What does a packaging engineer do?
A Packaging Engineer plans and implements packaging designs to ensure product integrity and appeal. Their primary duties include supervising and managing the complete packaging development process, analyzing engineering drawings, and conducting periodic vendor reviews.
Packaging engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real packaging engineer resumes:
- Manage UAT testing of App-V/Thin-App applications.
- Manage implementation and changes using FDA compliant documentation and change management processes.
- Manage Linux staging and testing environments and also automate application packaging and deployments.
- Manage packaging redesign project to maintain compliance with current FDA regulations for medical device packaging.
- Manage in-house process, which include art direction, copy/editorial development, photography, and print production management for domestic/international market.
- Develop windows application in c #to process customer and policy information.
- Write protocols for and performs tests (ASTM & ISTA); analyze and summarize data ;.
- Work with customer marketing departments to design labels that follow FDA and ISO standards for medical devices.
- Update engineering drawings through SolidWorks.
- Coordinate filling line trials in-house and at contract manufacturers and support production start-ups.
- Spearhead the Ozurdex implant extrusion process FMEA.
- Define SPC control limits and implement through ECO process.
- Develop and design new packaging for leading pet products company.
- Utilize ArtiosCAD and AutoCAD programs to create drawings and prototypes.
- Implement a continuous improvement system for all packaging processes using GMP process.
Packaging engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 9% of Packaging Engineers are proficient in CAD, Project Management, and Solidworks. They’re also known for soft skills such as Speaking skills, Writing skills, and Creativity.
We break down the percentage of Packaging Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- CAD, 9%
Produced corporate documentation standards for packaging specifications and created CAD library templates for corrugated graphic requirements.
- Project Management, 8%
Provided Concept to Commercialization project management for a number of industry leaders in food and beverage utilizing Stretch-Blow molded packages.
- Solidworks, 7%
Developed molded and integrated materials protective packaging solutions using SolidWorks, Pro/ENGINEER, and AutoCAD.
- ASTM, 5%
Conduct shipping tests to evaluate the performance of shipping containers using proven ASTM Standard methodologies to yield high quality accurate results.
- Package Design, 5%
Guided new package design engineering to ensure both supplier and plant manufacturing feasibility and operating efficiency objectives are met.
- ISTA, 4%
Perform testing following ISTA 3A standards including Drop Testing, Vibration Test, and Burst Testing following TAPPI 810 standards !
"cad," "project management," and "solidworks" are among the most common skills that packaging engineers use at work. You can find even more packaging engineer responsibilities below, including:
Speaking skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a packaging engineer to have is speaking skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "industrial engineers sometimes have to explain their instructions to production staff or technicians before they can make written instructions available." Packaging engineers often use speaking skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "represented the packaging department during plant continuous improvement workshops with logistics, materials, purchasing, and engineering departments. "
Writing skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling packaging engineer duties is writing skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "industrial engineers must prepare documentation for other engineers or scientists, or for future reference." According to a packaging engineer resume, here's how packaging engineers can utilize writing skills in their job responsibilities: "read engineering drawings to determine best fit for parts while writing and revising packaging specifications. "
Creativity. packaging engineers are also known for creativity, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to packaging engineer responsibilities, because "industrial engineers use creativity and ingenuity to design new production processes in many kinds of settings in order to reduce the use of material resources, time, or labor while accomplishing the same goal." A packaging engineer resume example shows how creativity is used in the workplace: "used sccm 2012 for remote control, patch management, software distribution, operating system deployment, hardware and software inventory. "
Listening skills. packaging engineer responsibilities often require "listening skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "these engineers often operate in teams, but they also must solicit feedback from customers, vendors, and production staff." This resume example shows what packaging engineers do with listening skills on a typical day: "conducted line trials at manufacturing site, issued summary reports and communicated recommendations. "
Math skills. Another crucial skill for a packaging engineer to carry out their responsibilities is "math skills." A big part of what packaging engineers relies on this skill, since "industrial engineers use the principles of calculus, trigonometry, and other advanced topics in mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work." How this skill relates to packaging engineer duties can be seen in an example from a packaging engineer resume snippet: "supported npi projects for packaging improvements by conducting ship tests and developing quantitative data for product prototyping. "
Problem-solving skills. Lastly, "problem-solving skills" is an important element of what a packaging engineer does. Packaging engineer responsibilities require this skill because "in designing facilities for manufacturing and processes for providing services, these engineers deal with several issues at once, from workers’ safety to quality assurance." This resume example highlights how packaging engineer duties rely on this skill: "resolved packaging integration issues all the way from package design, si design, packaging materials, assembly and test. "
The three companies that hire the most packaging engineers are:
- Organon68 packaging engineers jobs
- TPI25 packaging engineers jobs
- Conagra Brands14 packaging engineers jobs
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Compare different packaging engineers
Packaging engineer vs. Process engineer internship
A process engineering intern performs various tasks for an organization. These include collaborating with the technical team on cost savings, process efficiency improvements, and technology advancement, attending meetings with leadership teams, and participating in customer trials. Additionally, they may assist with the leadership or management teams in creating standard operating procedures. They are responsible for coordinating with engineers and work on projects assigned by the leadership. Ideal candidates for this role must have a degree in mechanical or industrial engineering, excellent communication skills, and knowledge and experience in process observation.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, packaging engineer responsibilities require skills like "project management," "astm," "package design," and "ista." Meanwhile a typical process engineer internship has skills in areas such as "process engineering," "data analysis," "continuous improvement," and "powerpoint." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Process engineer interns tend to reach similar levels of education than packaging engineers. In fact, process engineer interns are 3.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Packaging engineer vs. Product development engineer
A Product Development Engineer is responsible for creating and testing new product designs. They collaborate with market researchers to evaluate market needs, existing competition, and potential costs.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that packaging engineer responsibilities requires skills like "package design," "ista," "logistics," and "cape." But a product development engineer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "data analysis," "product design," "prototype," and "c++."
On average, product development engineers earn a lower salary than packaging engineers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, product development engineers earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $86,062. Whereas packaging engineers have higher pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $100,934.In general, product development engineers achieve higher levels of education than packaging engineers. They're 6.3% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for packaging engineers in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Galen Duree
Head of the Department of Physics and Optical Engineering and Professor, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Packaging engineer vs. Development engineer
A Development Engineer is responsible for the development and validation of products, systems, and components. They are also responsible for quality control of work and continuous improvement of engineer activities.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a packaging engineer is likely to be skilled in "astm," "package design," "ista," and "logistics," while a typical development engineer is skilled in "java," "python," "c #," and "software development."
Development engineers make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $105,648. On the other hand, packaging engineers are paid the highest salary in the technology industry, with average annual pay of $100,934.Most development engineers achieve a higher degree level compared to packaging engineers. For example, they're 7.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Packaging engineer vs. Senior process engineer
A Senior Process Engineer assesses a process efficiency, effectiveness, safety, and quality. They also conduct process improvement initiatives and custom product developments.
Types of packaging engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
