Packaging Engineer - Sustainable Food & CPG Packaging | Southeast Wisconsin

Tappwfs; Wisconsin; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Packaging Engineer role in Southeast Wisconsin focuses on sustainable, cost-smart packaging across a full food portfolio, from prototype to plant floor.

You will test, prototype, support plant trials, review samples, and influence equipment choices while collaborating with Sales, Customer Success, and Supply Chain. On-site with plant integration.

Qualifications

• 2+ years packaging/engineering experience.
• Strong understanding of packaging materials & equipment.
• Knowledge of packaging test methods and critical control points.
• Analytical skills for data reporting.
• Excellent planning, communication, and leadership.
• Self-starter, adaptable, and team-focused.
• Valid driver’s license and insurability.
• 18 years or older.
• CPG/food manufacturing exp, SAP, and bilingual English/Spanish a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and commercialize sustainable, cost-reduced packaging.
• Support plant-level trials, start-ups, and capacity expansions.
• Hands-on testing and prototyping with external partners.
• Align packaging with sales, success, and supply plans.
• Keep projects on time and within budgets.
• Review production samples; provide vendor feedback.
• Inspect packaging against specs and support validation.
• Drive continuous improvement and efficiency.
• Participate in equipment selection and evaluation.

Skills

Data analysis

Project planning

Leadership

Communication

Team collaboration

Self-starter

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree in packaging engineering

Tools

SAP

Job description

Packaging Engineer - Sustainable Food & CPG Packaging | Southeast Wisconsin

Shape sustainable, cost-smart packaging across a full food portfolio, from prototype to plant floor.

Packaging Engineer – Sustainable Food & CPG Packaging | Southeast Wisconsin

What if your next role let you touch every stage of packaging, from the first prototype to the day a new line starts up? This is that role. Our client is a growing, well-established food manufacturer. You will help identify, develop, and commercialize new, improved, and cost-reduced packaging across their full product portfolio, with sustainability at the center of the work.

This is not a desk-bound specification job. You will test and prototype packages hands‑on, support plant trials and start‑ups, review production samples with vendors, and weigh in on the packaging equipment that gets selected. If you like seeing your engineering decisions show up on real products on retail shelves, you will feel right at home.

Why This Opportunity Is Different

Many packaging roles lock you into one line or one material. This one gives you breadth across materials, formats, and projects, from continuous improvement initiatives to new start‑ups and capacity expansions. You will report directly to senior packaging leadership and partner closely with Sales, Customer Success, and Supply Chain to get real leadership access and visibility for your work. The organization invests in its people with tuition reimbursement, continuous learning, and incentive potential for every position, so there is room to grow your skills and your career.

What You'll Be Doing

• Developing and commercializing new, improved, and cost-reduced packaging with a strong sustainability focus
• Supporting packaging-driven projects, trials, new start‑ups, and capacity expansions at plant level
• Performing hands‑on package testing and prototyping alongside external partners
• Partnering with Sales, Customer Success, and Supply Chain to keep packaging aligned with supply plans and production schedules
• Keeping projects on time and within approved budgets
• Reviewing preliminary production samples and giving vendors clear improvement feedback
• Inspecting packaging against customer specifications and supporting packaging validation
• Driving continuous improvement, process efficiency, and better demand forecast accuracy
• Participating in packaging equipment and machinery selection and evaluation

What We're Looking For

• 2+ years of experience in the packaging or engineering industry
• Solid understanding of packaging material capabilities and packaging equipment
• Knowledge of packaging and shipping test methods, food packaging principles, critical control points, and new product scale-up
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to pull, cleanse, and organize data for reporting
• Excellent planning, communication, organizational, and leadership skills
• A self‑starter who adapts quickly, works well under pressure, and thrives in a team environment
• Valid driver's license and the ability to be insured under the company's insurance carrier
• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Bachelor's degree in packaging engineering preferred
• CPG or food manufacturing experience, advanced packaging equipment experience, SAP, and bilingual English/Spanish are all a plus

Compensation & Work Model

Compensation is competitive and will be discussed during screening. This salaried position includes incentive potential, a 401(k) with company match, medical, dental, and vision coverage, an HSA, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement, paid holidays, and flexible scheduling options. The role is onsite, split between an office environment and the plant as projects require.

Location & Travel

This role is based in the Kenosha County / Southeast Wisconsin area, within easy commuting distance of Milwaukee and the northern Chicago suburbs. Some travel may be required. Plant time involves a cold, wet food production environment with required PPE under Good Manufacturing Practices, and occasional overtime or weekend work may be needed.