Senior Front End Innovation Engineer

Sealed Air; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 98,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Sealed Air is seeking a Senior Front End Innovation Engineer in Charlotte, NC to scout technologies and lead early-stage projects for packaging equipment concepts. You will gather customer insights, design experiments, and present findings to executives as you drive cross-functional collaboration with R&D, engineering, and operations.

The role emphasizes creativity, customer focus, and the ability to pivot as priorities evolve, with travel up to 30% domestically and internationally.

Qualifications

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with test method development, design of experiments, and data-driven analysis.
• Creative, self-motivated, and able to work in ambiguous environments.
• Curious and innovative thinker who enjoys exploring new ideas.

Responsibilities

• Scout and evaluate emerging technologies, startups, and partnership opportunities.
• Lead and support front-end innovation projects from idea generation through validation.
• Develop and test new equipment, packaging, and technology concepts.
• Gather insights from customers, consumers, and manufacturing environments.
• Design experiments, analyze data, and communicate findings through presentations and reports.
• Collaborate across R&D, engineering, operations, commercial teams, and external partners.
• Present technical concepts and recommendations to customers and senior leadership.

Skills

Strong communication

Creative thinking

Data-driven analysis

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Data Science, Food Science, Meat Science, Packaging Science, or related field

Job description

United States, North Carolina, Charlotte

Oct 02, 2026

Senior Front End Innovation Engineer

SEE Headquarters - Charlotte

Requisition ID: 56836

Sealed Air designs and delivers packaging solutions that protect essential goods transported worldwide, preserve food, enable e-commerce and digital connectivity, and help create a global supply chain that is touchless, safer, less wasteful, and more resilient. We strive to foster a caring, high-performance growth culture that will deliver consistent, sustainable profitable growth and accelerate our performance - a culture where accountability is clear and aligned, and where we reward business outcomes and impact. That culture guides everything we do, including how we partner with our customers and suppliers, how we attract and retain top talent, and how we create and deliver value to our stakeholders. In 2025, Sealed Air generated $5.4 billion in sales and has approximately 16,100 employees who serve customers in 119 countries/territories. To learn more, visit www.sealedair.com.

What will you do as a Sr. Front End Innovation Engineer?

We are hiring a Sr. Front End Innovation Engineer. Our Front End Innovation team scouts new and advanced technologies, vets startups and partnerships, and works on tricky technical problems to unlock new solutions for our development teams. This specific role is focused on packaging equipment; however, this may include material and consumer-focused projects.

Our projects do not follow a standardized format. Engagements can range from a one-day effort to quickly validate or dismiss a concept, to multi-year initiatives focused on monitoring and assessing the evolution of emerging technologies.

We encourage candidates with mechanical, electrical, data, and applications engineering backgrounds, however, they should know that this is not a standard "sit at a desk and design" engineering role. No two days are the same. You might be developing a new machine concept, gathering insights in the field, or interviewing consumers to better understand their packaging preferences and behaviors.

Candidates who thrive on this team are highly creative, customer-focused, and good at pivoting. You will not be assigned specific easy-to-complete tasks in this role, rather, you'll hunt and be presented with problem statements, and your role is to generate ideas and solve them.

This role includes presenting in front of customers and executives, as well as traveling to conferences and customer sites. Our customer sites are typically food packaging sites, including work on the floor at meat packing plants.

Responsibilities

• Scout and evaluate emerging technologies, startups, and partnership opportunities.


• Lead and support front-end innovation projects from idea generation through validation.


• Develop and test new equipment, packaging, and technology concepts.


• Gather insights from customers, consumers, and manufacturing environments.


• Design experiments, analyze data, and communicate findings through presentations and reports.


• Collaborate across R&D, engineering, operations, commercial teams, and external partners.


• Present technical concepts and recommendations to customers and senior leadership.

What you need to be successful?

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Data Science, Food Science, Meat Science, Packaging Science, or a related field (or equivalent experience).


• Strong written and verbal communication skills.


• Experience with test method development, design of experiments, and data-driven analysis.


• Creative, self-motivated, and comfortable working in ambiguous environments.


• Strong problem-solving skills with a customer-focused mindset.


• Curious and innovative thinker who enjoys exploring new ideas.


• Adaptable and able to pivot quickly as priorities evolve.


• Comfortable working independently to define pathways and solve complex problems.


• Passion for technology, innovation, and continuous learning.


• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 30%.


• Mid to Senior-Level Candidates will be considered.


• Candidates for senior-level consideration should have 7+ years of relevant experience and a proven ability to independently manage projects, establish priorities, and deliver results in fast-paced, innovation-driven environments.

Pay Transparency

Base Compensation: $98,000 - $130,000 + bonus eligibility

The range disclosed complies with applicable state and local pay transparency laws. Offers within this range will be determined by considering relevant factors including education, experience, and internal alignment. This position may also be eligible for annual performance bonuses and other incentive programs. Sealed Air offers a competitive benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, 401(k), paid time off, and other benefits designed to promote well-being.

Requisition id: 56836

Relocation: Yes

Sealed Air is committed to attracting, selecting, and developing talent that reflects the diversity of the communities and customers we serve. We take pride in our selection process to identify, infuse, and grow talent to align with our culture, values, and norms. Sealed Air prioritizes talent development, fostering a culture of continuous growth and career progression. The company is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and to all employees, without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, protected disability, veteran status, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

*Please be cautious of fraudulent recruiting efforts using the Sealed Air name or logo. Sealed Air will never request private information during the application process, such as a Driver's License or Social Security Number. If you have any concerns about information received from SEE during the application process, please reach out to us directly at [e-mail].

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Information at a Glance

WHY WORK AT SEALED AIR?

It is our responsibility to leverage what we have to affect positive and meaningful change for our communities and planet using Sealed Air's global resources and expertise.

Corporate sustainability - it's about improving the lives of people around the world by addressing pressing needs in the communities where we and our customers operate.

Customer Success - meeting our customers' needs. At Sealed Air it's more than a goal, it's an integral part of our business practices, our innovative solutions, and our values.

Leaving our communities better than we found them through dedication of time, talent and resources.