Senior Packaging Engineer (UFOS) 

Location: Minneapolis, MN also Remote Eligible (U.S.)
Schedule: Full-Time (40 hours/week)
Travel: Up to 10%
Team: Pet R&D Packaging Team

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Senior Packaging Engineer to join our R&D Packaging team . In this role, you will work as part of a highly collaborative cross-functional team focused on supporting pet food packaging innovation, cost optimization, manufacturing support, and product quality initiatives.

You'll partner closely with teams across Research & Development, Sourcing, Quality, Engineering, Marketing, and Operations to deliver packaging solutions that support new product launches, drive continuous improvement, and ensure reliable manufacturing performance.

This is an excellent opportunity for a packaging professional who enjoys balancing technical problem-solving, project leadership, supplier collaboration, and innovation within a fast-paced consumer packaged goods environment.

What You'll Do

Packaging Development & Innovation

• Lead packaging development activities that support innovation, cost savings, and core business initiatives.
• Identify and advance technical packaging opportunities that improve performance, efficiency, and margins.
• Apply packaging and material expertise to solve technical challenges and support continuous improvement efforts.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Build strong partnerships with internal stakeholders across R&D, Operations, Engineering, Quality, Marketing, and Sourcing.
• Collaborate with suppliers and external partners to evaluate new packaging technologies and solutions.
• Support packaging trials, product launches, and manufacturing initiatives.

Testing & Validation

• Plan, conduct, and manage packaging experiments, supplier trials, and technical evaluations.
• Analyze data and provide recommendations based on results.
• Ensure packaging solutions meet quality, performance, and manufacturing requirements.

Documentation & Communication

• Create and maintain technical packaging specifications and drawings.
• Document project plans, test results, financial analyses, and recommendations.
• Provide clear project updates and technical communication to stakeholders and leadership.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of packaging engineering experience.
• Strong understanding of the product commercialization process, from packaging design through manufacturing implementation.
• Experience applying engineering and process improvement solutions within consumer packaged goods (CPG) environments.
• Experience creating technical packaging drawings and specifications.
• Experience working with manufacturing facilities, engineering firms, vendors, and contractors.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Self-motivated with excellent project and time management abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proficiency with:
  • Microsoft Office Suite
  • Microsoft 365
  • SharePoint
  • TOPS
• Ability to travel up to 10%.

Preferred

• 7+ years of packaging development experience.
• Experience in food manufacturing, pet food manufacturing, or a related industry.
• Experience working with Interspec or similar Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems.
• Knowledge of pet food manufacturing processes and packaging requirements.

What Success Looks Like

• Successfully supporting packaging innovation and product launch initiatives.
• Driving packaging improvements that enhance efficiency, quality, and cost performance.
• Building strong partnerships with internal teams and external suppliers.
• Delivering projects on time while maintaining high technical and quality standards.
• Contributing technical expertise that helps advance the business and strengthen packaging capabilities.