Lab Engineer II, Mechatronics and Sustainable Packaging

Amazon

Sumner (WA)

On-site

USD 99,400 - 160,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance
401(k) matching
Paid time off
Parental leave

Job summary

A global technology company is seeking a Lab Engineer to conduct materials testing and characterization supporting sustainable e-commerce packaging. In this role, you'll analyze data, maintain lab operations, and collaborate with engineers on innovative solutions. The ideal candidate has a background in Materials Science or related fields and at least 2 years of lab experience. Competitive salary range from $99,400 to $160,000 annually is offered, alongside comprehensive benefits including health insurance and 401(k) matching.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, or related fields.
  • 2+ years of laboratory experience in materials testing or related environment.
  • Hands-on experience with testing equipment such as tensile testers and burst testers.

Responsibilities

  • Conduct hands-on testing using advanced materials characterization tools.
  • Analyze test results, identifying trends in materials performance.
  • Maintain a safe and organized laboratory environment.

Skills

Materials Testing & Characterization
Data Analysis
Collaboration
Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Materials Science or related field

Tools

Testing Equipment
Data Analysis Tools

Job description

Overview

Join Amazon's Global Materials Science (GMS) organization as a Lab Engineer and be part of pioneering sustainable e-commerce packaging. In this hands‑on role, you'll conduct materials testing and characterization that directly supports the development of breakthrough packaging materials. You'll work in state‑of‑the‑art laboratories, operating advanced testing equipment, executing experiments, and generating critical data that enables our team to make informed decisions about materials that touch millions of customer experiences daily.

Key Job Responsibilities
  • Materials Testing & Characterization:
    • Conduct hands‑on testing using equipment including tensile testers, burst testers, tear testers, rheometers, and other materials characterization tools.
    • Execute test protocols following TAPPI, ASTM, ISO, ISTA standards and internal developed methods.
    • Perform testing on packaging materials (paper substrates, adhesives, coatings, alternative fiber materials).
    • Operate and maintain laboratory equipment, ensuring proper calibration and functionality.
    • Prepare test specimens and store them according to SOPs.
    • Identify, recommend, and help implement improved lab processes for the team.
  • Data Collection & Analysis:
    • Collect, organize, and document experimental data with high accuracy.
    • Analyze test results, identify trends or anomalies in materials performance.
    • Generate clear test reports summarizing findings.
    • Support data‑driven decision making with reliable test results.
  • Laboratory Operations:
    • Follow SOPs and work instructions for all testing activities.
    • Maintain a safe, clean, organized lab environment.
    • Participate in safety programs and equipment maintenance schedules.
    • Assist in inventory management of lab supplies and test materials.
    • Identify opportunities to improve testing efficiency and data quality.
  • Cross‑Functional Support:
    • Collaborate with Advanced Materials Engineers and scientists on experimental design.
    • Communicate test results, status updates, and blockers to team members.
    • Support supplier qualification activities by testing vendor samples.
    • Assist with sample preparation and testing for field trials and deployment validation.
    • Participate in team meetings and contribute to project planning discussions.
  • Documentation & Continuous Improvement:
    • Contribute to development and refinement of test procedures and SOPs.
    • Document experimental procedures, observations, and results clearly.
    • Identify and recommend improvements to testing methods and lab processes.
    • Learn and apply materials science principles to interpret test results.
    • Seek feedback and continuously develop technical skills and domain knowledge.
  • Work Environment:
    • Primarily laboratory‑based with hands‑on equipment operation.
    • Standard lab safety protocols and PPE requirements.
    • Occasional lifting of materials/equipment up to 50 lbs, standing, walking, kneeling.
    • Collaborative team environment with frequent interaction with scientists and engineers.
A Day in the Life

Your day starts in the lab preparing test specimens—cutting paper samples to precise dimensions and conditioning them in the environmental chamber. You're supporting a critical adhesive development project, and today's testing will determine if the new formulation meets performance requirements. Mid‑morning, you're running tensile and burst tests on paper samples, carefully following the test protocol and recording data in real‑time. The results look interesting—you notice the tear strength is higher than previous samples and flag this for the materials engineer leading the project. After lunch, you're operating the rheometer to characterize viscosity profiles of new hot melt adhesive samples from three different suppliers. You meticulously document the temperature ramps and flow behavior, knowing this data will directly inform sourcing decisions. Your afternoon includes calibrating equipment, organizing test data into clear summary reports, and preparing samples for tomorrow's environmental conditioning tests. You also participate in a team meeting where you present your week's testing results—your data shows one supplier's material consistently outperforms the others. This is hands‑on work that matters.

The tests you conduct today generate the data that enables breakthrough materials innovations, supports major procurement decisions, and ultimately improves packaging for millions of customers while advancing Amazon's sustainability goals.

About the Team
  • Our Mission: We build deep expertise in packaging materials through rigorous research and testing, develop innovative packaging solutions that unlock automation potential and sustainability improvements, and establish robust supply chains that deliver superior solutions at lower cost.
  • Our Vision: To be the global leader in e-commerce packaging materials science and innovation, enabling the best customer packaging experience at the lowest cost to serve.
  • What Makes Us Unique: We’re not just specifying materials—we’re fundamentally understanding them through the materials science triangle framework (processing, structure, properties). Our integrated capabilities span from molecular‑level materials characterization, to full packaging system testing, to automation compatibility testing.
  • Our Impact: We’re driving Amazon’s transition from plastic to paper packaging, developing breakthrough materials and establishing supply chains that reduce costs while advancing our 2040 net‑zero commitment.
  • Our Culture: We operate with high technical rigor while moving at startup speed. We embrace calculated risk‑taking in R&D, fail fast, and iterate based on data. We believe in radical collaboration—our success requires seamless partnership across engineering, procurement, operations, and sustainability teams.
  • Our Team: We bring together materials scientists, chemists, engineers, lab technicians, and program managers who are passionate about solving hard problems.
Basic Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, Optical Engineering, Physics, or related fields.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Master's degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline.
  • 2+ years of laboratory experience in materials testing, quality control, or research environment.
  • Experience with packaging materials or other forest products testing (paper, adhesives, coatings, or polymers) following standard test methods (TAPPI, ASTM, ISO, ISTA, etc.).
  • Hands‑on experience with testing equipment such as tensile testers, burst testers, thermal analysis equipment, SEM, DMA, etc., and experience with data analysis tools and statistical methods.

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign‑on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location.

Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, WA, Seattle - 99,400.00 - 160,000.00 USD annually

USA, WA, Sumner - 99,400.00 - 160,000.00 USD annually

Company: Amazon.com Services LLC

Job ID: A10376485

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