Principal Packaging Engineer Lead Packaging Innovation

CJ Schwan’s; Wisconsin; On-site; USD 107,000 - 178,000; Full time

Job summary

CJ Schwan’s is seeking a Principal Packaging Process Engineer for its North American R&D team. You will lead complex packaging equipment projects from concept through commercialization, partnering with product development, sourcing, and operations to optimize performance and cost.

The role requires 30–50% travel and residence in the Florence, KY or Cincinnati, OH area, with a focus on innovative packaging solutions and ROI-driven investments across multiple plants.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering field is required.
• 10+ years of engineering experience, preferably in OEM packaging equipment manufacturing.
• 5+ years of engineering experience with OEM packaging equipment for the food industry.
• Experience with highly automated packaging systems (forming, sealing, transferring, robotics, automation).

Responsibilities

• Lead large-scale packaging projects from concept to commercialization (2MM–40MM+).
• Conduct feasibility studies and develop scalable packaging solutions.
• Provide hands-on leadership in design and execution of next-gen packaging lines.
• Develop packaging scope, process diagrams, layouts, and qualification criteria.
• Collaborate with product development, sourcing, materials, and purchasing teams.
• Present capital proposals with ROI and capacity estimates.
• Mentor internal and external engineers to build technical skills.

Skills

Packaging engineering

Project leadership

LEAN principles

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Packaging or Electrical Engineering

Job description

CJ Schwan’s is seeking a Principal Packaging Process Engineer for its North American R&D team. You will lead complex packaging equipment projects from concept through commercialization, partnering with product development, sourcing, and operations to optimize performance and cost.

The role requires 30–50% travel and residence in the Florence, KY or Cincinnati, OH area, with a focus on innovative packaging solutions and ROI-driven investments across multiple plants.