Packaging Dev Engineer II | KanPak | Penn Yan, NY

Description

Packaging Engineer

Location: Penn Yan, NY

Company: KanPak

Reports to: KanPak President

About The Role

KanPak is seeking a Packaging Engineer to develop, optimize, and improve packaging systems in a high-speed food manufacturing environment. This role is responsible for ensuring packaging solutions are safe, compliant, cost-effective, and visually appealing while meeting KanPak’s manufacturing, quality, and customer service standards. The Packaging Engineer will lead packaging line performance and reliability initiatives using data-driven analysis, root-cause problem solving, and continuous improvement tools to increase throughput, reduce waste, and protect product quality.

Key Responsibilities

• Evaluate, recommend, and implement new or modified packaging solutions by analyzing requirements, defining specifications and standards, developing cost analyses, and creating implementation plans.
• Develop and execute packaging concepts and prototypes, including task definition, risk assessment, material selection, parameter setting, and validation of distribution and transport methods.
• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, R&D, Procurement, and Project Management to support commercialization, line trials, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Analyze packaging line performance data to identify bottlenecks, chronic losses, and downtime trends; drive improvements in throughput, yield, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
• Lead root-cause investigations and implement corrective and preventive actions related to packaging quality, safety, or efficiency issues.
• Design and execute experiments (DOE) to optimize equipment settings, material usage, and process reliability; apply statistical process control (SPC) as appropriate.
• Plan and support primary and secondary packaging audits and trials; establish incoming and finished material specifications, sampling plans, and acceptance criteria.
• Define pallet configurations and packaging standards to meet internal requirements and customer expectations.
• Support capital projects including line upgrades, new equipment commissioning, layout changes, and ergonomic or material-flow improvements.
• Support label and artwork processes, including requirements gathering, approvals, and maintenance of approved artwork libraries.
• Maintain packaging specifications, drawings, and bills of material (BOMs) within internal and external systems.
• Conduct benchmarking studies of packaging technologies and industry best practices to identify improvement opportunities.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
  
  

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field from an accredited college or university.
  
  

Experience

• 3–6 years of relevant packaging engineering experience in food, beverage, or consumer packaged goods, preferably in a manufacturing plant or R&D environment.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Working knowledge of existing and emerging packaging technologies and packaging material performance.
• Understanding of food safety principles, GMPs, and sanitation expectations.
• Experience with high-speed packaging equipment and automated packaging operations.
• Proficiency in experimental design (DOE), validation methods, SPC, OEE, and data-driven performance metrics.
• Knowledge of packaging and labeling regulatory requirements.
• Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, and TPM fundamentals.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to analyze data, identify root causes, and implement sustainable solutions.
• Ability to plan and execute packaging trials; document results; and update specifications, drawings, and BOMs.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and the ability to learn tools such as Minitab or Power BI.
• Effective communication skills with the ability to collaborate across functions, work with suppliers and customers, and present findings to groups.
• Commitment to working in accordance with KanPak’s Values and Creed.
  
  

Why Join KanPak

• Opportunity to work in a dynamic, high-speed food manufacturing environment
• High level of cross-functional collaboration and visibility
• Ability to make a direct impact on product quality, efficiency, and innovation