Manufacturing Engineer, Corporate Packaging

Summit Polymers is a leading, global supplier of automotive interior systems including consoles, door panels, and instrument panels. With over 50 years serving the industry, we deliver engineering and product excellence to our customers, on time, in budget, with the latest innovations.

JOIN A TEAM WHERE YOU’LL BE CHALLENGED AND valued.

A career with Summit Polymers means working with smart people in a culture that thrives on challenging, meaningful work. At Summit, we look for growth potential with every hire. We don’t just fill seats, we set people on career paths. We’re always on the lookout for smart people who are committed to continuous improvement, customer service and quality.

JOB TITLE: Manufacturing Engineer, Corporate Packaging

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

REPORTS TO: Technical Manager, Corporate Packaging

The Manufacturing Engineer, Packaging provides technical expertise for the design, development, quoting, validation, and implementation of returnable and expendable packaging for customer shipments, supplier components, production materials, and intercompany movement between SPI facilities. This role supports new program launches, customer packaging requirements, supplier coordination, fleet-size calculations, cost estimates, and plant delivery timing to ensure packaging solutions meet quality, safety, logistics, cost, reuse, and recycling objectives.

• Under general supervision, the Manufacturing Engineer, Packaging is responsible for:
• Supporting Estimating by developing packaging concepts, cost estimates, assumptions, and quote inputs for new and major programs.
• Interpreting customer packaging requirements and working with customer packaging engineers to develop compliant, economical packaging solutions.
• Working with Plant Launch Champions, Manufacturing Engineers, suppliers, and internal teams to develop packaging for new programs that meets quality, safety, logistics, timing, and quoted-cost objectives.
• Coordinating packaging program activities, including supplier specifications, supplier quotes, sample development, customer approvals, fleet-size calculations, purchase order support, and delivery timing to plants.
• Troubleshooting packaging issues across the corporation and supporting timely, practical, and cost-effective resolutions.
• Supporting initiatives for the reuse, recycling, storage, and disposal of packaging materials at Summit facilities.
• Assisting Purchasing with incoming packaging solutions for purchased components, with emphasis on cost, protection, reuse, and recycling opportunities.
• Supporting improvements to existing production packaging related to cost, quality, ergonomics, logistics, and material flow.
• Reviewing packaging ROI, cost, and status information for accuracy and presenting updates to management as needed.
• Completing other packaging-related projects as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Packaging Science, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field; equivalent combination of education and directly related experience may be considered.
• Two to five years of packaging development, manufacturing engineering, automotive launch, or related manufacturing experience preferred.
• Experience with returnable and expendable packaging, customer packaging requirements, supplier coordination, cost estimating, and fleet-size calculations preferred.
• Automotive manufacturing or program launch experience preferred.

• Ability to interpret customer packaging standards and translate requirements into practical, cost-effective packaging solutions.
• Strong analytical skills related to packaging cost estimates, supplier quotes, fleet sizing, logistics assumptions, and packaging budgets.
• Strong problem-solving skills related to packaging quality, damage prevention, ergonomics, logistics, launch readiness, and plant support.
• Ability to coordinate multiple programs, suppliers, customers, and internal deadlines under general supervision.
• Effective communication skills with customers, suppliers, plants, Purchasing, Estimating,…