Packaging Engineer (Salisbury, MD, US, 21804)
Perdue Foods is part of Perdue Farms, a family-owned company heading into its second century of growth and innovation. With a goal of becoming the most trusted name in premium proteins, we create products for consumers and for retail and foodservice customers around the globe, while changing the way animals are raised for food.
Summary
We are recruiting for a Package Engineer who will be responsible for supporting the development of packaging of food products in support of the Company business needs. With minimal guidance plans and conducts multiple project assignments. Project scope to include creating and testing packaging for new products, quality improvements of existing products, cost optimization of existing products and technical brand maintenance.
When not traveling, this role will be onsite at our Innovation Center in Salisbury, MD. A relocation package is available for qualified candidates.
Principal and Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Promotes applicable safety, regulatory, GMP requirements in lab, pilot plant, and manufacturing facilities. Assists in writing of new policy and procedures as needed.
- Prepare prototypes of new products and packages to support new product development with packaging systems that meet production and quality requirements
- Establish quality requirements and packaging specifications.
- Qualify vendors to meet rigid standards, interacting extensively to ensure quality and reliability of materials and systems.
- Work with and assist manufacturing and Engineering in optimizing packaging methods and problem solving by monitoring packaging performance and implementing corrective action where needed.
- Will learn comprehensive knowledge of packaging equipment, materials, and systems such as: Overwrap, Form-Fill-Seal, Weigh-Price label, Ink Jet, Box Formers, Barrier and Non-Barrier Shrink Films, Modified Atmosphere Packaging, Controlled Vacuum Packaging, etc.
- Interacts cross-functionally with Marketing, Purchasing, QA and Operations to successfully implement new product developments.
- Leads Product Showings to evaluate products developed and the competition.
- Position will be required to travel up to 50%.
Minimum Education and Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Package Engineering or relevant discipline and 2 - 4 years of equivalent work experience in Food/Meat Packaging Development or 4 - 5 years related work experience in lieu of a degree or a Master's or PhD with 0-4 years experience.
- Requires knowledge of the product development process from idea generation, bench top, scale up and commercialization.
- Ability to influence necessary cross functional partners for successful implementation of projects.
- Requires clear written and verbal communication skills.
BS/MS Degree preferred.
Environmental Factors and Physical Requirements
- Position is mostly sedentary at our corporate office, open-partitioned, cubicle environment.
- May need to move light equipment or supplies from one place to another.
- May need to access files, supplies, and equipment.
- May require occasional travel to other offices or buildings.
The position may occasionally visit a plant facility. When in a plant environment:
- Exposure primarily consists of wet and moist floor which include metal and plastic grating surfaces
- May be exposed to temperatures of 28 degrees to 100 degrees Fahrenheit with both ambient and 100% humidity
- May handle product 25 degrees to 50 degrees Fahrenheit
- May be exposed to noise ranges of 50 db to 110 db
- May be exposed to all chemicals used in poultry/food/processing facility
- Must wear and use protective/safety equipment required for the job as directed by the company.
Perdue Farms, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.