Senior Packaging Engineer

Senior Packaging Engineer trü frü - 5.0 City of Chicago, IL Job Details 1 day ago Benefits Disability insurance Health insurance Dental insurance 401(k) Paid time off Employee assistance program Vision insurance Qualifications 7 years New product development Bachelor of Science Engineering Technical support Bachelor's degree Continuous improvement Decision making Packaging Prototype creation Data entry Packaging (food) Packaging design OEM Senior level Cross-functional collaboration Cross-functional team management Research & development Leadership Implementing cost-saving initiatives Data-driven decision making Manufacturing company experience Prototypes Communication skills Project stakeholder communication Cross-functional communication Full Job Description Who are we? Established in 2017, trü frü rapidly ascended the "permissible indulgence" space as a Utah-based company selling one-of-a-kind "better for you" Hyper-Chilled and Hyper-Dried real fruit immersed in premium chocolate to retail outlets nationwide. Winning Most Innovative New Product in 2019 and 2022 in the sweets and snacks categories and climbing the fruit-based snack industry chart at an astounding growth rate, trü frü joined the Mars family of brands in February 2023. We are on a mission to build a legacy with trüly remarkable people who can create something special for generations to come! As the Senior Packaging Engineer on the trü frü North America R D team, you will lead Frozen packaging portfolio innovation, continuous improvement, and cost savings initiatives. You will operate autonomously within your packaging technical expertise while maintaining strong cross-functional collaboration in a fast-paced and highly dynamic environment. What you'll do Lead development of trü frü Frozen packaging across new weight and format offerings and improvements to existing lines. Develop fit-for-purpose packaging by incorporating input from Marketing, Sales, Quality, Manufacturing, Procurement, and Supply, and partner closely with suppliers and manufacturing partners to evaluate and test feasibility. Communicate technical capabilities and limitations of the existing packaging manufacturing network to the business team while anticipating and planning for future changes. Coordinate the creation of high-quality prototypes to gauge consumer desirability, influence cross-functional teams, and support customer collaboration. Initiate, coordinate, and execute line trials at appropriate supply locations to confirm quality attributes and performance metrics are achieved, documenting trial objectives and results thoroughly. Contribute to cross-functional project teams throughout commercialization by providing regular updates on technical progress and risks, and evaluating all packaging decisions for desirability, feasibility, and viability. Develop detailed packaging specifications to ensure quality materials and best value across all packaging components used at trü frü facilities, co-packers, and co-manufacturers. Collaborate with the Engineering team and OEMs to provide technical support to external manufacturing sites on quality, process, and equipment-related issues. Identify new opportunities for cost savings and value creation within the packaging portfolio. Maintain all Regulatory and Food Safety requirements throughout the development and execution process. Support trü frü's automation and efficiency goals by contributing input and data entry across Master Data and R D systems related to packaging. What you'll bring to trü frü You are... A strategic thinker who uses broad perspective and data to make timely, effective decisions and solve complex problems. Comfortable working without rigid process in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment, with a willingness to overcome obstacles and get things done. Skilled at managing multiple projects simultaneously with strong planning and prioritization. A clear and effective communicator of project details, technical risk, and cross-functional dependencies. A passionate, engaged team member who builds trust, supports continuous improvement, and remains open to feedback. You have... B.S. in Packaging Engineering or a related technical discipline with 7+ years of industry experience. Food CPG and manufacturing experience, with priority given to Frozen category experience. Strong foundational knowledge of packaging materials and machine-material interaction. Proven experience leading packaging projects and initiatives across cross-functional teams. Hands-on experience with Flexible Film and Pouch formats is required; Paperboard, corrugate, unit load design, and distribution testing experience is preferred. Ability to travel 30-50% of the time. Certain states and localities require employers to post a reasonable estimate of salary range. Actual salary will be based on a variety of factors, including location, experience, skill set, performance, licensure and certification, and business needs. The range for this position in other geographic locations may differ. What trü frü offers - Competitive salary, including a target bonus and an impressive benefits package! Flexible Paid Time Off Excellent health, dental & vision insurance, with options to fit you and your family's needs. Long-term disability and short-term disability insurance Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 401K retirement saving opportunity. Casual office dress code A dynamic, ambitious, indulgently fun work environment! EEO At trü frü, we are committed to an inclusive workplace where diversity in all its forms is championed. trü frü is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and we are an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you require special accommodation, please let us know. Privacy Policy Mars and its family of brands is committed to transparency and responsibility in how we handle the personal data entrusted to us by our customers and consumers. To learn more about our privacy policy please follow this link.