Packaging Print Production Designer

Bethyl Laboratories, Inc; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Natura is building a world-class, end-to-end cannabis packaging platform in Sacramento. You will own final printed quality, optimize dielines, and drive design decisions inside a branded system, coordinating with a creative team to scale across cartons, labels, displays, and pouches.

You'll apply 3D modeling, color management, and regulatory knowledge, while integrating AI tools to proof, check compliance, and improve processes in a GMP environment.

Qualifications

• 4+ years in packaging engineering, production design, or print production.
• Strong CPG packaging design ability—hierarchy, panel architecture, shelf-ready layouts inside an existing brand system.
• Expert-level print production knowledge: substrates, coatings, laminations, inks, finishes, and print methods.
• Deep color expertise and hands-on color management across substrates and processes.
• Structural dieline capability, built from scratch with Illustrator dieline work.
• Working 3D modeling ability (Rhino, Fusion 360, Blender, KeyShot, Adobe Dimension, or comparable).
• Regulated CPG production experience (California DCC, Health Canada, FDA, TTB, or equivalent).
• Expert Adobe Creative Suite — Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign.
• Direct vendor and press experience, including press checks and first-article approvals.
• Working experience with AI tools and willingness to build on it as a core part of the role.

Responsibilities

• CPG packaging design & layout — build panel hierarchy, callouts, and regulatory panels; mock up concepts; extend brand systems across new SKUs and formats.
• Packaging engineering & structural design — create and validate dielines; engineer for fit, board, fold, shipping, and cost; maintain the master dieline library.
• Print file preparation & release — produce production-ready mechanicals; specify print method; manage version control and release records.
• Templates & source of truth — build and maintain master layout templates for every packaging format.
• Color & substrate expertise — own color matching across substrates, inks, coatings, and finishes; specify substrates with intent.
• Proofing, press & quality ownership — approve proofs, attend press checks, own first-article approvals.
• Marketing & retail production — engineer displays, POP, collateral, signage, and merchandise to packaging standards.
• 3D modeling & concepting — model structures for sell-in renders and manufacturable specs.
• Vendor management — communicate with printers/box makers; write specs and production packets; troubleshoot in real time.
• Compliance & QC — partner on labeling requirements, build checks into workflow, and work with QC on defect standards.
• Working with AI — use AI to proof, check compliance/brand accuracy, draft specs, and explore options.

Skills

Packaging design

Dieline development

Print production

Color management

3D modeling

AI in design

Vendor management

Regulatory compliance

Tools

Illustrator

InDesign

Photoshop

Rhino

Fusion 360

Blender

KeyShot

Adobe Dimension

Esko ArtiosCAD

Job description

From California to the world, Natura is building the future of the global cannabis supply chain.

At Natura, we’re on a mission to positively impact millions of lives by creating a world-class platform where cannabis brands can launch, grow, and thrive. We’re building a next-generation, fully vertically integrated ecosystem designed to bring consistency, innovation, and reliability to one of the fastest-growing industries in the world.

Our vision is bold: to transform the world through cannabis. We believe the best way to achieve that is by empowering the incredible entrepreneurs, creators, and brands shaping the industry. Natura provides them with a home where they can bring their ideas to life—supported by the infrastructure, expertise, and technology needed to scale with confidence.

That vision begins at our state-of-the-art Sacramento campus, where cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and delivery come together under one roof. This unique, end-to-end platform allows cannabis brands to move from concept to consumer with unmatched efficiency and quality standards.

At Natura, we’re not just building a facility—we’re building the backbone of the modern cannabis industry.

Job Summary

You own the final printed quality of everything Natura produces — building dielines, engineering structures, and preparing files for print at an expert level, then carrying them through proofing, press, and first article until what comes off the line matches what was approved.

You're also a designer, not just mechanical: you can lay out a package, mock up concepts, and make sound design decisions inside an established brand system, while our creative team owns brand identity and campaign work. You'll build the master templates — locked regulatory zones, defined type and imagery areas — that keep every SKU and format consistent as we scale, and you'll extend Creative's concepts across cartons, labels, displays, pouches, and printed pieces at the right scale and color on every substrate.

AI is part of how this team works. You don't need to arrive an expert, but you should already use AI in your process — proofing, compliance checks, documentation, option exploration — and be ready to help build our internal AI compliance and brand-feedback tools.

