Packaging Engineer Jobs

Packaging engineers, also called package engineers, are in charge of conceptualizing of and testing packaging to find what materials, designs, and shapes work best to transport and store different products. Working in tandem with product designers and logisticians to oversee one of the final stages in product development, packaging engineer jobs play a key role in a company's supply chain. To give you a sense of how important they are, job growth in a similar role—industrial engineering—is expected to grow by 10% over the next decade according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

On any given day, packaging engineers may go back and forth between creating new packaging designs and reworking existing designs for better performance or a lower cost. When designing, engineers improve upon the flaws of older designs and create new designs that fit the company or client's present needs.

If you're a meticulous individual with a special talent for organizing, you might be interested in pursuing a career in package engineering. If you want to work in engineering but aren't particularly interested in packages, you may want to consider other engineering jobs with similar responsibilities, such as:

Packaging Engineer Education and Skills

Packaging engineer jobs come with a tremendous amount of responsibility—their work affects a variety of company departments and partners, from product designers to packaging suppliers to marketers. As such, employers look for applicants who can meet specific qualifications.

For starters, employers look for candidates with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a related field like civil engineering or industrial engineering. While in college, students earning a bachelor's degree in engineering will typically practice using 3D computer-aided design (CAD) software. They'll also learn the validation standards of the International Organization of Standardization (ISO).

Aside from having a special aptitude for organization and resource management, packaging engineers are natural problem-solvers who can make smart, logical, and strategic decisions under intense pressure and within tight time constraints. They are also naturals when it comes to math and have the ability to visualize what a final product will look like based on a design.

Update Your Packaging Engineer Resume

Rather than submitting the same, identical version of your resume to each job opening, try personalizing your resume for each application. By pulling relevant information to the forefront and putting less relevant information in the back, you'll save recruiters a ton of time, which they'll appreciate.

Of course, rewriting a resume can be as difficult as creating one from scratch. Not sure where to start? Check out Monster's industrial engineer sample resume and engineer resume writing tips to help you on your way. While you're at it, you may want to take a look at our cover letter samples and writing tips to help you compose an effective cover letter.

Interviewing for a Packaging Engineer Job

Depending on the procedures of the company and the seniority level of the position, prospective employers might ask you to come in for a job interview. Go in unprepared, and you risk running out of answers before your time is up. Overprepare, and you might sound like a robot reciting a script.

Still, a little bit of preparation is essential. Check out the most common interview questions employees get asked, and you'll have an idea of what you can expect when you go in for your conversation. Some of these include:

How do you identify a problem and provide a solution that benefits your employer?
Have you ever introduced an idea to a team or company that produced significant results?
How do you deal with a colleague or client that may be difficult to work with?

How Much Do Packaging Engineer Jobs Pay?

In the U.S., the median salary of a packaging industrial engineer is $85,854 per year. That said, your income may vary slightly depending not just on your location but also on whether you work in industrial or consumer packaging design. Use Monster's Salary Tools to get a better impression of what you're worth where you work.

Learn More About a Specific Company

Though most packaging engineer jobs have the same tasks and responsibilities, no two packaging engineers will have the same everyday work experiences. Every company is different, which makes finding the right employer all the more important. When you search Monster's company profiles, you'll find basic information about companies like their history and mission that will help you make your decision about whether to accept an offer.

Create a Profile to Help Logistics Employers Find You Online

Ready to start hunting for packaging engineer jobs? Monster is here to help. Go onto our website and create a free profile so we can start sending you personalized job postings on a regular basis. And don't forget to upload a digital copy of your resume. That way, employers will be able to find you when they have open positions.