Principal, Package Engineer

Liquid I.V. • El Segundo, CA

96d • $123,000 - $184,600

About The Position

Liquid I.V. is looking for a Principal Packaging Engineer to lead the strategy and execution of innovative, scalable, and sustainable packaging solutions across our growing product portfolio. This individual will serve as the technical authority in packaging innovation – bringing deep expertise in materials science, design for sustainability, manufacturing, and commercialization. As a thought leader within the organization, the Principal Packaging Engineer will guide long-term packaging development strategies aligned with innovation and sustainability goals.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Material Science/Technology, Engineering, or a related field (master's degree preferred).
• 10+ years of experience in CPG R&D Packaging Development with a Bachelor’s degree, or 8+ years with a Master’s degree.
• Minimum 3 years in a senior or lead packaging development role.
• Advanced research in novel materials to further sustainability goals.
• Proven success in developing and commercializing packaging in multiple formats to drive business growth including flexibles, cartons, corrugate, and rigids.
• Deep knowledge of sustainable materials, circular design, and recyclability standards.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and project management skills with demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and lead complex, multi-phase projects.
• Excellent planning, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Experience with Lean Six Sigma is a plus.
• Strong working knowledge of food manufacturing processes, quality assurance principles, specification development, product commercialization & scale ups (eg. CQV).
• Experience with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
• Experience using pallet software TOPS or CAPE.
• Strong organizational & teamwork skills, ability to prioritize/multi-task and handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and driving innovation in a fast paced, dynamic working environment.

Responsibilities

• Scout for new packaging materials to expand LIV product formats.
• Research, evaluate, and qualify cutting-edge packaging materials, vendors, and technologies while balancing sustainability, cost, and performance.
• Own end-to-end development: design, prototype, test, validate, and commercialize packaging systems across primary, secondary, and tertiary formats.
• Manage new product launches from concept through commercialization with a cross-functional team including Project Management, Product Development and Operations.
• Stay informed and educate the team of category, brand and competitive packaging trends and dynamics.
• Communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including Senior Leadership, about emerging business opportunities, technology capabilities and technologies.
• Provide technical expertise on sustainable materials, packaging formats, and life cycle assessment (LCA), guiding key business decisions.
• Contribute to Sustainability Reporting, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and external communications related to Packaging.
• Stay ahead of industry trends and regulatory changes to future-proof Liquid I.V.’s packaging strategies.
• Serve as a Subject Matter Expert with a passion for knowledge-sharing while actively identifying and assessing opportunities to advance Unilever Sustainable Packaging goals.
• Co-create and execute technical strategy for next generation packaging platforms with a focus on sustainable, cost-effective, and high-performance solutions.
• Collaborate with suppliers, co-manufacturers, co-packers, and Unilever Center of Excellence (COE) sites to scale and commercialize packaging solutions.
• Guide development of packaging specifications, testing protocols, and tooling documentation across all packaging formats including flexibles, cartons, corrugate, rigids, etc.
• Identify and lead implementation of cost savings and packaging efficiency initiatives.
• Provide production technical guidance to our manufacturing partners and cross-functional teams.
• Identify areas of opportunities and provide simple ideas for expanding value/profits and driving continuous improvement to the business.
• Possess a strong sense of leadership to accomplish Objectives & Key Results (OKRs) and be able to manage projects independently or in a team environment.

Benefits

• 100% company-paid medical, dental and vision insurance for employees (PPO, HMO and Kaiser options).
• A 401k plan with company match, short and long-term disability coverage.
• A generous PTO and sick policy that includes 13+ paid annual holidays.
• Wellness classes (fitness, mental health, nutrition, finance, etc.).
• An Employee Assistance Program, including membership for guided meditation for all employees.
• Monthly tech and wellness reimbursement.
• An infinite supply of Liquid I.V. for endless hydration!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Master's degree