Lead Packaging Engineer

Del Monte Foods; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

401(k) with company match

Employer-paid life & disability

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Paid Time Off (PTO)

7 Company Paid Holidays

Telemedicine & EAP

Voluntary benefits

Job summary

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is seeking a Lead Packaging Engineer in the United States to provide technical packaging expertise for new product development, cost optimization, and sustainability projects.

This role leads cross-functional initiatives, validates packaging designs, and guides deployment of new technology platforms across business units. The position involves travel to plant and vendor locations domestically and internationally.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering or comparable field.
• 5-10 years of experience in an analytical function.
• Strong understanding of packaging materials, processes, and equipment.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot problems.
• Proficient with SAP, specs, and bill of materials.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily packaging design and optimization projects for assigned product categories.
• Oversee package development and validation, and manage project work plans.
• Lead packaging development (primary/secondary/shipment) and propose improvements.
• Collaborate with R&D, Quality, Operations and Procurement to achieve objectives.
• Lead root-cause analysis and implement corrective actions.

Skills

Packaging engineering

Cross-functional collaboration

SAP

MS Office

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

CAD software

Job description

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is a global leader in the production, distribution, and marketing of fresh, value-added, and shelf-stable fruits and vegetables under our Fresh and Foods divisions. Our diverse product portfolio proudly bears the Del Monte brand and also includes prepared fruits and vegetables, juices, beverages, snacks, and desserts - available in over 80 countries worldwide. With operations spanning more than 35 countries, we've proudly been nourishing families for over 135 years.

Benefits We Offer Include:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Employer-paid life & disability insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• 7 Company Paid Holidays
• 24/7 Telemedicine & Employee Assistance Program
• Optional voluntary benefits (legal, accident, identity protection)
• Eligibility on the first of the month following your hire date

Purpose of Position:

Del Monte Foods is the Foods Division of Fresh Del Monte, a global grower, producer and marketer of fresh, value-added, and shelf-stable produce. Del Monte Foods has a powerful portfolio of brands, including the iconic Del Monte, Contadina and S&W. We are currently seeking a Lead Packaging Engineer.

The Lead Packaging Engineer provides technical packaging expertise for new product development, cost optimization, quality improvements, brand renovation and packaging legislation/ sustainability projects. The Lead Packaging Engineer is a vocal thought leader that provides technical and business recommendations to influence cross-functional leaders in evaluating business opportunities, understanding available technologies, and assessing risks. The Lead Packaging Engineer plans, communicates, and initiates the roll-out of new technology platforms across or within a business unit. The Lead Packaging Engineer works independently with cross-functional leaders on key company initiatives.

Accountabilities:

• Manage daily packaging design and optimization projects for assigned product categories.
• Oversee all aspects of package development and validation, managing the work plans for project assigned
• Manages technically complex projects and multiple projects simultaneously.
• Lead packaging development (primary, secondary, & shipment / transportation) and propose changes across existing product lines (improvements in quality, productivity, and cost optimization).
• Minimize schedule and technical risk by foreseeing and addressing obstacles proactively and aggressively while effectively managing resources.
• Communicate and collaborate with all stakeholders and other functions (R&D Teams, Quality, Operations, & Procurement) to ensure project objectives are clearly defined and achieved.
• Investigates and champions new packaging technologies including materials, processes and equipment.
• Recognized as subject matter expert and technical packaging leader.
• Collaborates with material and equipment vendors to identify solutions for new package options.
• Independently leads plant trials and Commissioning runs.
• Leads root causes analysis with cross-functional resources and external resources and ensure corrective actions are implemented and documented.
• Shares technical trends and developments in the packaging and food industry with Packaging Team.
• Works with external resources to create solutions that help increase confidence and reduce risk in business decisions, such as SLAs, digitally printed labels, etc.
• Identify potential intellectual property issues and ensure Legal assessment.
• Provides packaging specifications and associated work procedures to maintain customer quality requirements.
• Document PDM specifications and recipes, project updates and other critical project documents
• Travels independently to plant and vendor locations domestically & internationally, sometimes for extended periods.
• Other duties in support of evolving business and functional needs.

Minimum Skills Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering or comparable field of study.
• 5-10 years of experience in an analytical function required.
• Strong understanding of packaging materials, processes, and equipment.
• Solid understanding of manufacturing processes.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot problems.
• Sound knowledge and experience in SAP, specifications, and bill of materials.
• Strong collaboration/ teamwork and communication skills.
• Completes work accurately and completely with high attention to detail.
• Experience in fast moving consumer products or businesses that require supporting high quality, short lead time, marketing / customer driven initiatives
• Proficient in the use of MS Office software including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work independently and in team environment
• Ability to work on cross function team including sales, marketing, engineering, product R&D, Operations, & Co-Pack manufacturing
• Solid understanding of palletizing programs (e.g., TOPS, CAPE)
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Able to manage priorities effectively
• Team spirit, rigor, creativity and versatility
• Previous Consumer Packaged Goods experience a plus
• Adobe Illustrator and CAD software experience preferred.
• Equivalent combinations of education, training, and experience that provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities will be considered.

***Please note: This position does not qualify for relocation expenses.***

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is a global leader in the production, distribution, and marketing of fresh and fresh cut fruits and vegetables. Our diverse product portfolio also includes prepared fruits and vegetables, juices, beverages, snacks, and desserts-available in over 80 countries worldwide. With operations spanning more than 35 countries, we've proudly been nourishing families for over 135 years.

We are committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Fresh Del Monte and its affiliates do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We also participate in E-Verify* where applicable, to ensure employment authorization eligibility. Driven by our core values - Excellence, Care, Passion, Trust, and Creativity - we invite you to explore our career opportunities and join our FRESH team.