Packaging Science Leader — Cold-Chain & Innovation

Joinimagine; Illinois; On-site; USD 159,000 - 216,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K matching

Health benefits

Employee discount

ERGs

Equity plan

Paid time off

Job summary

HelloFresh is seeking an Associate Director of Packaging Science to lead the development, qualification, and continuous improvement of packaging systems ensuring safe, efficient delivery of fresh food. You will balance cost, sustainability, and customer experience while collaborating across Food Safety, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain.

The role requires 8–12+ years in packaging/science, a Bachelor's in a related field, and deep expertise in packaging materials and temperature-controlled

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years in packaging/science/engineering or related technical field.
• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Science, Packaging Engineering, Food Science, Materials Science or related discipline; advanced degree preferred.
• Deep expertise in packaging materials and structures (corrugated, paperboard, films, insulation, seals).
• Strong knowledge of temperature-controlled distribution, heat transfer and thermal testing.
• Experience developing packaging specifications, standards, protocols, and acceptance criteria.
• Experience with packaging qualification and distribution testing (thermal, vibration, drop, etc.).

Responsibilities

• Own the technical framework and specifications for packaging systems used to ship perishable food.
• Establish and maintain packaging standards, drawings, performance requirements, and acceptance criteria.
• Define and validate thermal requirements for insulated shippers and configurations.
• Lead packaging qualification programs spanning lab testing to real-world trials.
• Partner with Food Safety, Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and Procurement to ensure packaging performance and safety.
• Lead development and commercialization of sustainable packaging solutions and cost-improvement initiatives.
• Develop supplier technical requirements, qualification processes, and change-control procedures.
• Translate technical requirements into scalable, practical solutions for high-volume distribution.

Skills

Packaging science

Cross-functional collaboration

Data analysis

Risk assessment

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor's in Packaging Science/Engineering/Related

Job description

HelloFresh is seeking an Associate Director of Packaging Science to lead the development, qualification, and continuous improvement of packaging systems ensuring safe, efficient delivery of fresh food. You will balance cost, sustainability, and customer experience while collaborating across Food Safety, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain.

The role requires 8–12+ years in packaging/science, a Bachelor's in a related field, and deep expertise in packaging materials and temperature-controlled