Packaging Engineer – Indianapolis

The Packaging Engineer is responsible for developing and maintaining packaging designs and specifications for materials and components, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and alignment with operational and customer requirements. The engineer also supports and improves high-speed packaging lines within an industrial bakery environment. This role focuses on optimizing packaging equipment and processes to accommodate a variety of packaging materials, formats, and product sizes while ensuring safety, quality, and efficiency. The engineer will lead and support packaging-related engineering projects, contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, and partner cross-functionally to support new products and customer requirements.

Key Responsibilities
 Support day-to-day operation and optimization of automated and semi-automated packaging lines.
 Make mechanical, process, and parameter adjustments to packaging equipment to accommodate different packaging materials, formats, and product sizes.
 Lead and support packaging engineering projects, including line modifications, equipment upgrades, and packaging changes.
 Partner with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, and Supply Chain to troubleshoot packaging issues and drive sustainable solutions.
 Apply continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen) to improve line efficiency, reduce waste, improve changeover time, and enhance overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
 Support new product introductions and customer-specific packaging requirements, including line trials and validation.
 Support commercialization process with packaging innovation and commercialization of new product launches.
 Assist with quoting and feasibility assessments for new customers or packaging configurations by providing technical input, cost estimates, and line capability evaluations.
 Develop and maintain packaging specifications, standard work, documentation and training of operational teams.
 Support equipment commissioning, testing, and validation for packaging systems.
 Ensure packaging solutions meet food safety, quality, and regulatoryrequirements.
 Analyze performance data and recommend improvements based on root cause analysis.
 All other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications
 Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, Packaging or related field).
 5+ years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment; food or bakery experience preferred.
 Hands-on experience supporting or engineering high-speed packaging lines.
 Experience with commercialization and project management of new product launches.
 Working knowledge of packaging materials, formats, and equipment adjustments.
 Experience with continuous improvement practices and manufacturing engineering principles.
 Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to work directly on the production floor.
 Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
 Autocad
 Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across functions.

Preferred Qualifications
 Experience in food manufacturing or industrial bakery operations.
 Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, or other CI tools (certification a plus).
 Experience supporting customer quotes or cost modeling for packaging changes.
 Knowledge of automation, controls, or packaging machinery suppliers.