What does a Packaging Engineer do?
Packaging engineers are responsible for the design of packing materials for items found in agriculture and agribusiness including food, animal health care, chemicals, pesticides and seeds. Packaging engineers evaluate current packaging availability and design to create cost improvement strategies for both existing and new packaging design. They often coordinate with internal creative graphic designers, industrial designers, project engineers, and vendors for new and existing projects.
Packaging engineers design, develop, and create containers for all types of goods including clothing, cosmetics, medicine, housewares, toys, and computers. They must determine product and cost analysis and often negotiate with customers or sales representatives on the job. Packaging engineers sometimes select, design, and develop the machinery used within specific packaging operations. Packaging engineers develop packaging with a goal of creating something that is both functional and cost-effective for the product. They also develop production methods that aspire to eliminate waste and unnecessary spending for the client and need a bachelor’s degree in packing science, logistics, food science, or engineering.
- Assist in the development and training of other packaging team members.
- Review and improve existing packaging designs when needed.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Analyze plans to ensure that they are feasible within resource constraints.
- Complete necessary forms for work orders in the packaging area.
- Conduct new packaging design roll out and training to the team lead and production workers.
- Participate in new product introduction teams, to deliver new products to market.
- Participate in projects that drive value and loss elimination.
- Direct involvement in the production scheduling process in order to ensure optimum stock holdings.
- Report all accidents and injuries in a timely manner.
- Minimize packaging material scrap, product scrap and product giveaway.
- Demonstrate strong troubleshooting skills through the use of continuous improvement techniques.
- Keep abreast of developments across appropriate packaging and manufacturing technologies.
- Participate in periodic business review meetings with external packaging partners.
- Obtain resources (funding, staff, materials, equipment) necessary to complete key projects.
- Work very closely with suppliers and cultivate relationships with key commodity suppliers.
- Provide verbal, written reports and presentations to senior management.
- Evaluate and make recommendations to product schedules to run as efficiently as possible.
- Work with temporary labor service to plan crewing of interim employees and evaluation of their performance.
- Perform various administrative functions including daily scheduling, time and attendance, vacation scheduling, etc.
- Bachelor's or Graduate's Degree in computer science, packaging science, package engineering or engineering, or equivalent experience.
- Experience with CAD, R Language, CNC, Artios CAD, APP-V, and DCHP software and systems.
- Experience with Adobe Creative Suite.
- Strict attention to detail and dedication to continuous improvement.
- Demonstrated problem solving and leadership skills.
- Familiar with scripting and writing protocols.
- Demonstrated computer literacy.
- A natural collaborator.
How much does a Packaging Engineer make near United States?
Base Pay
Additional Pay
$92,035
/ yrPackaging Engineer Career Path
Learn how to become a Packaging Engineer, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.
Years of Experience Distribution
Packaging Engineer Insights
SLAY Coffee“Good People to work with Better projects to handle on HR is a big time support”
Unilever“Flexibility and good for career development”
“Team work and good understanding helpful”
Dune Jewelry“80hrs weeks (especially during “busy season”) for not much money (and no real bonuses).”
FedEx“Good hours and pay.”
Dennis Group“Worked here for 4 years and the only vacation I didn't work was my honeymoon.”
Western Son Distillery“You have the ability to learn and grow in any department if you apply your self.”
Unisys“Good for career growth and politics”
Frequently asked questions about the roles and responsibilities of a Packaging Engineer
When working as a Packaging Engineer, the most common skills you will need to perform your job and for career success are Windows Operating Systems, Sensitive, Excellent Organizational, Cisco Unified Communication, and Scripting Languages.
- Engineer
- Project Engineer
- Production Engineer
- Process Engineer
The most common qualifications to become a Packaging Engineer include a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree and an average of 0 - 1 years of experience not including years spent in education and/or training.