Product Development Engineer

Responsibilities and Duties

• Evaluate company’s core product line manufacturing to find best practices in materials and processes to provide timely and cost-effective solutions.
• Identify and implement new cost saving initiatives related to packaging materials, labor, efficiency, transportation, and storage of company’s core product line with focus on reduce material usage improved ergonomics, and pallet efficiency.
• Analyze specifications of company’s core product line to determine optimal physical characteristics of container, handling, and types of materials required for use at customers and distribution.
• Establish standards and guidelines for supplier evaluation. Evaluate suppliers/vendors; periodically conduct vendor reviews and technology updates as it pertains to company’s core product line.
• Oversee and manage company’s core product line new development, including the creation of company’s core product line designs, prototype, and performance testing.
• Specify and recommend tools and test methods to develop and validate company’s core product line new product developments.
• Identify and evaluate products and technologies competitive to company’s core product line to determine threats or opportunities
• Work with the operations to insure that company’s core product line developments are optimized for manufacturability.
• Develop and implement test plans to ensure that company’s core product line containers exceeds customer specifications.
• Work closely with suppliers, operations, product development, sales, and purchasing.

Experience and Educational Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or packaging engineering.
• 5+ years of experience in industrial or consumer packaging.
• Strong proficiency and understanding of packaging and materials such as HDPE and corrugate.
• Strong problem solving and decision making skills.
• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Must have strong communication skills, orally and in writing.
• Understanding of process improvement and quality improvement concepts.
• Understanding of plant operations and manufacturing processes.
• Must be able to demonstrate project management skills and experience; project management certification a plus.
• Knowledge in 3D CAD software a plus.
• Ability to travel up to 75%