Mechanical Packaging Engineer, Life Sciences

Stress Engineering Services•Mason, OH

1d•Onsite

About The Position

This role is based in our Mason, Ohio office and requires onsite work five days a week. As a Mechanical Packaging Engineer – Life Sciences at SES, you will primarily focus on solving complex challenges in medical device and life sciences packaging systems, supporting products used in real-world environments, from clinical settings to in-home and self-care applications. In addition to regulated medical packaging, you will also contribute to industrial and consumer packaging projects, applying the same engineering rigor to improve packaging performance, durability, manufacturability, and cost efficiency across a broader range of products and distribution environments. Rather than supporting a single product line, you ’ll work across a diverse portfolio of regulated and industrial packaging systems, applying engineering fundamentals, hands-on testing, and analytical rigor to ensure packaging meets performance, usability, and regulatory expectations. This role blends mechanical engineering depth with applied packaging engineering. You will evaluate packaging performance, troubleshoot failures, optimize designs, and deliver clear, data-driven recommendations that directly impact: Medical: product integrity, sterility assurance, and patient safety Industrial/consumer: durability, cost optimization, and supply chain performance From concept development through validation and production, you will play a key role in delivering high-quality engineering solutions in a collaborative consulting environment where your work is visible, impactful, and tied to real-world outcomes. You may also apply modeling, simulation, and optimization techniques to support predictive performance and risk reduction across both regulated and non-regulated systems.

Requirements

Bachelor degree in Mechanical, Packaging, Plastics Engineering, or related field
~5+ years of experience in medical device, life sciences, or regulated packaging environments (or strong adjacent experience)
Experience supporting packaging from development through validation and production
Strong foundation in engineering fundamentals (mechanics, materials, data analysis)
Experience with packaging materials and performance testing methodologies
Exposure to regulated environments (FDA or similar)
Experience with manufacturing processes (injection molding, thermoforming, etc.)
Demonstrated ability in troubleshooting and failure analysis
Proficiency with CAD and general engineering tools
Strong communication skills in a client-facing environment
Ability to manage multiple priorities
Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in Mechanical, Packaging, Plastics Engineering, or related field
Experience with medical device packaging validation, regulatory submissions, or standards
Hands-on experience with distribution testing, material testing, and package integrity
Familiarity with sterile barrier systems and healthcare packaging requirements
Experience with modeling, simulation, or predictive analysis
Programming or data analysis experience (e.g., Python)
Cross-industry experience (life sciences + industrial/consumer packaging)
Consulting or client-facing engineering experience
Demonstrated project ownership or leadership experience
PE license or progress toward licensure

Responsibilities

Serve as a technical partner to clients, with a primary focus on medical device and life sciences packaging, while supporting industrial and consumer packaging applications as needed
Plan, execute, and interpret packaging validation and performance testing (e.g., distribution, integrity, functional testing) across regulated and non-regulated systems
Evaluate packaging performance across manufacturing, sterilization (when applicable), distribution, and end-use environments
Investigate and resolve packaging failures using structured root cause analysis, spanning both medical and industrial applications
Apply engineering principles in materials, mechanics, data analysis, and system behavior
Ensure alignment with regulated product requirements (FDA, ISO) while applying best practices to industrial packaging challenges
Identify opportunities to optimize packaging designs for cost, manufacturability, and supply chain performance
Communicate technical findings and recommendations clearly to clients and cross-functional teams
Collaborate with suppliers, vendors, and internal stakeholders on packaging development and improvement efforts
Manage multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced, client-driven consulting environment