Packaging Engineer

Job Description

Job Description:

The Packaging Engineer will be responsible for leading the development and launch of innovations, renovations, productivity and quality improvements for the EMEA H&W brands. You will partner closely with external manufacturers and internal stakeholders to design and scale-up new and existing packaging across multiple formats.

Who are we?

We are Health & Wellness EMEA part of Mars Snacking. Our ambition is to be the world’s leading Healthy Snacking company. Leading with Purpose. Winning with consumers in tailwind snacking spaces. Becoming the home of choice for future insurgent brands. Currently we operate 2 of our global Health & Wellness brands in EMEA: KIND & trüfrü.

KIND: Since its founding in 2004 in the US, KIND has been on a mission to make the world a little kinder one snack and one act at a time. KIND was born out of its founder’s desire to create a snack that was healthy and tasty, wholesome and convenient. What began as a line of premium Fruit & Nut bars sparked the creation of an entirely new healthier snacking category. Today, KIND has a family of snacks that offer solutions for a variety of different occasions.

trüfrü: Launched in 2007 in the US and acquired by Mars in 2022. The brand has had rocketing growth in both frozen and ambient categories in the fruit forward bite size snacking occasion. trüfrü is fresh fruit either Hyper Chilled (Frozen) or Hyper Dried (Ambient) covered in a layer of white chocolate followed by another layer of Milk or Dark Chocolate. Topping $200m in US retail sales in 2023 and launching into new international markets in 2024. The founder Brian describes tasting the product as life changing. Are you ready for your life changing moment with trüfrü?

We are looking for truly passionate, conscious collaborators to help us meet our goals: to inspire kindness, with one tasty snack (and KIND act) at a time or bringing new consumers taste buds alive with our amazing fruit forward snacking brand trüfrü. If you’re looking to be a part of an inspiring, energetic and entrepreneurial environment, you’ve found the right place.

What are we looking for?

• A BS or MS degree in Packaging, Mechanical Engineering or a relevant degree, or equivalent experience

• Extensive experience in food packaging development, manufacturing, qualification, start-up & new product launches from concept to commercialization.

• Experience in packaging machinery and understanding of the material-machine-interaction

• Excellent at planning and prioritization skills with the ability to multi-task and rapidly adapt with problem solving and analytical skills

• Ability to demonstrate prudent judgment when making important decisions by utilizing knowledge of industry best practices and current trends

• Familiarity with the activities in Marketing, Market Research, Legal/Regulatory, Q&FS and Manufacturing.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and ability to influence internal and external stakeholders, and bring teams to consensus/alignment

• UK and European travel will be necessary to office and supplier locations up to 30%

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Lead the design, development, and testing of packaging, focusing on both primary (direct contact) and secondary (display/transport) packaging.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Marketing, Regulatory Affairs, Operations) to align packaging design with product needs, brand strategy, supply chain efficiency, and consumer insights.

• Create and execute trial plans, collect data, and interpret results to drive projects and technical knowledge forward.

• Provide technical leadership for the commissioning and start up of any new packaging lines for Tru Fru and other H&W brands as needed.

• Support troubleshooting needs during trials, startup and ongoing production; develop action plans and communicatre risks accordingly.

• Partner with Engineering to analyze packaging processes at the plant to identify areas for improvement in efficiency and cost, while maintaining or improving functionality.

• Analyze line performance and packaging material usage to recommend solutions that reduce waste and improve costs.

• Partner with Marketing to identify opportunities for optimizing or improving existing packaging formats and develop prototypes/mock-ups of new packaging designs to present to internal teams and stakeholders.

• Stay abreast of local/regional requirements and regulations that may impact material and design choices, and partner with Regulatory Affairs to ensure full compliance of chosen materials.

• Organize and manage online database of relevant technical drawings, packaging specifications, and data relevant for sustainability reporting.

• Scope and deploy digital programs for packaging data and spec management.

• Contribute to improving processes and ways of working within EMEA and across Mars and H&W Platform.

• Connect with Platform Packaging and Procurement on strategic opportunities with suppliers on Sustainable material solutions, bring local/brand needs and perspective forward and implement solutions.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with over 140,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by The Five Principles.

• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.

• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.

• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

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Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.