Packaging Engineer

Career Area:

Job Description:

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.

When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do - but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here - we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.

JOB DUTIES: This role is accountable to deliver on cost targets set by customer or process partner. Monitor packaging spend based on client budget provided. Establish packaging and processing specifications at the part number level for new product introductions, cost savings, or other supply chain improvement. Communicate with existing facilities on packaging issues related to receiving, warehousing, and/or line side delivery. Perform cost analysis on current packaging processes and recommend changes where appropriate. Lead medium to high risk Green Belt projects with global, network, or product group impact by collaborating with the Product Supply Network Design Supervisor. Perform activities to ensure parts are protected, shipped, and delivered to the customer in a usable fashion.

• Establish packaging and processing specifications at the part number level for new product introductions, cost savings, or other supply chain improvement.
• Communicate with existing facilities on packaging issues related to receiving, warehousing, and/or line side delivery.
• Perform cost analysis on current packaging processes and recommend changes where appropriate.
• Lead low risk Green Belt projects
• Perform activities to ensure parts are protected, shipped, and delivered to the customer in a usable fashion.
• Approved inbound supplier packaging specifications and sustained conformance.
• Validated outbound packaging solutions and controlled release documentation.
• Improved packaging-related PQVC performance and launch readiness.
• Accurate packaging data, reusable standards and automation/AI-enabled improvements.

Job Duties/Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

1. Packaging Engineering Support

• Act as the primary onsite packaging engineering contact for facility supply chain, operations, quality, safety and manufacturing teams.
• Resolve packaging-related safety, quality, flow and cost issues through containment, root-cause analysis, corrective action and validation.
• Support new product introduction, supplier/process changes and launch readiness.

2. Inbound Supplier Packaging Approval

• Develop, review, approve and maintain part-level supplier packaging specifications before implementation.
• Validate product protection, ergonomics, pack quantity, labeling, handling, storage, line-side use, transport efficiency and total cost.
• Coordinate supplier trials and onsite validation; monitor conformance, support audits and close deviations.

3. PQVC Performance

• People: Design safe and ergonomic packaging for unloading, handling, unpacking and return.
• Quality: Prevent damage, contamination, corrosion, deformation and labeling or mixed-part errors.
• Velocity: Enable efficient receiving, storage, replenishment, line-side presentation and empty return.
• Cost: Optimize packaging, transport cube, labor, inventory and lifecycle cost.

4. Outbound Packaging Development

• Develop and validate expendable and returnable packaging for CCMC outbound finished products, assemblies and service parts.
• Create concepts, drawings, specifications, loading patterns and validation plans.
• Perform containerization and total-cost analysis; coordinate prototypes, testing, pilot shipments and release.

5. Automation and Digital Engineering

• Design packaging compatible with AGV/AMR, ASRS, conveyors, scanning/vision and robotic handling where applicable.
• Consider dimensional consistency, stability, interfaces, identification, tolerances and repeatable part orientation.
• Use CAD/3D design, loading analysis, data tools and visualization to support engineering decisions.

6. AI-Enabled Improvement

• Use approved AI-assisted tools for research, requirements capture, specification drafting, issue categorization, data summarization and knowledge reuse.
• Support clean packaging data, standard work and practical automation or AI use cases with measurable business value.

7. Project and Stakeholder Management

• Prioritize multiple projects, communicate status and risks, and drive cross-functional actions to closure.
• Work effectively with facility teams, suppliers, packaging vendors and regional/global partners.

Some travel required (up to 25% working time)

BACKGROUND/EXPERIENCE:

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging, Mechanical, Industrial Engineering, Logistics, Supply Chain or a related discipline.
• At least 3 years of relevant packaging, manufacturing logistics, material-handling or supply-chain engineering experience.
• Experience developing or approving industrial packaging and validating solutions in a manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of expendable and returnable packaging materials, unit loads, transportation and line-side requirements.
• Ability to interpret drawings/CAD data and translate operational needs into packaging specifications.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, project-management and communication skills; able to work onsite with operations and suppliers.
• Professional English for technical communication and Chinese capability for local facility and supplier collaboration.

Automation and AI Skills

• Basic understanding of automated material-handling systems and packaging interfaces.
• Working capability with productivity, data-analysis and visualization tools; basic CAD/3D design capability preferred.
• Foundational generative AI skills, including prompting, output verification, responsible use, confidentiality awareness and human-in-the-loop decision making.

Preferred

• Onsite packaging experience in engine, heavy equipment, automotive or complex industrial manufacturing.
• Experience with supplier packaging approval, audits, change control, outbound/export packaging or packaging testing.
• Lean / Six Sigma project experience and exposure to dashboards, workflow automation or AI-enabled engineering.

Posting Dates:

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply

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