Packaging Engineer

Institute of Packaging Professionals; Glenview (IL); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

The Institute of Packaging Professionals is seeking a Packaging Engineer with direct food/CPG packaging experience to support development, testing, optimization, and commercialization of packaging solutions.

The role is hands-on with flexible films, pouches, rigid plastics, cartons, bottles, trays, and labels, and requires collaboration across R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Operations, Procurement, Marketing, and suppliers.

Qualifications

• 4–10 years of Packaging Engineering experience
• Direct food packaging experience within a CPG environment
• Experience with packaging development, testing, validation, and commercialization
• Experience taking packaging projects through the full development lifecycle
• Experience supporting plant and production trials
• Strong cross-functional experience with R&D/Product Development, Quality, Manufacturing, Operations, Procurement, Marketing, and suppliers
• Comfortable working hybrid onsite in Glenview, IL
• Willingness to travel as needed

Responsibilities

• Develop, test, optimize, and commercialize packaging solutions.
• Work hands-on with packaging materials and formats.
• Support plant and production trials and troubleshoot packaging challenges.
• Partner with R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Operations, Procurement, Marketing, and external suppliers.

Skills

Packaging engineering

Direct food packaging experience

Development, testing and scale-up

Cross-functional collaboration

Plant and production trials

Troubleshooting packaging challenges

Hybrid onsite in Glenview, IL

Willingness to travel

Job description

Job Description

We’re looking for a Packaging Engineer with direct food/CPG packaging experience to support the development, testing, optimization, and commercialization of packaging solutions.

This person will work hands‑on with a variety of packaging materials and formats, support plant and production trials, troubleshoot packaging challenges, and partner closely with R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Operations, Procurement, Marketing, and external packaging suppliers.

The ideal candidate has around 5 years of dedicated Packaging Engineering experience and has taken food packaging projects from initial concept and design through testing, scale‑up, and commercialization.

Must Haves

• 4–10 years of Packaging Engineering experience, ideally around 5 years
• Direct food packaging experience within a CPG environment
• Hands‑on experience developing and testing packaging materials/formats such as:
• Flexible films and pouches
• Rigid plastics
• Cartons/paperboard and corrugate
• Bottles/jars
• Trays and labels
• Experience with packaging development, testing, validation, and commercialization
• Experience taking packaging projects through the full development lifecycle, from concept through production scale‑up
• Experience supporting plant and production trials
• Strong cross‑functional experience with R&D/Product Development, Quality, Manufacturing, Operations, Procurement, Marketing, and suppliers
• Comfortable working hybrid onsite in Glenview, IL
• Willingness to travel as needed

Nice to Haves

• Experience with a large food or CPG organization
• Experience working directly with packaging suppliers and converters
• Manufacturing‑floor experience troubleshooting packaging or production issues
• Experience with cost savings, material reduction, sustainability, or packaging optimization
• Experience managing several packaging projects or SKUs simultaneously

DETAILS

Location: Glenview, IL | Hybrid, onsite required

Bill Rate: $47-70/hr

Experience: 4–10 years, ideally around 5 years

Travel: Some travel required

6 month contract to hire