Flexible Packaging Engineer - Plastics

Role details

Location

Could be Schaumburg, IL or Grand Rapids, MI

We are recruiting for a global manufacturer of specialty packaging materials that is a world leader in its niche and dominates that niche. They have been in business for over 100 years.

They are seeking an experienced Flexible Packaging Engineer with a background in plastic film extrusion, lamination, or flexible packaging product development.

This position combines hands-on technical knowledge with product development, project management, and direct interaction with customers and suppliers.

We're looking for someone who understands how flexible plastic packaging materials are developed, manufactured, tested, and commercialized.

You do not need experience in both extrusion and lamination. Experience in either process will be considered.

This is not strictly a manufacturing process engineering position. The individual will be involved in developing new products, improving existing materials, managing technical projects, and working with customers and suppliers to solve packaging challenges.

What You'll Be Doing

• ️ Lead technical projects involving the development and improvement of flexible plastic packaging materials.

• ️ Develop new products and improve existing film structures, materials, and manufacturing processes.

• ️ Work with plastic film extrusion, adhesive lamination, or related flexible packaging converting technologies.

• ️ Manage development projects from initial concept through testing, manufacturing trials, and commercialization.

• ️ Work directly with customers and suppliers to understand technical requirements, resolve problems, and develop new packaging solutions.

• ️ Coordinate product trials and collaborate with manufacturing, R&D, quality, and commercial teams.

• ️ Evaluate polymers, adhesives, coatings, substrates, and multilayer packaging structures.

• ️ Troubleshoot material performance and manufacturing issues.

• ️ Collaborate with technical teams at manufacturing facilities in the United States and internationally.

Required Qualifications

• ️

Flexible Plastic Packaging Experience

Professional engineering or technical experience in flexible plastic packaging manufacturing, converting, or product development.

• ️

Extrusion OR Lamination Experience

Technical experience with at least one of the following: blown film extrusion, cast film extrusion, multilayer coextrusion, adhesive lamination, or extrusion lamination. Experience with both extrusion and lamination is preferred but not required.

• ️

Project Management

Experience managing technical projects involving product development, materials development, process improvements, or manufacturing commercialization.

• ️

Customer and Supplier Interaction

Experience working directly with external customers, suppliers, or technical partners on development projects or technical problem-solving.

• ️

Technical Problem-Solving

Ability to evaluate complex material and manufacturing problems, identify solutions, and communicate effectively with technical and nontechnical teams.

• ️

Education or Equivalent Experience

A degree in Engineering, Packaging Science, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related technical field, OR substantial relevant technical experience in flexible plastic packaging manufacturing or converting.

Preferred Qualifications

• ️ Experience with multilayer flexible packaging films and barrier structures.

• ️ Knowledge of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), nylon, EVOH, or other packaging polymers.

• ️ Experience with adhesives, coatings, film-to-film lamination, or film-to-foil lamination.

• ️ Experience with R&D, new product development, pilot trials, and commercial manufacturing scale-up.

• ️ Experience developing packaging solutions for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, or consumer products.

• ️ Experience working with international engineering or manufacturing teams.

Who We're Looking For

The ideal candidate is an engineer or technical development professional who understands flexible plastic packaging manufacturing but also enjoys the product development side of the business.

You may currently be working as a Packaging Engineer, Product Development Engineer, R&D Engineer, Process Development Engineer, Materials Engineer, Extrusion Engineer, or Technical Development Engineer.

We're particularly interested in candidates who have taken ownership of technical projects, worked directly with customers or suppliers, and helped bring new products or materials into commercial production.

A candidate with strong blown film or cast film extrusion experience and product development responsibilities can be just as relevant as someone with adhesive lamination experience.

This position offers the opportunity to work on specialized packaging materials, collaborate with global technical teams, and contribute to new product development for a well-established international manufacturer.