Packaging Engineer: Innovate, Cut Waste, Save Costs

Paycom; Wisconsin; On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Kikkoman Foods Inc HQ and Walworth Plant is seeking a Packaging Technologist to support the Supply Chain lifecycle of packaging development. You will identify materials, ensure environmental policy compliance, oversee quality testing, and provide technical admin support to optimize packaging solutions for product integrity and cost efficiency.

You will collaborate with Purchasing, Warehouse, EH&S, and Production to drive packaging improvements, run trials, and monitor supplier performance while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or 7+ years of experience in mechanical engineering in a manufacturing environment.
• Some facilities engineering and utilities experience are also preferred.

Responsibilities

• Generate new packaging concepts and maintain technical material specifications.
• Research and recommend emerging packaging technologies to streamline operations and reduce waste.
• Maintain accurate Technical Documentation, including Bills of Materials (BOM) and artwork databases.
• Provide technical input on the design and standardization of containers and secondary packaging.
• Design and execute trial runs and stress tests to validate packaging durability during transport, storage, and customer handling.
• Track packaging-related defects, document root causes, and implement corrective actions with vendors.
• Authorize returns for defective materials, secure credits, and expedite replacements to prevent production downtime.
• Participate in quality improvement processes including HACCP, ISO, and safety audits.
• Identify and source sustainable materials to align with corporate environmental goals.
• Manage the disposition of recyclable materials and negotiate scrap/recycling contracts.
• Provide management with detailed cost estimates for new packaging options and optimization projects.
• Evaluate vendor performance against quality standards and on-time delivery metrics.
• Work directly on the production floor to optimize packing line efficiency and resolve mechanical or material bottlenecks.
• Align with Purchasing, EH&S, and Warehouse teams to ensure seamless material transitions.
• Comply with and enforce all food safety (GMP/HACCP), ISO 14001, and internal quality specifications.

Skills

Effective communication

Detail oriented

Mechanical knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Job description

Kikkoman Foods Inc HQ and Walworth Plant is seeking a Packaging Technologist to support the Supply Chain lifecycle of packaging development. You will identify materials, ensure environmental policy compliance, oversee quality testing, and provide technical admin support to optimize packaging solutions for product integrity and cost efficiency.

You will collaborate with Purchasing, Warehouse, EH&S, and Production to drive packaging improvements, run trials, and monitor supplier performance while