Product Development Engineer

Ring Container Technologies; Oakland (TN); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Ring Container Technologies seeks a packaging engineer with 5+ years in industrial or consumer packaging to lead development, optimize manufacturing, and implement cost-saving initiatives. You will evaluate cores, set supplier standards, and collaborate across functions to ensure manufacturability and product performance.

The role requires strong problem solving, communication, and project management skills, plus travel up to 75% to support customers and operations.

Qualifications

• Must have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical or packaging engineering.
• 5+ years of experience in industrial or consumer packaging.
• Strong proficiency with packaging materials such as HDPE and corrugate.
• Excellent problem solving and decision making skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Understanding of process and quality improvement concepts.
• Knowledge of plant operations and manufacturing processes.
• Project management experience is a plus.
• Willingness to travel up to 75%.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate core product line manufacturing to find best practices for cost-effective solutions.
• Identify new cost saving initiatives across packaging materials, labor, and transportation.
• Analyze specifications to determine optimal container materials and handling.
• Establish supplier evaluation standards and guidelines.
• Evaluate suppliers and conduct vendor reviews and technology updates.
• Oversee and manage new product development, prototypes, and testing.
• Specify tools and test methods for new product validation.
• Assess competitive products and technologies for threats or opportunities.
• Ensure developments are manufacturable in operations.
• Develop test plans to meet customer specifications.
• Collaborate with suppliers, operations, product development, sales and purchasing.

Skills

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Communication skills

Process improvement

Manufacturing knowledge

3D CAD

Packaging materials proficiency

Travel ability

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical or packaging engineering

Tools

3D CAD software

Job description

Responsibilities and Duties

• Evaluate company’s core product line manufacturing to find best practices in materials and processes to provide timely and cost-effective solutions.
• Identify and implement new cost saving initiatives related to packaging materials, labor, efficiency, transportation, and storage of company’s core product line with focus on reduce material usage improved ergonomics, and pallet efficiency.
• Analyze specifications of company’s core product line to determine optimal physical characteristics of container, handling, and types of materials required for use at customers and distribution.
• Establish standards and guidelines for supplier evaluation.
• Evaluate suppliers/vendors; periodically conduct vendor reviews and technology updates as it pertains to company’s core product line.
• Oversee and manage company’s core product line new development, including the creation of company’s core product line designs, prototype, and performance testing.
• Specify and recommend tools and test methods to develop and validate company’s core product line new product developments.
• Identify and evaluate products and technologies competitive to company’s core product line to determine threats or opportunities.
• Work with the operations to insure that company’s core product line developments are optimized for manufacturability.
• Develop and implement test plans to ensure that company’s core product line containers exceeds customer specifications.
• Work closely with suppliers, operations, product development, sales, and purchasing.

Experience and Educational Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or packaging engineering.
• 5+ years of experience in industrial or consumer packaging.
• Strong proficiency and understanding of packaging and materials such as HDPE and corrugate.
• Strong problem solving and decision making skills.
• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Must have strong communication skills, orally and in writing.
• Understanding of process improvement and quality improvement concepts.
• Understanding of plant operations and manufacturing processes.
• Must be able to demonstrate project management skills and experience; project management certification a plus.
• Knowledge in 3D CAD software a plus.
• Ability to travel up to 75%

Ring is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of Ring to apply recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, compensation and professional development practices without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or certain classifications based on genetic information.

A company that values people most of all. Ring is committed to fostering a culture of empowerment and respect within our own walls, in the communities we live and work in, and in the global community we all share.For our employees, we develop leadership skills, provide ongoing training, and offer opportunities for growth and reward through our RING Career Track process. We also emphasize work-life balance and take conscientious health and safety measures that have earned us recognition as one of the healthiest workplaces.For the larger community, we devote volunteer hours and monetary support to organizations and charitable causes devoted to youth, education, health care, and the environment.And for the future, we work hard to make every aspect of our own business more sustainable. Our ultimate goals? Meaningful work, inspired people, superior products, and a more livable world for all. For more about our corporate culture, visit our Corporate Responsibility pages. Great people doing great work.