Packaging Engineer

Packaging Engineer, Americas

Role Purpose (Why does the role exist?):

To support Supply Chain department with advanced planning activities for Packaging projects, Planning and Implementation solutions, leading and coordinating packaging activities ensuring the successful transfer of packaging technologies from R&D to manufacturing, for new or existing products, ensuring compliance with regulatory and quality requirements.

Job Status

• Full-Time
• Salaried
• Reports to Packaging Manager

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Packaging Development

• Lead the development of packaging concepts and designs that meet product performance requirements, regulatory standards, and consumer expectations.
• Conduct and document feasibility testing and prototyping of new packaging solutions, ensuring product integrity and compliance with all regulatory obligations.
• Plan, execute, and manage all validation and qualification activities for new packaging designs, palletisation schemes, and related packaging processes, including the preparation of quality protocols, process validation studies, and equipment qualification documentation.

Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure that all packaging used within Gowan complies with all relevant Plant Protection Products regulations, protecting Gowan’s brand equity.
• Manage compatibility testing, ensuring full compliance of primary packaging materials while collaborating closely with Formulation and Regulatory teams.
• Prepare and submit required waste-management reports (e.g., plastic waste) according to local regulatory requirements.
• Represent Gowan in Plant Protection associations as the Container Management and Packaging point of contact.
• Verify that all packaging meets applicable modal transport regulations, safeguarding Gowan’s brand equity and compliance status.
• Ensure full compliance of Dangerous Goods packaging with all Supply Chain requirements.
• Manage UN testing and certification, ensuring all approvals remain current and that no packaging is used without valid certification.

Quality Improvements

• Ensure all packaging development information is complete, accurate, and fully handed over to Manufacturing before first production, including updates to Manufacturing and Quality manuals.
• Investigate all packaging-related Quality Incidents, determine root causes, and implement effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Identify and lead improvement projects to strengthen packaging quality in Manufacturing and across the Supply Chain, reducing the risk of recurrent Quality Incidents.

Specifications Management

• Create, validate, and maintain all packaging specifications to ensure accuracy, robustness, and fitness for purpose.
• Verify that all packaging items consistently meet Gowan’s quality and performance standards.
• Ensure all packaging suppliers formally validate and sign off Gowan’s specifications, confirming full compliance and accuracy.

Data Management

• Maintain accurate records and documentation for all packaging projects, including specifications, test reports, qualification files, and project milestones.
• Own and maintain all packaging specifications, Packaging Data Sheets, and Palletisation Sheets used across Gowan.
• Ensure all packaging documentation is correctly stored and kept up to date in the Global Packaging SharePoint environment.
• Input, verify, and maintain accurate Packaging and Pallet data in Gowan’s UOM system.
• Maintain accurate item data for all packaging components in the ERP system (E1), ensuring the system reflects current specifications and operational needs.

Other Duties as Assigned

Skills and Qualifications:

• Degree in packaging engineering or related areas;
• Professional experience packaging engineering in the chemical or agro chemicals sector
• Expertise in packaging manufacturing processes (keys blow and injection moulding, film extrusion and corrugated paper)
• Project management skills
• Ability to work in a multicultural and multidiscipline teams
• Fluency in English
• Preferable fluency in Spanish

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in a related role or field.
• Demonstrable skills with computer-aided design (CAD) software and other relevant programs.
• Strong knowledge of following subjects: CLP, NIST Packaging Requirements
• Travel Requirement: ~25% of job will include travelling internationally and domestically within Americas.