Packaging Dev Engineer II | KanPak | Penn Yan, NY

Description

KanPak, a Golden State Foods company, is a global leader in the development and manufacturing of beverage, yogurt, and dessert solutions. Aseptic technology is core to many of our products, allowing them to ship and store without refrigeration for up to 12 months.

From coffee beverages and creamers to yogurt, frozen desserts, and specialty beverages, KanPak delivers innovative solutions supported by state‑of‑the‑art manufacturing and exceptional customer service.

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

WHY JOIN US

Golden State Foods (GSF) is one of the largest diversified suppliers in the food industry, manufacturing a range of products including sauces, dressings, condiments, syrups, and toppings for leading restaurant and retail brands.

Join GSF and grow your career with a global food industry leader who:

• People First: At Golden State Foods, we''re not just a company; we''re a dynamic community where your talents are celebrated, and your ambitions are nurtured.
• Values Driven: Our core values drive everything we do, creating a culture of innovation, integrity, and excellence. But we''re not content with just being great; we strive for greatness in every aspect of our work.
• People Development: At GSF we strive to continually develop our people to prepare us all for the needs of tomorrow.
• Philanthropy & Sustainability: We''re committed to making a difference beyond our walls through philanthropy and sustainability efforts across all our locations around the globe.
• Extensive Benefits: Golden State Foods believes in a holistic approach to wellness focusing on the whole person with benefits that support those needs.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

We''re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Our company values diverse perspectives and is committed to creating an inclusive and respectful workplace where every person is supported and empowered to thrive.