Packaging Print Production Designer

Natura•Sacramento, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

NATURA LIFE + SCIENCE is seeking a Packaging & Print Production Designer to oversee the final printed quality of all Natura products. This role involves building dielines, engineering structures, and preparing files for print, carrying them through proofing, press, and first article approval. The designer will also be responsible for laying out packages, mocking up concepts, and making design decisions within established brand systems. Key responsibilities include building master templates for consistency across SKUs and formats, extending creative concepts across various packaging types, and utilizing AI in the production process for tasks like proofing, compliance checks, and option exploration. The company is building a vertically integrated ecosystem for the cannabis industry, with a state-of-the-art campus in Sacramento.

Requirements

4+ years in packaging engineering, production design, or print production, with a portfolio of physical products taken from concept to shelf
Strong CPG packaging design ability — hierarchy, panel architecture, and shelf-ready layout inside an existing brand system
Expert-level print production knowledge: substrates, coatings, laminations, inks, finishes, and print methods
Deep color expertise and hands-on color management across substrates and processes
Structural dieline capability, built from scratch (expert Illustrator dieline work is acceptable)
Working 3D modeling ability (Rhino, Fusion 360, Blender, KeyShot, Adobe Dimension, or comparable)
Regulated CPG production experience (California DCC, Health Canada, FDA, TTB, or equivalent)
Expert Adobe Creative Suite — Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign
Direct vendor and press experience, including press checks and first-article approvals
Working experience with AI tools and willingness to build on it as a core part of the role
Relentless attention to detail
Must be 21 or older

Nice To Haves

Cannabis packaging experience — California DCC and multi-state labeling
Apparel/softgoods production (tech packs, screen print, embroidery, fabric color matching)
Esko ArtiosCAD/Studio or comparable structural software
Scripting or automation for file prep and versioning
Experience building production workflows or spec systems from scratch

Responsibilities

CPG packaging design & layout — build panel hierarchy, callouts, and regulatory panels; mock up concepts; extend brand systems accurately across new SKUs and formats
Packaging engineering & structural design — create and validate custom dielines (cartons, rigid boxes, labels, pouches, tubes, sleeves); engineer for fit, board, fold, shipping, and cost; maintain the master dieline library
Print file preparation & release — take approved creative to production-ready mechanicals (bleeds, trapping, separations, spot channels); specify print method (offset, flexo, digital, screen, gravure, hot stamp); manage version control and release records
Templates & source of truth — build and maintain master layout templates for every packaging format, documenting what's fixed vs. flexible, so every SKU traces back to an approved template
Color & substrate expertise — own color matching across substrates, inks, coatings, and finishes; work fluently in spot vs. process, ICC profiles, dot gain, and TAC; specify substrates with intent
Proofing, press & quality ownership — mark up and approve proofs, attend press checks, own first-article approval, and diagnose/drive fixes when something comes back wrong
Marketing & retail production — engineer displays, POP, collateral, signage, and merchandise to the same standard as packaging
3D modeling & concepting — model structures and displays well enough to pressure-test concepts and produce sell-in renders, then translate to manufacturable specs
Vendor management — serve as day-to-day production contact for printers, converters, and box makers; write clear specs and production packets; troubleshoot in real time
Compliance & QC — partner with Compliance on cannabis labeling requirements, build checkpoints into the workflow, and work with QC on inspection and defect standards
Working with AI — use AI to proof, check compliance/brand accuracy, draft specs, and explore options faster, applying your own judgment throughout