Packaging Engineer Manager

Job Title: Packaging Engineer ManagerJob Description As a Packaging Engineer Manager, you will lead and inspire a team of packaging engineers and designers, setting technical direction and performance goals. Your expertise will guide the development of innovative packaging solutions that meet product protection, regulatory, and sustainability standards. Responsibilities + Lead, mentor, and develop a team of packaging engineers and designers. + Set technical direction, priorities, and performance goals for the packaging engineering function. + Allocate resources and manage workloads across multiple programs and timelines. + Provide technical guidance and support for complex packaging challenges. + Oversee the design and validation of primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging. + Ensure packaging solutions meet product protection, regulatory, quality, cost, sustainability, and manufacturability goals. + Drive design for manufacturability (DFM) and design for distribution (DFD). + Review and approve packaging specifications, drawings, and Bills of Materials (BOMs). + Partner with R&D, product engineering, manufacturing, quality, regulatory, marketing, and supply chain teams. + Support new product introductions (NPI) and line extensions. + Interface with external vendors, co-packers, and material suppliers. + Participate in design reviews, risk assessments, and technical decision-making. Essential Skills + Bacheloru2019s degree in Packaging Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field. + 10-15 years of packaging engineering experience, including leadership or people management. + Strong knowledge of packaging materials such as plastics, paperboard, corrugate, foams, films, glass, and metals. + Experience with manufacturing processes and packaging equipment. + Understanding of distribution and transportation dynamics. + Experience managing packaging development through the full product lifecycle. + Proficiency with packaging design tools and documentation systems. + Strong project management and decision-making skills. Additional Skills & Qualifications + Leadership development and people management skills. + Experience in the food industry. + Knowledge of thermoforming and rigid plastic tray packaging. Work Environment The work environment includes roughly 400 employees at the East Hanover site, where most employees work a hybrid schedule (2-3 days per week onsite) with remote options on Mondays and Fridays. The successful candidate must be local to East Hanover to effectively manage 2-3 direct reports. Enjoy the benefit of free lunch provided Monday through Friday. Job Type & Location This is a Contract to Hire position based out of East Hanover, NJ. Pay and Benefits The pay range for this position is $55.00 - $67.31/hr. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: u2022 Medical, dental & vision u2022 Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital u2022 401(k) Retirement Plan u2013 Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available u2022 Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) u2022 Short and long-term disability u2022 Health Spending Account (HSA) u2022 Transportation benefits u2022 Employee Assistance Program u2022 Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Workplace Type This is a hybrid position in East Hanover,NJ. Application Deadline This position is anticipated to close on Mar 24, 2026. About Actalent Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing due to a disability, please email ( ) for other accommodation options.

Created: 2026-03-12