Protective Packaging Design Engineer

Protective Packaging Design Engineer

Reports To: Chief Operating Officer

Position Type: Full-Time

Position Summary

The Protective Packaging Design Engineer is responsible for developing innovative,

functional, and manufacturable packaging solutions that protect customers’ products

throughout storage, handling, and shipment. This role combines customer consultation,

engineering design, CAD development, and hands-on prototype production to translate

customer requirements into effective, production-ready packaging solutions.

Working closely with customers, internal sales representatives, and production

personnel, this individual will gather technical requirements, understand product

vulnerabilities and distribution environments, and develop packaging concepts that

balance product protection, material efficiency, cost, customer expectations, and

manufacturing capabilities.

The ideal candidate has an engineering background, strong technical and spatial

reasoning skills, proficiency or aptitude in CAD software, and a practical understanding

of manufacturing processes. This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys solving

engineering challenges, collaborating directly with customers, and bringing concepts to

life through physical prototypes and samples.

Key Responsibilities

1. Customer Consultation & Requirements Development

 Conduct consultative calls and meetings with customers and internal sales

representatives to understand packaging objectives, product requirements, and

customer expectations.

 Gather and evaluate critical product specifications, including dimensions, weight,

fragility, orientation, handling requirements, and other characteristics that

influence packaging design.

 Assess shipping, storage, handling, and distribution conditions to determine

potential risks and appropriate protective packaging requirements.

 Translate customer needs and product requirements into clear design criteria,

technical specifications, and packaging concepts.

 Collaborate with sales representatives to develop solutions that address

customer challenges while balancing functionality, cost, manufacturability, and

overall value.

 Communicate design concepts, technical recommendations, and proposed

solutions clearly to both technical and nontechnical audiences.

2. CAD Design & Engineering Development

 Develop 2D and 3D packaging concepts, layouts, and detailed designs using

CAD software, including Autodesk Inventor and ArtiosCAD.

 Create technical drawings, design files, and supporting documentation for

customer presentations, prototype development, and production implementation.

 Design protective packaging solutions that account for product geometry,

cushioning requirements, structural integrity, material selection, and shipping

conditions.

 Evaluate multiple design approaches to identify the most effective balance of

protection, material usage, cost, and ease of manufacturing.

 Revise and refine designs based on customer feedback, prototype evaluations,

testing results, and internal production input.

 Maintain accurate design files, revisions, specifications, and other documentation

necessary to support repeatability and production consistency.

3. Prototype & Sample Development

 Produce physical samples and prototypes that accurately represent proposed

packaging designs and allow for customer review, evaluation, and testing.

 Independently learn, set up, and operate a variety of sample-making and

production equipment used in the packaging development process.

 Convert CAD designs into practical prototypes while ensuring dimensional

accuracy, structural integrity, and alignment with design intent.

 Manage prototype and sample requests to meet customer deadlines and support

sales activities, design approvals, and new business opportunities.

 Troubleshoot design and equipment challenges, identify opportunities to improve

sample-making processes, and resolve issues efficiently.

 Evaluate prototypes for fit, functionality, assembly, product protection, and

manufacturability before presenting solutions to customers or releasing designs

for production.

4. Manufacturing & Production Collaboration

 Design with a strong understanding of production capabilities, equipment

limitations, material behavior, labor requirements, and manufacturing efficiency.

 Collaborate with production teams to ensure packaging designs can be

manufactured consistently, safely, and cost-effectively at scale.

 Incorporate feedback from machine operators, production management, and

other internal stakeholders into design decisions.

 Identify potential manufacturing challenges early in the design process and

proactively develop practical solutions.

 Support the transition of approved designs from prototype to production by

providing clear drawings, specifications, and technical guidance.

 Continuously identify opportunities to improve packaging performance, material

utilization, production efficiency, and design standardization.

Required Qualifications

 Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial

Engineering, or a related technical field; equivalent relevant experience may be

considered.

 Strong mechanical aptitude and the ability to understand product geometry,

structural requirements, and physical design constraints.

 Experience with or demonstrated ability to learn CAD software and translate

concepts into accurate technical drawings and models.

 Hands-on, practical mindset with an appreciation for manufacturing processes

and production-floor realities.

 Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and time-management skills.

 Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to gather

requirements and explain technical concepts effectively.

 Ability to manage multiple projects and prioritize work based on customer needs,

deadlines, and business priorities.

 Willingness and ability to learn and independently operate a variety of sample-

making and production machines, following applicable safety and operating

procedures.

Preferred Qualifications

 Experience in mechanical engineering, packaging design, product development,

manufacturing engineering, or a related discipline.

 Proficiency in Autodesk Inventor, ArtiosCAD, or comparable 2D/3D CAD

applications.

 Experience designing corrugated, foam, molded, or other protective packaging

solutions.

 Familiarity with manufacturing processes, production equipment, material

properties, and design-for-manufacturability principles.

 Experience developing physical prototypes, building samples, or supporting

product testing and validation.

 Understanding of distribution environments, shipping hazards, cushioning

systems, and packaging performance requirements.

 Experience working directly with customers or collaborating with sales teams to

develop technical solutions.

Core Competencies

 Customer-focused problem solving: Listens carefully, asks the right questions,

and translates customer objectives into effective technical solutions.

 Engineering judgment: Applies sound engineering principles to product

protection, structural design, material selection, and packaging performance.

 Design for manufacturability: Prioritizes solutions that are not only effective on

screen but also practical, repeatable, and economical to produce.

 Hands-on execution: Enjoys working with physical materials, building

prototypes, troubleshooting equipment, and validating designs through practical

application.

 Technical adaptability: Learns new software, equipment, processes, and

materials quickly and applies that knowledge independently.

 Communication and collaboration: Works effectively with customers, sales

representatives, engineering colleagues, and production personnel.

 Ownership and accountability: Takes responsibility for design quality, prototype

accuracy, project timelines, and follow-through.

 Continuous improvement: Looks for ways to enhance packaging performance,

simplify designs, reduce waste, and improve production efficiency.

Measures of Success

Success in this role will be demonstrated by the ability to:

 Deliver high-quality packaging concepts and prototypes within established

timelines.

 Develop solutions that consistently meet customer requirements for product

protection, fit, functionality, and presentation.

 Produce accurate CAD drawings, models, and documentation that support

efficient prototype development and production.

 Design packaging that can be manufactured reliably and cost-effectively using

available materials, equipment, and processes.

 Learn and independently operate the equipment necessary to fulfill sample and

prototype requests.

 Build strong working relationships with customers, sales representatives, and

production teams.

 Minimize unnecessary design revisions, prototype rework, and production

complications through thorough requirements gathering and practical engineering

judgment.

 Contribute to customer satisfaction, successful project execution, and new

business development through responsive technical support.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an engineer who enjoys working at the intersection of customer

interaction, technical design, and hands-on manufacturing. They are equally

comfortable participating in a customer discovery meeting, developing a detailed CAD

model, and spending time on the production floor building a physical prototype.

They understand that an excellent packaging design is more than a concept that looks

good in CAD: it must protect the product throughout its shipping journey, satisfy the

customer’s objectives, and be practical to manufacture consistently and efficiently.

We are looking for someone who combines sound engineering fundamentals with

curiosity, resourcefulness, urgency, and a production-oriented mindset. The right

candidate takes ownership of projects from the initial customer conversation through

design development and prototype delivery, ensuring that ideas become practical

solutions that work in the real world.

Experience:

• CAD: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: In person