Technical Engineer - Packaging

greenthumbindustries; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Green Thumb Industries (GTI) seeks a Technical Engineer - Packaging to design, develop, and optimize packaging and automation for multiple facilities, balancing protection, cost, regulatory requirements, and brand standards.

In collaboration with GTI's Brand and Product Development teams, you will transform concepts into scalable production-ready solutions and develop automation systems aligned with local volume needs.

Qualifications

• Engineering degree or equivalent required.
• Experience with packaging automation in manufacturing.
• Willingness to travel.
• Strong collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and validate packaging solutions for product protection during transport, storage and handling.
• Determine automated packaging processes with cross-functional teams.
• Lead validation studies to select optimal packaging options for the business.
• Oversee packaging automation integration into existing manufacturing processes.

Skills

Packaging Design

Automation Systems

Process Improvement

Cross-functional Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

Printer fleet management

Job description

The Role

As a Technical Engineer - Packaging at Green Thumb Industries (GTI), you will be responsible for designing, developing, and optimizing packaging and packaging automation solutions for our production processes across multiple facilities. In this role, you will balance various factors, including product protection, cost, regulatory requirements, and brand standards. Working collaboratively with GTI's Brand and Product Development team, you will transform packaging concepts into scalable production-ready solutions and develop automation systems that align with local volume requirements. Additionally, this role will support local facilities by addressing packaging and automation challenges. Our ideal candidate has expertise in equipment selection, equipment troubleshooting, and implementing automated packaging production processes within a manufacturing environment. We are open to finding the right candidate who is willing to travel for this role. Our priority locations are Chicago HQ, Mid-Atlantic region or near one of our manufacturing facilities with close proximity to a hub airport.

Responsibilities

Packaging Design and Development:

• Collaborate with Brand to design, develop and validate packaging solutions that provide adequate protection for products during transportation, storage, and handling.
• Consider factors such as product fragility, size, weight, and shelf life when designing packaging.
• Collaborate with Process Engineer and Operations team to determine automated manufacturing processes for new GTI product packaging
• Coordinate with cross-functional team line validation studies for new packaging selections to determine the best option for the business.

Automation System Design & Implementation:

• Research and select packaging automation solutions which fit the local sites' volume, staffing, and regulatory needs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to conceptualize and design packaging automation systems that align with production requirements and quality standards.
• Conduct financial analysis on automation solutions to ensure capital is spent efficiently and ensure the highest return on capital investment.
• Lead the integration of packaging automation solutions into existing manufacturing processes, ensuring seamless implementation and minimal disruption to operations.
• Serve as SME for packaging automation technology; execute equipment-level tech transfer including controls training and commissioning support, enabling site teams to maintain and operate new automation solutions independently.
• Work with the site team to ensure Autonomous Maintenance and Planned Maintenance systems are in place for new automation solutions.
• Lead IQ, OQ, and PQ validations for new and modified packaging equipment and processes; execute technical transfers to site production teams in partnership with Quality.
• Own the hardware side of label printing and marking equipment across all sites, including printer fleet selection, installation, qualification, and uptime; partner with the Director of Packaging & Process Optimization on label accuracy and compliance outcomes

Technical Support & Continuous Improvement:

• Provide ongoing technical support for packaging automation equipment, troubleshooting issues, and implementing corrective actions to maximize efficiency and minimize downtime.
• Ensure the local teams are trained on the equipment through extensive technical knowledge transfer to promote a culture of Autonomous Maintenance.
• Provide engineering startup support for new facilities, including:
  • Equipment layout and requirements definition
  • Construction handoff coordination
  • Regulatory compliance requirements for equipment
  • Best-practice process development for new lines
  • Equipment technical transfer and controls training
• Maintain up-to-date as-built records, drawings, and SOP documentation for all packaging equipment deployments.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Provide engineering input to Product Development, Operations, Supply Chain, and Marketing on packaging equipment capabilities, constraints, and automation options, supporting overall packaging strategy.
• Work cross-functionally to translate ideas and packaging specifications from marketing and research and development into scalable and efficient packaging processes at site level
• Integrate with the Maintenance vertical to ensure packaging automation equipment is supported through structured turnover documentation, spare parts planning, and technician training programs; serve as the primary engineering contact for maintenance on all packaging systems.
• Travel to GTI manufacturing and processing locations to scope and execute packaging processes.

Safety & Compliance

• Be aware of and actively mitigate hazards in the workspace.
• Retain and apply department-specific safety and compliance training.
• Report safety incidents and concerns; comply with all follow-up actions.
• Maintain compliance with area safety requirements, state regulations, and