Associate Packaging Engineer - Home, Seasons & Celebrations, Fun101

Target • Minneapolis, MN

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

A role with Target Packaging is an opportunity to lead the development of packaging for Target’s beloved owned brands, exclusive partnerships and select transit packaging. Your influence will drive sales and grow brand love through packaging that’s guest-centric, on brand, competitive “at shelf” and category relevant. Here, you’ll leverage internal and external partnerships to execute packaging planning, project management, print development, copy and structural development to achieve brand expression and market differentiation. Your work will prioritize and manage packaging projects, securing the correct resources and creative needs to deliver on time and budget. As part of a global team spanning the U.S., China and India, you’ll have partners at sourcing offices overseas, as well as international vendors and suppliers. Best of all, your commitment to diversity and inclusion will come to life every day as you work with multicultural teams to create the best, most sustainable packaging for all our guests. You’ll support the structural design and development of new, improved, more sustainable and cost-effective owned brand packaging in Home and Seasonal. As an Associate Packaging Engineer, you will: Leverage your structural packaging expertise for assigned categories working under the coaching of the Packaging Design & Development Director for the business lines you support. Ensure the primary package will protect, contain, and display the product from the initial idea through final use for assigned categories and businesses. Work across the enterprise with key internal partners to define packaging requirements and identify optimal packaging solutions. Collaborate directly with product vendors and packaging suppliers to bring packaging solutions that meet business and consumer needs. It is critical that we deliver solutions on time, at the lowest cost, and while ensuring corporate sustainability commitments and legislative requirements are met. Drive packaging sustainability initiatives by reducing material use, phasing out problematic plastics, and supporting compliance with EPR regulations. Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities through material optimization, format changes, and supplier collaboration without compromising product integrity or brand standards. Contribute to category and item level market research, including testing and consumer feedback. Draw conclusions from relevant data and make appropriate recommendations. Contribute to the prototyping and development of Target packaging structural concepts for our Owned Brand products. Ensure item level packaging specifications are accurate; deadlines are met, and products set on time and as designed.

Requirements

• Four-year packaging engineering degree
• 1-4 years of experience preferred, including internships and cooperative education internships
• Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize requests, and meet deadlines
• Motivation to learn new skills, with a passion for engineering and design
• Ability to work independently and strategically in a fast-paced multi-project environment
• Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication, and organizational skills
• Experience with Artios CAD and SOLIDWORKS, CSWA (Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate) preferred
• In office requirement of 3+ days a week
• This position will operate as a Hybrid/Flex for Your Day work arrangement based on Target’s needs. A Hybrid/Flex for Your Day work arrangement means the team member’s core role will need to be performed both onsite at the Target HQ MN location the role is assigned to and virtually, depending upon what your role, team and tasks require for that day. Work duties cannot be performed outside of the country of the primary work location, unless otherwise prescribed by Target.
• Minnesota Team Members in the Target General Merch Inc operating company are prohibited from working more than thirty (30) days per calendar year in any of the following states: AL, AR, DE, FL, IN, IA, LA, MD, MS, MO, NC, OK, PA, SC, TN and VA. If hired, you will be prohibited from working remotely from any of the states listed above for more than thirty (30) days per calendar year.

Responsibilities

• Leverage your structural packaging expertise for assigned categories working under the coaching of the Packaging Design & Development Director for the business lines you support.
• Ensure the primary package will protect, contain, and display the product from the initial idea through final use for assigned categories and businesses.
• Work across the enterprise with key internal partners to define packaging requirements and identify optimal packaging solutions.
• Collaborate directly with product vendors and packaging suppliers to bring packaging solutions that meet business and consumer needs.
• Drive packaging sustainability initiatives by reducing material use, phasing out problematic plastics, and supporting compliance with EPR regulations.
• Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities through material optimization, format changes, and supplier collaboration without compromising product integrity or brand standards.
• Contribute to category and item level market research, including testing and consumer feedback.
• Draw conclusions from relevant data and make appropriate recommendations.
• Contribute to the prototyping and development of Target packaging structural concepts for our Owned Brand products.
• Ensure item level packaging specifications are accurate; deadlines are met, and products set on time and as designed.

Benefits

• Target offers eligible team members and their dependents comprehensive health benefits and programs, which may include medical, vision, dental, life insurance and more, to help you and your family take care of your whole selves.
• Other benefits for eligible team members include 401(k), employee discount, short term disability, long term disability, paid sick leave, paid national holidays, and paid vacation.
• Find competitive benefits from financial and education to well-being and beyond at https://corporate.target.com/careers/benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees