Technical Designer

Macfarlane Group UK Ltd; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave (rising to 27)

Holiday purchasing scheme

Contributory pension scheme

Annual volunteering day

Employee assistance program

Training & development opportunities

Employee discounts

Health & dental cover options

Long service awards

Charitable giving options

Job summary

Macfarlane Packaging in Milton Keynes is seeking a Technical Designer to join our Innovation Lab. You will build innovative corrugated carton designs for existing and new customers, focusing on productivity gains and cost-saving opportunities.

The role offers a salary of £30,000-£35,000 depending on experience, plus a bonus and a flexible benefits package, with 27 days holiday and additional purchasing scheme. You’ll work full-time Monday to Friday in a collaborative, development‑minded team.

Qualifications

• Preferable CAD experience using Kasemake, ArtiosCAD or Impact.
• Preferable print repro experience using Adobe CC.
• Team player.
• Results driven.
• A solid foundation of industry sector knowledge and experience.
• Strong communication skills both written and verbal.
• Customer Facing.
• Can work under own initiative.
• Good time management skills.
• Can-do attitude.
• Track record of cost saving projects.
• Full driving licence.
• Good knowledge of Excel.

Responsibilities

• Listening to the customer’s needs and communicating in a professional and coherent manner; both in conversation and presentational form.
• Taking briefs and using design software to create innovative cost saving solutions for customers.
• Providing tailored solutions to all customers, while considering branding, safety, and cost implications.
• Assessing consumer tastes, market trends and product details to conceptualise package designs.
• Ensuring goals are met, whilst considering branding, safety, and cost implications.
• Generating reports on an ongoing basis to support proposals and log design activities.
• Demonstrating excellent time-keeping skills and juggling a range of tasks/projects for numerous customers to meet deadlines.
• Prioritising workload accordingly.
• Producing finished customer samples, 3D visuals, artwork proofs and presentations.

Skills

Team player

Results driven

Strong communication

Customer facing

Own initiative

Time management

Can-do attitude

Cost saving projects

Full driving licence

Excel knowledge

Tools

Kasemake

ArtiosCAD

Impact

Adobe CC

Excel

Job description

Technical Designer Location: Milton Keynes (Kingston Gateway) Salary: £30,000-£35,000 (dependent on experience) + bonus & flexible benefits package, up to 27 days holiday (plus additional leave purchasing scheme) Hours: Full time Monday-Friday Sector: Corrugate Carton Design & Manufacturing

Protecting What Matters, Together

At Macfarlane Packaging, we are dedicated to protecting what matters most – our people, our customers, communities, and the environment. Our commitment to customer satisfaction, sustainability, and continual improvement creates a collaborative, supportive, and friendly workplace where you can build a rewarding career. With over 75 years of history, we offer stability, ongoing growth, and the opportunity for personal and professional development. Our fast-paced, results-driven environment will challenge you but also give you the satisfaction of directly contributing to our success. We offer competitive pay, personalised incentives, and adaptable benefits to make your rewards package go further. We also prioritise work-life balance and flexibility, empowering you to manage what’s most important. If you value commitment, teamwork, adaptability, and learning, join us to drive change and enable businesses to plan for a better future.

The Technical Designer Role

Due to an increase in demand, we have an exciting opening for a mid-weight designer to join our expanding creative team at our Milton Keynes Innovation Lab. Drawing on a solid foundation in corrugated carton design and manufacturing, you will provide innovative and tailored design solutions for both our existing and potential customers, identifying direct and indirect cost savings through continual improvements in productivity and operational efficiencies. This role provides a wonderful opportunity for someone seeking career advancement as we offer strong development and progression opportunities, both within the packaging business and the broader group business.

Technical Designer Key Responsibilities

• You will be capable of listening to the customer’s needs and be able to communicate in a professional and coherent manner; both in conversation and presentational form
• Taking briefs and using various design software you will be creating innovative cost saving solutions for customers
• You will work to provide tailored solutions to all our customers, whilst demonstrating a caring approach to their business requirements and challenges
• Assess consumer tastes, market trends and product details in order to conceptualise package designs
• Working with our customers you will ensure goals are met, whilst considering branding, safety, and cost implications
• You will generate reports on an ongoing basis to support proposals made to our customers and log design activities
• You will be able to demonstrate excellent time-keeping skills and be able to juggle a range of tasks/projects for numerous customers, to ensure tight deadlines are met
• Prioritise your workload accordingly
• Produce finished customer samples, 3D visuals, artwork proofs and presentations

What you will bring

• Preferable CAD experience using either Kasemake, ArtiosCAD or Impact
• Preferable print repro experience using Adobe CC
• Team player
• Results driven
• A solid foundation of industry sector knowledge and experience
• Strong communication skills both written and verbal
• Customer Facing
• Can work under own initiative
• Good time management skills
• Can-do attitude
• Track record of cost saving projects
• Full driving licence
• Good knowledge of Excel

What you will get

• 25 days annual leave (rising to 27 days with service) plus all public/bank holidays
• Additional Holiday purchasing scheme (run annually)
• Contributory pension scheme
• Annual (company paid) volunteering day
• Employee assistance program to support & advise with well-being & any issues
• Extensive range of training/development & potential progression opportunities
• Employee discount scheme (discounts on several major retail/leisure brands)
• Simply Health/Dental Cover option or BUPA cover for qualifying roles
• Enhanced HR policies relating to various employee rights & entitlements
• Long service awards (5-40 years)
• Charitable giving options
• Financial support with eye-tests/purchasing glasses (DSE users only)
• O2 Mobile discount scheme (up to 25% off)
• Candidate referral scheme (awards £750 for referring successful applicants to Macfarlane job vacancies)

Your Future with Us

Working at Macfarlane Packaging, you truly have the potential to shape your own future and set your own ambitions. We are a large group company where internal promotion and mobility is a key feature of our success. Through tailored career plans, we provide a wide range of structured training & development pathways, utilizing both inhouse expertise to share knowledge and the best-in-class external training partners.