Senior Front End Innovation Engineer

Sealed Air; Charlotte (NC); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k)

Paid time off

Job summary

Sealed Air in Charlotte, NC is seeking a Sr. Front End Innovation Engineer to scout and validate emerging technologies and lead front-end innovation projects from idea generation through validation.

The role involves designing experiments, gathering customer insights, and presenting findings to executives. Travel up to 30% domestically and internationally, and collaboration across R&D, engineering, operations, and external partners is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree requirement in STEM or related field.
• Experience with test method development and design of experiments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to travel up to 30% domestically and internationally.
• Comfortable working in ambiguous environments and pivoting quickly.

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

Communication skills

Test method development

Data-driven analysis

Creative thinking

Problem solving

Adaptability

Independent work

Learning mindset

Travel readiness

Education

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

Job description

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.

If you're energized by technology, creativity, customer interaction, and solving challenges that don't come with a roadmap, we'd love to hear from you.

Pay Transparency

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.

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.

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.