Principal Engineer
Principal Engineer - Technical Leadership in Food Packaging Innovation
A dynamic opportunity for a seasoned engineering professional to lead cross-functional innovation within the food packaging sector-particularly in meat and cheese applications. This role is ideal for someone passionate about driving technical excellence, product development, and operational efficiency across materials, equipment, and processes.
Key Responsibilities
Innovation Leadership
- Spearheads end-to-end project management from concept through commercialization, ensuring alignment with strategic business goals.
- Facilitates transparent communication and reporting across technical and leadership teams.
- Builds collaborative partnerships to optimize scope, resources, and execution.
Continuous Improvement & Technical Mentorship
- Champions a culture of innovation and cross-functional collaboration.
- Leads ideation workshops and technical brainstorming sessions to generate impactful solutions.
- Mentors engineering talent, fostering growth and leadership within the technical community.
Food Packaging Expertise
- Leads technical trials and sample runs on production lines, with a focus on meat and cheese packaging formats.
- Investigates raw material alternatives and implements substitutions to enhance product performance.
- Provides hands-on support for commissioning and startup of new production lines, especially those tailored to food-grade applications.
- Applies deep knowledge of resin and additive properties to optimize film performance and ensure food safety compliance.
Customer-Centric Innovation
- Identifies unmet market needs in food packaging and initiates development of customer-focused solutions.
- Develops expertise in film grades specific to meat and cheese packaging to support product consolidation and market alignment.
- Builds strong relationships with customers to exceed expectations and drive growth.
Technical Collaboration
- Works closely with Quality, Operations, Marketing, and Technical Services to deliver integrated solutions.
- Participates actively in technical strategy meetings and contributes to long-term innovation planning.
Innovation Culture & IP Awareness
- Promotes creative problem-solving and responsible risk-taking.
- Encourages best practices in intellectual property protection and innovation management.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Technology, or a related field.
- Minimum of 10 years of experience in technical engineering, preferably within food packaging (meat and/or cheese).
- Proven ability to prioritize, make decisions, and solve complex problems.
- Strong communication skills across all organizational levels.
Additional Details
- Physical activity includes a mix of office and production floor work; occasional lifting up to 40 lbs.
- Travel required to customer and internal locations.
FAQs
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