Packaging Engineer

Colgate • Topeka, KS

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

As a key member of the Packaging organization, you will drive packaging excellence by delivering people-centric engineering solutions and leading high-impact sustainable packaging initiatives. This cross-functional role fuels business growth through continuous innovation and strategic cost optimization while partnering with Marketing, Product Development, and global supply chain teams. You will own the end-to-end development process to ensure our products deliver a perceivably superior consumer experience on-shelf and in-use.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Packaging Engineering, or a related quantitative field.
• At least 3 years of experience in the consumer goods or pharmaceutical industry.
• At least 3 years of experience in packaging engineering or related.
• Demonstrated ability to manage packaging development tasks and communicate technical summaries to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced understanding of manufacturing processes and the behavior of packaging materials (flexibles, cans, labels, corrugates) on production lines.
• Proficiency in technical systems including SAP, CAPE (pallet pattern design), Google Workspace, and Adobe Suite.
• Deep knowledge of experimental design, statistics, and measurement equipment for technical packaging evaluations.
• Expertise in project management, printing methodologies, and people-centric design to create distinctive, perceivably superior packaging.
• Expertise on flexible packaging, corrugates, paper and plastic labels and Steel

Responsibilities

• Leads the design, validation, and implementation of primary and secondary packaging materials, ensuring all solutions meet consumer needs and comply with corporate quality and safety standards.
• Owns the technical execution of packaging projects, including defining timelines, aligning business priorities with stakeholders, and managing risks to ensure on-time delivery.
• Drives the sustainability roadmap and identifies cost-optimization opportunities through standardization, manufacturing efficiency improvements, and the assessment of new packaging suppliers.
• Acts as a strategic partner to Marketing, Procurement, and Manufacturing to align packaging briefs, optimize material performance on production lines, and resolve execution-impacting issues.
• Generates detailed packaging specifications and validates technical drawings and dielines using corporate systems such as SAP and the BEAT artwork tool.

Benefits

• medical
• dental
• vision
• basic life insurance
• paid parental leave
• disability coverage
• participation in the 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions subject to eligibility requirements
• a minimum of 15 vacation/PTO days
• 13 paid holidays
• Paid sick leave

What This Job Offers

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