Packaging Engineer - Accessories and Service Parts

Slate Auto • Troy, MI

1d • $135,000 - $203,000

About The Position

Slate is hiring a Packaging Engineering Manager to lead a small team of packaging engineers and own the packaging strategy and roadmap for Accessories and Service Parts. Reporting directly to the Head of Accessories Product Management, this role covers packaging across the full journey—from suppliers and third-party logistics providers to the customer-facing unboxing experience. The manager will establish quality standards, guide launches, and remain hands-on when needed.

The role focuses on delivering measurable improvements in packaging cost, damage rates, cube and freight efficiency, and sustainability. It also includes developing customer-facing packaging that protects products and communicates Slate’s brand, as well as establishing supplier and 3PL requirements, validation processes, and packaging design approvals. The manager will coordinate cross-functional teams, prioritize work across concurrent programs, manage packaging tooling and development budgets, and support Accessories and Service Parts launches, including SUV kit support.

The position is based in Carson, California, or Troy, Michigan. Slate describes its culture as a startup environment grounded in ingenuity, resourcefulness, innovation, mutual respect, and shared principles.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Packaging Engineering, Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 8–12+ years of packaging engineering experience for automotive or consumer products.
• At least 3 years of experience leading engineers.
• Deep knowledge of packaging materials and standards, including ISTA, ASTM, and labeling requirements.
• Hands-on CAD, die line, and testing skills sufficient to review and challenge designs.
• Experience hiring, coaching, developing, and managing the performance of teams in a fast-moving environment.
• Demonstrated results reducing packaging cost, damage rates, and freight or cube, and experience managing a tooling or development budget.
• Experience owning supplier-facing packaging guidelines, quality-control criteria, and validation programs across suppliers and 3PLs.
• Strong ability to influence and align Engineering, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Product, and Brand teams, suppliers, and senior leaders.
• Comfort working in a startup environment, building processes and providing hands-on support as needed.
• Passion for customer experience and brand-driven packaging that supports Slate’s mission.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with dual-use or installation-aid packaging.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead a small team of packaging engineers, including hiring, coaching, development, performance management, goal setting, and workload balancing.
• Own the Accessories and Service Parts packaging strategy and roadmap, targeting improvements in cost, damage rate, cube and freight efficiency, and sustainability.
• Establish packaging standards, specifications, test protocols, and design guidelines for Slate parts, suppliers, and 3PLs.
• Develop customer-facing packaging that protects products, communicates the Slate story, and may also serve as an installation guide or fixture.
• Define supplier and 3PL packaging requirements and lead launch readiness and validation, including ISTA or equivalent testing.
• Review and approve supplier packaging designs, die lines, and samples to ensure products arrive undamaged and on time.
• Align Engineering, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Supplier Quality, Logistics/3PL, Product Management, Brand, and Digital/eCommerce stakeholders around packaging plans from concept through launch and sustainment.
• Plan team capacity and prioritize simultaneous Accessories and Service Parts demands, including SUV kit support.
• Own the packaging tooling and development budget and make trade-offs among cost, protection, customer experience, and speed.
• Review and approve packaging designs, CAD and die line files, and test results, and provide hands-on technical support when needed.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Vacation
• 401(k)
• Potential eligibility to participate in an equity program
• Potential eligibility to participate in a discretionary annual incentive program

What This Job Offers

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