Amgraph Packaging Inc

Compensation

Full Description

Position Summary The Senior R&D Packaging Engineer serves as a strategic technical leader, spearheading the innovation, development, qualification, and commercialization of advanced flexible packaging materials and structures. This role demands a proactive approach to driving new product initiatives, fostering material innovation, and championing sustainability and regulatory compliance across Amgraph’s flexible packaging operations. With a hands-on presence in laboratory and manufacturing settings, the position also involves direct collaboration with customers, internal stakeholders, and external partners to deliver high-performance, compliant, and eco-conscious solutions that align with business objectives and market demands. Key Responsibilities • Lead the research, development, and qualification of flexible packaging materials and structures, including films, papers, foils, coatings, adhesives, and multilayer laminations, ensuring alignment with performance, cost, and sustainability targets. • Act as the primary technical lead for new product development projects from ideation through commercialization, overseeing laboratory experiments, pilot trials, production scale-ups, and post-launch optimizations. • Identify, evaluate, qualify, and integrate innovative raw materials, suppliers, and sustainable alternatives to enhance product portfolios and meet evolving customer and regulatory needs. • Design, execute, and analyze comprehensive testing protocols for laboratory, pilot, and production trials; interpret data to deliver actionable insights and recommendations that drive decision-making. • Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Quality, Sales, Procurement, and suppliers to optimize material performance, manufacturability, cost efficiency, and compliance. • Provide expert hands-on troubleshooting for material, process, and customer-related challenges, implementing root-cause analyses and preventive strategies. • Develop and maintain robust technical documentation, including material specifications, test reports, validation protocols, and regulatory dossiers. Sustainability & Regulatory Leadership • Champion the design and implementation of sustainable packaging innovations, such as recyclable, biodegradable, downgauged, and bio-based structures, to minimize environmental impact and support circular economy principles. • Stay at the forefront of sustainability trends and regulations, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, FDA food-contact standards, and global requirements (e.g., REACH, and similar frameworks in key markets). • Lead cross-functional teams in aligning packaging solutions with corporate sustainability goals, conducting life-cycle assessments, and ensuring compliance with environmental certifications. • Oversee sustainability data collection, material transparency disclosures, and responses to customer audits or regulatory inquiries, while driving initiatives to reduce carbon footprints and waste in packaging processes. Customer & Communication Responsibilities • Serve as the principal technical liaison for customers, guiding development projects, material evaluations, and trials to exceed expectations and foster long-term partnerships. • Articulate complex technical concepts clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences, including customers, suppliers, and executive leadership. • Prepare and deliver compelling technical presentations, project summaries, and strategic recommendations to internal management and external stakeholders. • Actively participate in customer meetings, site visits, audits, and collaborative reviews to influence outcomes and resolve issues. Qualifications & Experience • Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Packaging Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical discipline; advanced degree preferred. • 5+ years of progressive experience in flexible packaging, materials development, or converting, with proven technical leadership in a manufacturing or R&D environment. • Deep expertise in flexible packaging materials, structures, and performance testing methodologies. • Extensive hands-on experience with converting processes, including extrusion lamination, adhesive lamination, gravure printing, offset printing, flexographic printing, slitting, and pouching. • Strong command of regulatory frameworks, including FDA food-contact regulations, USP standards, and international packaging compliance requirements. • Demonstrated success in customer-facing roles, including direct interactions and technical presentations in formal settings. Preferred Skills & Competencies • Advanced analytical, problem-solving, and strategic decision-making abilities to navigate complex technical challenges. • Proven project management skills, with the capacity to lead multiple initiatives simultaneously in a fast-paced, manufacturing-oriented setting. • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across functions without direct authority. • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, Minitab), and specialized packaging software or test equipment. • Passion for sustainability, with experience in eco-design principles, life-cycle analysis, and regulatory advocacy. • Innovative mindset, adaptability, and a commitment to mentoring junior team members to build organizational capabilities. Reporting Relationship This position reports directly to the R&D Manager, with dotted-line accountability to senior leadership on strategic initiatives. Work Environment This role operates across office, laboratory, and manufacturing settings, with occasional travel to other Amgraph Packaging, Inc production facilities, customer sites, supplier facilities, or industry conferences as required.