Product Development Engineer

Summary: Establishes and coordinates product development activities in packaging applications in accordance with policies, regulations, and sound business practices.  Works with Senior Product Development personnel to identify and understand product requirements and uses existing technologies to provide cost-effective, timely solutions.

• Coordinates research and development projects for assigned customers or market segments based on identified product requirements and utilizes organizational capabilities to produce cost-effective, high-quality products.
• Provides support to Research and Development Director on special assignments and to Research and Development personnel on various joint projects to gain experience and knowledge.
• Prepares project management updates as required.
• Produces samples and structures for improving existing products in assigned market segments, designing and testing prototypes for customer demonstrations.
• May be involved in the development and implementation of products using new technologies in accordance with customer needs and company strategies.
• Works with material and equipment suppliers to keep abreast of current trends and practices.
• Tracks and monitors development activities, such as records of process conditions and properties, progress reports, and updates to inform management of status.
• Effectively communicates with personnel within organization (Research and Development, Sales and Production).
• Assists with transition of projects into production to ensure successful implementation.  May travel overnight to customer plants to observe product trials during the second or third shift.
• Assists with introduction of products into customer production facilities, possibly working with their equipment to ensure optimum performance of proposed solution.
• Introduces products into customer production facilities, working with their equipment to ensure optimum performance of proposed solution. Troubleshoots performance issues with existing products.
• The responsibility for establishing and implementing the training needs of the Product Development personnel to ensure they have the required competencies to carry out those functions affecting product, legality, safety, and quality shall be defined and documented.
• Performs other related work as required.

Skills, Abilities, and Competencies

• High energy level.
• Capable of directing multifaceted projects, and coordinating activities of multiple segments of the organization, with a minimum of supervision.
• Ability to interact successfully with diverse functions and personalities, in a tactful, mature, and flexible nature.
• Strong analytical, numerical, methodical, and reasoning abilities.  Sound judgment.
• Adequate communication skills, written and verbal.
• Resourceful and well organized.
• Ability to be decisive and to establish credibility with the customer and organization; able to recognize and support the organization’s preferences and priorities.
• Flexible to changes in priorities, able to respond to crises.
• Travel to customer required (20%).

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Chemistry, Packaging Science or related field or equivalent combination of education (polymer or packaging) and experience.
• Zero to five years of product development experience; new grads will be considered if coming from an established polymer or packaging program at their educational institution.
• Understanding of industry converting equipment is a plus.