Circularity Specialist

Avery Dennison; Ohio; Hybrid; USD 74,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellness on day 1

Paid parental leave

401K eligibility

Tuition reimbursement

EAP / Health Advocate

Paid vacation & holidays

Job summary

Avery Dennison Corporation, a global materials science and digital identification solutions company, is hiring a Circularity Specialist at its Mentor, OH facility. In this hybrid role, you will lead technical circularity initiatives across recycling, reuse, and compostability, translating environmental science into actionable packaging strategies.

You will collaborate across business units, participate in industry standards, and navigate regulatory frameworks to advance circularity roadmaps.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of hands-on experience in sustainability, packaging engineering, or technical sustainability consulting.
• Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Materials Science, Environmental Sciences, Sustainability, or related field; Master’s preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead material technicalities across recycling, reuse models and compostability.
• Partner across global units to translate circularity challenges into opportunities.
• Participate in industry committees and standards organizations to advocate for circularity standards.
• Build and execute global readiness roadmaps navigating regulatory frameworks (EPR, PPWR, Truth-in-Labeling).
• Monitor global circularity pathways and shift towards advanced recycling and bio-derived innovations.

Skills

Circularity Leadership

Packaging Engineering

Sustainability

Regulatory Awareness

Executive Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Avery Dennison Corporation (NYSE: AVY) is a global materials science and digital identification solutions company. We are Making Possible™ products and solutions that help advance the industries we serve, providing branding and information solutions that optimize labor and supply chain efficiency, reduce waste and mitigate loss, advance sustainability, circularity and transparency and better connect brands and consumers. We design and develop labeling and functional materials, radio-frequency identification (RFID) inlays and tags, software applications that connect the physical and digital and offerings that enhance branded packaging and carry or display information that improves the customer experience. Serving industries worldwide — including home and personal care, apparel, general retail, e-commerce, logistics, food and grocery, pharmaceuticals and automotive — we employ approximately 35,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Our reported sales in 2025 were $8.9 billion. Learn more at www.averydennison.com.

At Avery Dennison, some of the great benefits we provide are:

• Health & Wellness benefits starting on day 1 of employment
• Paid parental leave
• 401K eligibility
• Tuition reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program eligibility / Health Advocate
• Paid vacation and Paid holidays

As a Circularity Specialist at Avery Dennison, you will serve as a core technical expert and enterprise catalyst within the global Circularity & Waste Center of Expertise. In this high-impact, global role, you will drive portfolio readiness roadmaps across circularity pathways—specifically focusing on the recyclability, reusability, and compostability of packaging and materials across all Avery Dennison business units. This position bridges deep technical engineering with enterprise-wide leadership, translating complex environmental science, packaging trade dynamics, and global regulatory mandates into clear commercial strategies.

Key Responsibilities

Employees work in a hybrid mode at our Mentor, OH facility.

• Deep Technical Circularity Leadership: Serve as the enterprise subject matter expert on material technicalities across recycling (mechanical & chemical), reuse models, and compostability (bio-based and compostable packaging formats), conducting detailed technical evaluations on product recyclability and circular design.

• Enterprise Collaboration & Influence: Partner across global business units to translate complex circularity challenges into actionable commercial opportunities and present technical positions to senior business unit leaders and multi-disciplinary teams.

• External Advocacy & Standards Setting: Actively participate and sit on key industry committees, trade associations, and standards organizations to advocate for progressive, harmonized global circularity standards.

• Regulatory Readiness & Roadmap Execution: Build and execute global readiness roadmaps to navigate complex evolving legislation, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), PCR minimum content mandates, and Truth-in-Labeling laws.

• Global Market Intelligence: Monitor global circularity pathways, tracking PCR feedstock supply chains, bio-derived innovations, and textile/apparel circularity frameworks to keep the enterprise ahead of market shifts.

• Experience: 5–7 years of hands‑on experience in corporate sustainability, packaging engineering, material science, or technical sustainability consulting.
  

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Materials Science, Environmental Sciences, Sustainability, or a related technical field (Master’s degree preferred).

Preferred / Nice-to-Have Skills:

• Functional knowledge of textile and apparel circularity and end‑of‑life pathways (distinct from traditional packaging).

• Active engagement or leadership history on industry trade association technical committees.

• Technical Depth: Proven technical capability in Design for Recycling (DfR), circular packaging design, compostability standards, and end‑of‑life recovery systems across global markets.

• Communication & Executive Presence: Demonstrated ability to simplify complex technical topics for diverse business audiences and influence decision‑makers across matrixed, cross‑functional global business units.

• Regulatory Acumen: Working knowledge of current and emerging global environmental regulations impacting packaging and labeling (e.g., EU PPWR, global EPR schemes, FTC Green Guides / Truth in Labeling).

Pay Transparency:

The salary range for this position is $73,575 -109,872/ year. The hiring base salary range above represents what Avery Dennison reasonably expects to pay for this position as of the date of this posting. Actual salaries will vary within the range, and in some circumstances may be above or below the range, based on various factors including but not limited to a candidate’s relevant skills, experience, education and training, and location, as well as the job scope and complexity, responsibilities, and regular and/or necessary travel required for the position, which may change depending on the candidate pool. Avery Dennison reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Avery Dennison is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected status.

Reasonable Accommodations Notice:

If you require accommodations to view or apply for a job, alternative methods are available to submit an application. Please contact [phone] or [e-mail] to discuss reasonable accommodations.

Identity Verification Notice:

To maintain the integrity of our hiring process and protect our candidates from identity fraud, we require video and/or in-person interviews. As part of this verification, we may also ask you to take a brief photo. This image is used exclusively to ensure identity consistency and will be permanently deleted once the hiring process concludes.

Pre-employment Screening Notice:

As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and productive work environment, Avery Dennison requires all final candidates to successfully complete a comprehensive background check and a drug screening. These checks are conducted post-offer and are a condition of employment. All results will be considered in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws.