Sr Packaging Engineer

Overview

Senior Packaging Engineer – Asian Food Product Line. Schwan’s Shared Services, LLC, a subsidiary of Schwan’s Company, seeks a Senior Packaging Engineer – Asian Food Product Line in La Palma, California. Responsible for supporting package development projects that meet business unit needs. This position will work under limited supervision to research, develop, document, and test innovative packaging solutions. Provide project leadership for packaging led projects and as the expert packaging resource on Business Unit led projects.

Act as subject matter consultant to help support product development, Packaging Sourcing, Packaging Equipment Engineering, and Purchasing to optimize and reduce total packaging costs.

Execute packaging engineering projects (new to Schwan’s, new to the world) in alignment with business units and new product platforms to drive revenue and profitability with limited supervision. Implement innovative packaging engineering solutions resulting in new consumer features, improved performance, reduced costs, and faster execution. Provide leadership in support of marketing and consumer research initiatives to understand why consumers buy products and how packaging innovation affects purchase decisions.

Initiate concept tests around new and innovative packaging concepts to fulfill unmet consumer needs and drive the company into new white space. Provide innovative packaging concepts and prototype packages in support of Business Unit consumer research. Contribute to ideation sessions, qualitative consumer research, and deep dive initiatives to understand consumers and market opportunities for driving innovation. Maintain a strong world-wide packaging technology monitoring system and work with the packaging innovation team to explore new technologies and present to BU Innovation/Marketing Managers.

Develop a network of internal and external contacts to support innovation concepts and solve unmet consumer needs as identified by research. Lead by example to drive Schwan’s Culture of Innovation. Coordinate and conduct packaging performance testing for shelf life, product protection, merchantability, and specification tolerance. Interact with vendors and outside developers to raise technology standards within the packaging organization. Document all work according to established procedures and guidelines, and prepare presentations and test reports for business and technical leaders to communicate status, progress, issues, solutions, timeline, and accountability with limited supervision.

Manage, train and develop subordinates, if applicable. Other duties as assigned.

Education:

Bachelor’s degree (U.S. or foreign equivalent) in Chemical Engineering, Packaging Engineering or a closely related field.

Experience:

For candidates with the qualifying bachelor’s degree, at least seven years of experience as a Packaging Engineer or equivalent in a food manufacturer and distributor focusing on an Asian food product line, including at least one year and six months in a packaging engineering role. Salary range: $140,774 to $141,000. Minimal domestic travel to other manufacturing sites for our Asian food product line is required, 15% or less.

Work-from-home option: one day a week in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California area is permitted but not required. Must have proof of legal authority to work in the U.S. EOE.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
Advanced knowledge of food product/package development flow from ideation to product launch; creative ability to develop new-to-the-world packages; ability to integrate diverse technologies; ability to work with Marketing and Consumer Research to translate unmet consumer needs into packaging innovations; strong knowledge of ASTM and ISTA package test methods; knowledge of food processing and packaging interactions; familiarity with government regulations; knowledge of packaging materials, automated packaging equipment, and processing equipment;

strong problem-solving using statistics and modeling; good computer skills including Microsoft Office, Project, and CAD; strong written and oral communication skills; ability to present to all levels of the company.

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive. An individual must be able to perform duties listed to be considered successful. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties.