Process & Product Implementation Engineer - Packaging

mars

United States

On-site

USD 80,000 - 115,000

Full time

6 days ago

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Job summary

The Process & Product Implementation Engineer - Packaging at Mars, Incorporated’s Royal Canin facility in Fremont, NE leads on-site R&D packaging trials, material qualification, and equipment changes to scale innovative designs into production with no sacrifice to safety, quality or line efficiency.

Key duties include SPC-based process control, HAB handovers, and collaborating with Operations, Maintenance, QFS, and regional R&D teams to deliver sustainable packaging transitions and continuous

Qualifications

Bachelor-level technical degree with 1–3 years manufacturing/engineering experience, or 5+ years hands-on manufacturing with HS diploma.
Experience in food/beverage manufacturing or high-speed packaging operations is preferred.
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or similar certification is a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead site-level packaging trials from protocol to reporting.
Act as on-site technical authority during line validations.
Assess film machinability, sealing performance, line throughput and package integrity.
Drive sustainability initiatives and supplier validation for packaging materials.
Define standard operating procedures and hand over documentation for production readiness.

Skills

Data analysis

Root cause analysis

Statistical methods

Interpersonal skills

Technical writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Packaging Science

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Food Science

High School Diploma/GED with 5+ yrs experience

Tools

Form-fill-seal machinery

Packaging equipment testing

Job description

Job Description

Job Title: Process & Product Implementation Engineer - Packaging

Segment / Business Unit: Royal Canin (Mars, Incorporated)

Location / Site: Fremont, Nebraska (On-Site Factory)

Job Function: Research & Development (R&D) / Industrialization

Shift Schedule: Day Shift | 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM | Monday through Friday

Travel Requirements: Occasional travel to other Royal Canin manufacturing sites & vendor locations

Job Purpose & Summary

The Process & Product Implementation (PPI) Engineer - Packaging serves as the factory-level R&D representative at our Royal Canin manufacturing facility in Fremont, Nebraska. This role leads the industrial implementation and qualification of new packaging materials, packaging technologies, equipment modifications, and sustainability initiatives.
Serving as the crucial technical link and \"Voice of the Factory\" to the broader R&D community, the Packaging PPI Engineer ensures innovative packaging designs are scaled seamlessly into plant operations without adverse impacts on safety, product quality, line efficiency (OEE), or factory waste. This position is central to executing Mars sustainability commitments (e.g., Mono-PE transitions, plastic reduction, paper conversions, SB54 roadmap) through rigorous trial management, Statistical Process Control (SPC), Standard Running Condition (SRC) definitions, and smooth technical handovers.

Key Responsibilities

Packaging Innovation Deployment & Industrial Trials (40%)

Trial Planning & Execution: Lead site-level packaging trials from protocol preparation, raw material staging, line trial execution, quality sampling, to comprehensive technical reporting.

Technical Authority: Act as the on-site technical authority during line validations, evaluating film machinability, sealing performance, line throughput, and package integrity.

Risk Assessment & Escalation: Identify, assess, and mitigate industrial and technical risks prior to full commercial rollout; support Industrial GO / GO-NO GO decision gates.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Fremont Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality & Food Safety (Q&FS), CVS, and Regional R&D Deploy teams.

Packaging Sustainability & Material Transition (25%)

Sustainability Roadmap: Drive factory execution of sustainable packaging initiatives including Mono-PE structures, plastic reduction, paper transition, and SB54 compliance.

TRL Progression: Support TRL5/6 development trials, TRL7 saleable soft launches, and TRL8/9 full-scale industrial deployments.

Supplier Validation: Validate alternative sustainable substrates and new vendor packaging materials to ensure strict barrier, hermetic seal, and shelf-life requirements.

Specifications Management & Statistical Process Control (20%)

R&D Specifications: Ensure full site compliance with R&D material, equipment, and finished pack technical standards.

Standard Running Conditions (SRCs): Define, validate, and document optimal process parameter envelopes and standard machine settings.

Statistical Process Control (SPC): Apply SPC tools to monitor process capability (Cp/Cpk), eliminate line variation, and drive scrap/waste reductions.

Handover Protocols: Manage Hand Over 1 (HO1) and Hand Over 2 (HO2) operational transfer documentation to ensure production readiness.

Continuous Improvement, Training & Safety (15%)

Structured Problem Solving: Facilitate Root Cause Analysis (RCA), 5-Why, and DMAIC problem-solving for chronic packaging equipment faults and packaging quality defects.

Knowledge Transfer & SOPs: Author standard operating procedures, trial playbooks, and training materials; coach operators and maintenance technicians.

Quality & Safety Compliance: Strictly adhere to Mars Quality & Food Safety (Q&FS), Occupational Safety (HSE), and environmental standards during all trial activities.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education & Experience

Minimum Requirements: Bachelor's degree in Packaging Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Food Science, Supply Chain, or related technical discipline with 1-3 years of manufacturing/engineering experience; OR High School Diploma/GED with 5+ years of relevant technical/hands-on manufacturing experience.