Senior Packaging Engineer

Location: Dallas - Fort Worth Area, TX
Industry: Food & Beverage / Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Packaging Engineer to support packaging innovation and commercialization for a leading food and beverage organization. This role is responsible for developing and executing primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging solutions that drive productivity, improve performance, and support new product launches. The successful candidate will collaborate with cross-functional teams including Marketing, Sales, Operations, Purchasing, Finance, and Product Development to deliver packaging solutions from concept through commercialization.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and commercialization of innovative packaging solutions for new and existing products.

• Design, develop, and optimize primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging systems.

• Develop and maintain packaging specifications and technical documentation.

• Partner with Product Development to ensure packaging meets product protection, functionality, shelf-life, and manufacturing requirements.

• Manage packaging projects through the technical stage-gate process from concept to commercialization.

• Develop project timelines, manage budgets, and track project spending.

• Collaborate with Marketing, Sales, Operations, Purchasing, Finance, suppliers, and manufacturing teams to execute packaging initiatives.

• Identify and evaluate emerging packaging materials, technologies, and manufacturing processes to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

• Ensure packaging solutions are compatible with manufacturing equipment and distribution requirements.

• Support packaging optimization across internal manufacturing plants and co-packers.

• Build strong relationships with suppliers and cross-functional stakeholders to successfully deliver projects.

• Travel domestically as required (approximately 15–25%).

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Science, Packaging Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Plastics Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.

• 5+ years of packaging engineering experience within the food or beverage industry.

• Experience developing primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging systems.

• Strong knowledge of packaging materials, manufacturing equipment, and commercialization processes.

• Experience developing packaging specifications and technical documentation.

• Proven project management experience managing multiple projects simultaneously.

• Strong analytical, conceptual, and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.

• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, consumer-driven environment.

Preferred Skills

• Food packaging development

• Packaging commercialization

• Packaging specifications

• Stage-Gate Product Development

• Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)

• Flexible packaging

• Rigid packaging

• Packaging materials

• Product lifecycle management

• Cross-functional leadership

• Supplier management

• Packaging testing and validation

• Cost optimization

• Continuous improvement

• Technical documentation

• Budget management

• Timeline management

• Manufacturing support

• Packaging innovation