcus Samuelsson. Diners can mix and match dishes from our own Made by Wonder restaurants or order from neighborhood gems. Everything is made to order at our brick‑and‑mortar locations across the East Coast, delivered fast and free, and new locations open weekly.

Join a team of technology, culinary, and logistics pioneers, backed by top‑tier venture capitalists, and help us make great food more accessible.

The Senior Packaging Engineer and Category Manager leads the strategy, design, sourcing, and optimization of food packaging solutions across a Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) network. The role integrates category strategy development, supplier management, and cost optimization to ensure packaging aligns with brand, quality, safety, and regulatory standards while driving efficiency throughout the supply chain.

• Develop and execute the overall packaging category strategy, aligning material specifications, design platforms, and sourcing approaches with business goals and sustainability targets.
• Lead packaging innovation projects from concept through commercialization, ensuring alignment with brand, marketing, operations, and supply chain priorities.
• Vet and qualify suppliers, assessing technical capability, compliance history, financial stability, and sustainability performance.
• Partner with Procurement to lead cost modeling, negotiation, and contract development to secure optimal value, quality, and continuity of supply.
• Ensure regulatory compliance with all applicable food contact, labeling, and environmental regulations, maintaining awareness of evolving national and international standards.
• Drive form factor consolidation and optimization, reducing complexity, improving operational efficiency, and leveraging scale across product lines and markets.
• Design, test, and validate packaging that maintains food integrity, temperature, and quality across dine‑in, takeout, delivery, and drive‑thru channels.
• Develop and implement performance testing protocols covering transportation, shelf life, food safety, and consumer usability.
• Lead sustainability initiatives focused on material reduction, recyclability, compo stability, and alignment with corporate ESG goals.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional partners in R&D, Operations, Marketing, QA, and Supply Chain to balance innovation, functionality, and cost.
• Support global packaging standardization, documentation, and specification management.
• Monitor emerging materials, regulations, and technologies to identify opportunities for competitive advantage.
• Provide technical guidance to resolve packaging issues in manufacturing, logistics, and restaurant operations.
• Promote continuous improvement in packaging development and supplier management processes.

• Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of packaging engineering experience, with at least 3 years in QSR, food service, or CPG packaging.
• Proven ability to develop and execute category strategies and manage supplier relationships from qualification through performance evaluation.
• Experience with cost analysis, negotiation, and contract execution for packaging materials and services.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory compliance for food contact packaging, including FDA/USDA and global requirements.
• Expertise in packaging materials (paper, plastics, fiber, compostable/biodegradable substrates) and processes (forming, sealing, printing, laminating).
• Skilled in packaging performance testing (ISTA, ASTM, or equivalent).
• Proficiency in design and analysis tools (Artios
  
  CAD, TOPS, Cape Pack, or similar).

• Demonstrated success leading cross‑functional projects from concept through commercialization.
• Strong analytical, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Experience with…