Packaging Engineer

IFF is a global leader in food ingredients, committed to delivering exceptional quality, driving innovation, and advancing sustainability. We are currently seeking a talented Packaging Engineer with expertise in powder packaging to elevate the customer experience through optimized finished product packaging.

As a Packaging Engineer within our Food Ingredients division, you’ll play a key role in shaping the customer experience from the moment our products arrive. You’ll collaborate closely with Operations teams across multiple North American sites, applying your technical skills and creativity to enhance packaging performance and customer satisfaction. In this role, you will lead packaging initiatives focused on powder-based food ingredients, partner with cross-functional teams to identify and implement packaging improvements, ensure packaging solutions align with customer expectations, sustainability goals, and operational efficiency, and serve as a key contributor to IFF’s vision of delighting customers at every touchpoint.

Responsibilities:

• Design and Develop Packaging Solutions: Create innovative packaging designs that protect products during handling, transportation and storage, ensuring minimal damage.
• Analyze Packaging Failures: Investigate and analyze instances of packaging failures and customer complaints to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
• Material Selection: Select appropriate packaging materials that provide optimal protection and cost-effectiveness.
• Testing and Validation: Conduct rigorous testing of packaging designs to ensure durability and effectiveness under various conditions.
• Collaborate with Cross-Functional Teams: Work closely with product development, manufacturing, warehousing, and quality assurance teams to ensure packaging meets all requirements.
• Continuous Improvement: Implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance packaging performance and reduce damage rates.
• Customer Feedback: Analyze customer feedback related to packaging issues and use this information to drive improvements.
• Compliance: Ensure all packaging designs comply with industry standards and regulations.
• Documentation: Maintain detailed records of packaging designs, testing results, and improvements made.
• Training: Provide training to manufacturing and quality assurance teams on proper packaging techniques and handling procedures.
• Cost Analysis: Conduct cost analysis to ensure packaging solutions are economically viable without compromising quality.
• Project Management: Lead packaging projects from concept to implementation, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to budget.

This role will work closely with packaging and warehousing/shipping groups at many North American sites along with Global Operations, Manufacturing Technology, CAPEX, Quality & Food Safety and Procurement functions. Additionally, as part of the Food Ingredients Operational Excellence team, this role will collaborate with and support projects outside of the North American region as time allows.

Minimum Requirements:

• B.S. in Packaging, Mechanical or related Engineering field.
• Knowledge of packaging materials and their properties, preferably with powders
• Knowledge of packaging equipment, including secondary packaging, and their function.
• Must be self-motivated and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Solid written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work as a team member/leader respectfully in a global diverse work environment.
• Experience working with Microsoft® Office (particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint).
• Ability to travel up to 50%

 
Preferred Skills:

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in packaging design and development, preferably in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong analytical skills with demonstrated ability to consistently solve problems decisively and efficiently.
• Six Sigma Greenbelt certified, experience with 5S, and understanding of lean principles.

We are a global leader in taste, scent, and nutrition, offering our customers a broader range of natural solutions and accelerating our growth strategy. At IFF, we believe that your uniqueness unleashes our potential. We value the diverse mosaic of the ethnicity, national origin, race, age, sex, or veteran status. We strive for an inclusive workplace that allows each of our colleagues to bring their authentic self to work regardless of their religion, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, or disability.

Visit IFF.com/careers/workplace-diversity-and-inclusion to learn more