Associate Product Development, Packaging

Athena Club•New York, NY

About The Position

Athena Club is building the next-generation personal care company, and we’re just getting started. Over the past 12 months, we’ve doubled our business, accelerated our retail momentum, and expanded our reach as more customers turn to Athena for beautifully designed, high-performance essentials. We’re redefining everyday personal care through innovation, transparency, and design-led thinking, transforming daily routines into rituals. With strengths in world-class product development, compelling storytelling, and a brand built to stand out on shelf and in culture, we’re entering an exciting new phase of category expansion and national growth. We’re looking for experienced, entrepreneurial leaders who thrive in fast-moving environments, take full ownership, and know how to scale teams, systems, and outcomes. This role is a rare opportunity to help shape Athena Club’s next chapter, driving strategy, execution, and long-term impact as we build an iconic modern personal care brand.

Requirements

1–2 years of experience in packaging development, product development, or a closely related role within the consumer goods, beauty, personal care, or CPG industries
Working knowledge of packaging materials (plastics, glass, metal, paper) and how material choices impact cost, sustainability, performance and lead time
Familiarity with packaging manufacturing and print production processes (e.g., blow molding, injection molding, flexographic and digital printing, etc.)
Demonstrated experience building and maintaining BOMs, master data, specifications and UPCs
Extremely detail-oriented. You catch what others miss and maintain meticulous documentation
Self-starter with a proactive and solution orientated mindset
Comfortable managing multiple programs simultaneously and escalating quickly when needed
Effective communicator who can collaborate across Product Development, Supply Chain, and Operations

Nice To Haves

Experience with 3D CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, Creo, or similar) and the ability to create and modify packaging drawings
Experience with color matching and color management across different substrates and printing methods
Experience supporting launches at Target or other major retail partners, including limited-edition SKU and bundle/set packaging execution
Exposure to filling operations, packaging line compatibility, or manufacturing troubleshooting a plus
Experience with consumer research and applying insights to packaging and product development decisions
Familiarity with stage-gate development processes and cross-functional development cycles

Responsibilities

Support the Senior Manager in day-to-day packaging development across primary, secondary, and tertiary components (bottles, tubes, jars, pumps, caps, cartons, shippers, etc.)
Build and maintain Bills of Materials (BOMs) for new and existing SKUs, ensuring accuracy of component codes, component specifications, descriptions, quantities, and supplier sourcing; manage BOM revisions and version control through product changes
Create and manage SKU codes and item setup documentation for new product launches; maintain organized records of active, discontinued, and pipeline SKUs
Support color matching activities across packaging substrates – track Pantone references, supplier color submissions, redirects, and approval sign-offs
Take ownership of packaging development programs (e.g., shave, existing product lines) from concept through production – managing packaging testing, timelines, tracking milestones, and coordinating cross-functional deliverables through each development gate
Maintain organized communication with packaging suppliers and contract manufacturers; track open action items and ensure timely follow-up on quotes, lead times, MOQs, and tooling timelines
Troubleshoot packaging compatibility issues related to filling operations, formula interactions and transit, ensuring components are designed and specified to run efficiently on filling lines
Support cross quoting and evaluating multiple vendors to ensure competitive pricing, quality, and reliability across the packaging supply base
Maintain organized documentation of packaging specifications, test results, and development records