Packaging Engineer

Silgan Plastics • Downers Grove, IL

49d • Onsite

About The Position

Silgan Closures, a Fortune 500 global leader in sustainable food and beverage packaging, is seeking a Packaging Engineer for its Downers Grove, IL (Chicago Area) office. This role is crucial for supporting new product development, packaging innovation, commercialization, manufacturing excellence, and customer success within the Closures portfolio. The Packaging Engineer will evaluate new closure and packaging equipment technologies, assist with commercialization efforts, provide customer support during product launches, and collaborate with various internal teams to deliver innovative packaging solutions.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering, Packaging Science, Engineering, or a related technical field
• 2+ years of experience in food and beverage packaging, packaging engineering, or manufacturing environments
• Knowledge of food processing, packaging materials, manufacturing processes, and quality systems
• Experience with statistics, DOE, and data analysis
• Understanding of packaging equipment, capping systems, and closure application processes
• Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Minitab
• Excellent communication, project management, and customer-facing skills
• Ability to work cross-functionally with Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, R&D, and customers

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Research & Development, Engineering, Sales, Manufacturing, and Technical Service teams to commercialize new closures, materials, and packaging technologies
• Support packaging development and new product introduction (NPI) initiatives from concept through commercialization
• Provide technical support for closures, packaging equipment, and food and beverage packaging processes
• Partner directly with customers to resolve packaging performance, application, and manufacturing challenges
• Conduct root cause analysis and troubleshooting for closure application issues involving aluminum, plastic, and steel closures
• Visit customer facilities to evaluate field performance and support continuous improvement initiatives
• Develop and perform laboratory testing protocols for new and existing packaging products, materials, and manufacturing processes
• Analyze testing data using statistical methods, DOE (Design of Experiments), and Minitab
• Deliver quality, manufacturing, and packaging equipment training to internal and external stakeholders
• Participate in industry associations and technical meetings, including ISBT and related packaging industry events
• Support process improvement, quality assurance, and manufacturing optimization projects
• Perform other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Company-paid life insurance, AD&D, and disability coverage
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Tuition reimbursement
• Voluntary benefits: pet insurance, legal plans, identity protection, and more
• Employee engagement programs and team-building events
• Career development and advancement opportunities within a Fortune 500 organization

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level