Packaging Specialist

High Liner Foods; Portsmouth (NH); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pay for performance incentives

Wellness programs

Retirement planning

Learning and mentorship opportunities

Flex policies & Summer hours

Safety focused work environment

Job summary

High Liner Foods in Portsmouth, NH is seeking a Packaging Specialist to join the Packaging Engineering team. The role collaborates cross-functionally to bring new products to market and support renovations, owning packaging component specifications and ensuring accuracy, compliance, and continuous improvement.

You will work across Marketing, Product Development, Purchasing, Operations, Regulatory and Quality, translating brand and regulatory requirements into production-ready packaging

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or 1-3 years in packaging development, purchasing packaging, or CPG manufacturing; OR degree in Packaging, Packaging Science, or related field.
• Familiarity with packaging terminology, materials, and structures.
• Basic understanding of packaging printing processes and artwork workflows.
• Strong attention to detail with excellent organizational and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Support packaging development and execution for new product launches and renovations across primary, secondary, and tertiary formats.
• Assist with testing, evaluating, documenting, and validating packaging materials, structures, and print formats.
• Translate brand, product, operational, regulatory, and quality requirements into compliant packaging solutions.
• Partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Product Development, Purchasing, Operations, Manufacturing, Specifications, Regulatory, Quality, and suppliers to advance projects.
• Create, update, maintain, and control packaging component specifications with version control and data accuracy.
• Participate in artwork reviews, design evaluations, supplier discussions, packaging optimization, and cost-saving efforts.
• Maintain awareness of packaging materials, industry trends, and sustainability opportunities.

Skills

Packaging terminology

Printing processes understanding

Attention to detail

Cross-functional collaboration

Team oriented

Manufacturing environment

Travel up to 10%

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Packaging / related field

Tools

Specification systems

Job description

Working as a core member of the Packaging Engineering team, the Packaging Specialist collaborates cross-functionally with Marketing, Product Development, Purchasing, Specifications, Operations, Regulatory and Quality to bring new products to market and support renovations of existing items. A key part of this role includes ownership and maintenance of packaging component specifications to ensure accuracy, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Essential Duties and responsibilities

• Support packaging development and execution for new product launches, renovations, and continuous improvement initiatives across primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging formats.
• Assist with testing, evaluating, documenting, and validating packaging materials, structures, print methods, line trials, and supplier-recommended formats.
• Translate brand, product, operational, regulatory, and quality requirements into practical, compliant, and production-ready packaging solutions.
• Partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Product Development, Purchasing, Operations, Manufacturing, Specifications, Regulatory, Quality, and suppliers to advance projects efficiently.
• Create, update, maintain, and control packaging component specifications, ensuring data accuracy, documentation integrity, version control, and portfolio-wide compliance.
• Participate in artwork reviews, design evaluations, supplier discussions, packaging optimization, cost savings efforts, and sustainability-related opportunities.
• Maintain awareness of packaging materials, industry trends, innovations, manufacturing considerations, and perform other packaging-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and/or 1-3 years of relevant professional experience in packaging development, purchasing packaging, or CPG manufacturing; OR degree in Packaging, Packaging Science, or related field.
• Familiarity with packaging terminology, materials, and structures (rigid plastics, flexible films, corrugate, folding cartons, etc.).
• Basic understanding of packaging printing processes and artwork workflows.
• Strong attention to detail with excellent organizational and documentation skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
• Highly collaborative, both with internal teams and suppliers/vendors
• Team oriented, strives for engaging team members to achieve results
• Comfort working in a manufacturing environment.
• Willingness to travel up to 10%.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; experience with specification systems is a plus.

Current employees please note: this position is referral bonus eligible! See our policy for more details.

What's in it for you?

Join High Liner Foods for a career where you shape your path, backed by great benefits, flexible work, and a culture of diversity, innovation, and sustainability. Immerse yourself in opportunities to make a real impact and grow with us in our mission to nourish lives. Start your adventure where endless possibilities to thrive together await.

• Pay for performance incentives
• Employee & Family assistance programs
• Wellness Programs
• Retirement Planning
• Disability Support
• Family friendly Flex policies & Summer hours
• Learning and mentorship opportunities
• Safety focused work environment

About High Liner Foods

Founded in 1899 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, High Liner Foods has grown from a small salt fish company into a leading North American processor and marketer of value-added frozen seafood. Our trusted brands - including High Liner, Fisher Boy, Mirabel, Sea Cuisine, C.Wirthy & Co, Mrs. Paul’s, Van de Kamp’s, and Icelandic Seafood - are enjoyed by families, restaurants, and institutions across Canada and the United States.

Guided by our purpose of Reimagining Seafood to Nourish Life, we combine over a century of expertise with innovation, consumer insight, and responsible practices to deliver high-quality seafood people can trust.

At High Liner Foods, we are a people-first organization. We invest in our employees through development opportunities, collaborative teamwork, and a culture where safety, well-being, and growth are priorities. Whether in our offices, plants, or distribution teams, our people work together to deliver excellence and drive the future of seafood.

Our Values

Serve with Purpose - We put our customers and consumers at the heart of everything we do, creating quality products that help to nourish lives and foster connections that go beyond the plate.

Do the Right Thing - We lead with integrity, act responsibly, and make choices that support our people, our partners, and our planet..

Innovate & Reimagine - We challenge the norm, embrace fresh ideas, and turn innovation into impact.

All Hands on Deck - Powered by people and driven by purpose, we lead with courage, hold one another accountable, and celebrate as a team

Ready to make waves with us? Join High Liner Foods and help shape the future of seafood.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.