Associate Packaging Engineer

Associate Packaging Engineer

Bare Home | Forest Lake, Minnesota, United States (On-site)

About Us: JP Ecommerce (dba Bare Home) has been named one of the top-ten fastest growing businesses in Minnesota by Inc. 5000 for four consecutive years. We're a $100M e-commerce company specializing in bedding and home textiles, with global sourcing partnerships in China, India, Pakistan, and Turkey. With 65% of our business on Amazon, we live and die by dimensional weight optimization and FBA fees.

Let's Be Honest: We make bed sheets. Rectangles. Squares. The occasional pillowcase. This isn't medical devices or cutting-edge aerospace packaging. But here's the thing: the difference between a 14" x 10" x 3" package and a 16" x 12" x 4" package? That can cost us millions in Amazon fulfillment fees. Suddenly, rectangles get pretty interesting.

The Role: We're looking for an Associate Packaging Engineer who gets excited about making things smaller, cheaper, and compliant—without sacrificing quality or customer experience. You'll report to our Product Development Manager and be THE packaging person on our team. That means you'll own everything from corrugated sourcing to label compliance to figuring out how to air-seal a king-size comforter into a box 40% smaller than physics says it should be.

What You'll Actually Do:

• Optimize for Amazon's algorithm: Master dimensional weight calculations and design packaging that minimizes FBA fees while maximizing container utilization
• Source smarter: Work with our Sourcing and NPD teams to identify single-source suppliers for corrugated boxes, poly bags, and collateral materials
• Keep us compliant: Navigate California Prop 65, international packaging regulations (EU, Canada, etc.), and Amazon's ever-changing requirements
• Design with purpose: Create or collaborate on graphics, labeling, and packaging collateral using Adobe Creative Suite or similar tools
• Hit the ground running: Partner with Quality Control on immediate packaging projects and collateral updates in your first 90 days
• Think ahead: As we expand into retail, help us develop shelf-ready packaging that works in stores, not just warehouses
• Solve weird problems: Like how to package 1800-thread-count sheets so they feel premium but don't trigger Amazon's oversize fees

What We Need:

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field (Stout grads, we see you)
• 0-3 years experience (solid packaging/sourcing internship is a huge plus)
• Strong Excel skills—you'll be doing dimensional analysis and cost modeling
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or similar graphic design software
• Understanding of corrugated materials and specifications (not cardboard—corrugated)
• Detail-oriented mindset with creative problem-solving abilities
• Ability to work independently while collaborating across Product Dev, QC, Sourcing, and Logistics teams

Nice to Have:

• E-commerce packaging experience (especially Amazon FBA)
• Knowledge of international compliance standards
• Experience with supplier relationship management
• A slight obsession with making things fit perfectly

Why This Role Matters: Yes, larger corporations with household-name products might seem shinier. But do they let you directly impact millions in cost savings? Will you own an entire function? Can you see the immediate results of your work in the P&L? Probably not at 0-3 years of experience.

Here, you'll be the packaging expert. You'll source suppliers, design solutions, solve compliance puzzles, and occasionally wonder how you became so passionate about corrugated flute directions. It's weird, it's niche, and it's genuinely impactful.

The Details:

• Salary: $60,000-$80,000 (based on experience)
• Benefits: Health, dental, vision, STD, life insurance, 401(k)
• Location: 100% on-site in Forest Lake/Columbus, MN
• Start Date: We need someone who can start within 2-3 weeks of offer
• Interview: On-site required

Our Culture: We take the work seriously, not ourselves. We're collaborative, direct, and appreciate people who can laugh when a "simple" box redesign turns into a three-week saga involving customs regulations, Amazon's TOS updates, and corrugated shortages. We celebrate wins—big (retail expansion!) and small (finally getting that fitted sheet to fit in a poly bag).

To Apply: Submit your resume and a brief note about why packaging engineering excites you (even if it's just "I really like making things fit") to mfreeman@barehome.com or wyeargan@barehome.com.

Visit us: www.barehome.com

Bare Home is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.