Senior Manager, Packaging Design

24 Seven Talent; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

24 Seven Talent is seeking a highly technical Senior Manager of Packaging to drive structural packaging development across a fast-paced consumer products portfolio. The role is engineering-focused, centered on design, validation, and commercialization of retail packaging.

You will lead a small team of Packaging Engineers, partnering with Product Development, Sourcing, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain to bring packaging from concept through production and beyond.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related technical field.
• 7+ years of structural packaging engineering experience in consumer products.
• 2+ years leading packaging engineers or technical teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of 2-3 Packaging Engineers from concept to production.
• Own structural packaging programs end to end.
• Balance protection, sustainability, cost, and retail presentation.
• Create packaging for big-box retailers meeting retailer requirements.
• Define package dimensions, materials, specs, testing, and docs.
• Improve pallet configurations and shipping efficiency.
• Lead ISTA and transportation testing and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams through product lifecycle.
• Evaluate materials and technologies to reduce cost.

Skills

Packaging engineering

Leadership

ISTA testing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

ArtiosCAD

SolidWorks

Job description

We are looking for a highly technical packaging leader to drive structural packaging development across a fast-paced consumer products portfolio. This is an engineering-focused role centered on the design, validation, and commercialization of retail packaging, not graphic design or brand identity.

The Senior Manager will lead a small team of Packaging Engineers and partner closely with Product Development, Industrial Design, Sourcing, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Sales. This person will bring deep experience developing packaging for big-box retail environments, with Costco experience strongly preferred.

What You’ll Do

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 2-3 Packaging Engineers.
• Own structural packaging programs from early concept through production launch and ongoing optimization.
• Develop packaging solutions that balance protection, sustainability, manufacturability, cost, shipping performance, and retail presentation.
• Create packaging for big-box retail programs, aligning designs with retailer requirements, merchandising standards, and operational needs.
• Define package dimensions, materials, structural specifications, testing requirements, and production‑ready documentation.
• Improve pallet configurations, cube utilization, freight efficiency, warehouse performance, and retail display readiness.
• Lead packaging validation, ISTA and transportation testing, troubleshooting, and continuous‑improvement initiatives.
• Partner with internal teams and external suppliers to resolve packaging challenges throughout the product lifecycle.
• Evaluate materials, construction methods, and emerging technologies to improve performance and reduce cost.
• Present technical recommendations, tradeoffs, and project updates to leadership and cross‑functional partners.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of structural packaging engineering experience in consumer products, retail, manufacturing, or a related environment.
• 2+ years of experience leading Packaging Engineers or technical teams.
• Proven success bringing structural packaging from concept through commercialization.
• Experience supporting major retailers such as Costco, Walmart, Target, Sam's, Home Depot, Lowe's, or similar accounts.
• Strong knowledge of corrugate, paperboard, plastics, foam, molded pulp, and protective packaging materials.
• Working knowledge of ISTA testing, packaging validation, palletization, cube optimization, shipping efficiency, and retail display requirements.
• Strong project management, communication, and cross‑functional leadership skills.

Preferred Experience

• Experience managing packaging suppliers and overseas manufacturing partners.
• Knowledge of sustainability initiatives, material-reduction strategies, and packaging optimization.
• Experience with structural packaging CAD tools such as ArtiosCAD, SolidWorks, or similar platforms.

This is an opportunity for a hands‑on structural packaging expert who enjoys solving complex technical challenges, leading teams, and building practical, market‑ready packaging solutions for high‑volume retail environments.