What You'll Do

CPG packaging design & layout — build panel hierarchy, callouts, and regulatory panels; mock up concepts; extend the Sluggers, Dee, ICED, and Fidels brand systems accurately across new SKUs and formats

Packaging engineering & structural design — create and validate custom dielines (cartons, rigid boxes, labels, pouches, tubes, sleeves); engineer for fit, board, fold, shipping, and cost; maintain the master dieline library

Print file preparation & release — take approved creative to production-ready mechanicals (bleeds, trapping, separations, spot channels); specify print method (offset, flexo, digital, screen, gravure, hot stamp); manage version control and release records

Templates & source of truth — build and maintain master layout templates for every packaging format, documenting what's fixed vs. flexible, so every SKU traces back to an approved template

Color & substrate expertise — own color matching across substrates, inks, coatings, and finishes; work fluently in spot vs. process, ICC profiles, dot gain, and TAC; specify substrates with intent

Proofing, press & quality ownership — mark up and approve proofs, attend press checks, own first-article approval, and diagnose/drive fixes when something comes back wrong

Marketing & retail production — engineer displays, POP, collateral, signage, and merchandise to the same standard as packaging

3D modeling & concepting — model structures and displays well enough to pressure-test concepts and produce sell-in renders, then translate to manufacturable specs

Vendor management — serve as day-to-day production contact for printers, converters, and box makers; write clear specs and production packets; troubleshoot in real time

Compliance & QC — partner with Compliance on cannabis labeling requirements, build checkpoints into the workflow, and work with QC on inspection and defect standards

Working with AI — use AI to proof, check compliance/brand accuracy, draft specs, and explore options faster, applying your own judgment throughout

What You Bring

Required:

4+ years in packaging engineering, production design, or print production, with a portfolio of physical products taken from concept to shelf

Strong CPG packaging design ability — hierarchy, panel architecture, and shelf-ready layout inside an existing brand system

Expert-level print production knowledge: substrates, coatings, laminations, inks, finishes, and print methods

Deep color expertise and hands-on color management across substrates and processes

Structural dieline capability, built from scratch (expert Illustrator dieline work is acceptable)

Working 3D modeling ability (Rhino, Fusion 360, Blender, KeyShot, Adobe Dimension, or comparable)

Regulated CPG production experience (California DCC, Health Canada, FDA, TTB, or equivalent)

Expert Adobe Creative Suite — Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign

Direct vendor and press experience, including press checks and first-article approvals

Working experience with AI tools and willingness to build on it as a core part of the role

Relentless attention to detail

Must be 21 or older

Strongly preferred:

Cannabis packaging experience — California DCC and multi-state labeling

Apparel/softgoods production (tech packs, screen print, embroidery, fabric color matching)

Bonus:

Esko ArtiosCAD/Studio or comparable structural software

Scripting or automation for file prep and versioning

Experience building production workflows or spec systems from scratch

How You Work

Detail-obsessed without being slow — you catch problems early because you check the right things. Self-sufficient and a clear communicator, with specs and proofs clean enough to move without a second conversation. Calm under production pressure, collaborative across Creative, Compliance, QC, Purchasing, and Operations, and focused on outcomes: what the customer holds, not just whether the file shipped on time.

Why This Role

You'll touch every physical thing Natura makes, across multiple brands and categories, in a business that ships constantly — a folding carton on Monday, a retail display on Tuesday, a collateral run and hardware spec the same week — with genuine room to build the standards, the systems, and your career.

This job operates in a GMP manufacturing plant setting. While working in this environment employees will be required to wear appropriate protective gowning (provided uniform scrubs) and equipment. While working in this environment, employees are required to operate, maintain, and clean large scale packaging equipment including automated packaging equipment and ancillary equipment. While working in this environment, employees will be exposed to cannabis, cannabis concentrates, cannabis products, and terpenes and may also be exposed to the following: extreme temperatures (as low as -80 Fahrenheit)dust and fine particulate, loud and/sustained noise, pinching and/or crushing hazards food allergens, high pressure systems, including inert and volatile gases.

In addition to the conditions above, the working environment also includes basic professional office equipment such as desks, mobile workstations, computers, phones and other office equipment.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job employees will be required to walk, stand for sustained periods, and lift and carry at least 50 pounds. Employees will be required to use hands, fingers and arms to grasp, pull, twist, reach, and push as needed to operate basic tools such as wrenches, screwdrivers, torque wrenches, etc. Employees must be able to push, pull, and stop carts and trolleys. Employees must be able to see, hear, and communicate basic operational and safety instructions. Employees may be required to lay on the floor or climb stairs. Employees may be required to wear hearing, eye, respiratory, hot/cold, or fall protection.

This position is regularly exposed to raw cannabis flower and other cannabis derived materials and products.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Work Authorization/Security Clearance

There is no visa or H-1B sponsorship.

Pay Range

$70,304-$85,000 DOE

Natura embraces diverse perspectives, and we value unique human experiences. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer that celebrates the diversity of the communities where we live and do business.