Own your future. Impact what matters.
Share our passion for protecting people and vital resources? Ready to harness your talent in ways that matter? Eager to work for a market leading company where your own success fuels that of your customers? For our high-tech R&D center we are currently looking for a Principal Packaging Engineer based in Monheim am Rhein (GER) or Northwich or Llantrisant (UK) (fixed term contract until December 2027)
Key Focus:
You will provide strategic packaging leadership across global product portfolios by ensuring packaging systems meet customer expectations, regulatory requirements, sustainability goals, product performance needs, and operational requirements throughout the product lifecycle.
You will serve as the primary packaging expert supporting new product development, commercialization, lifecycle management, sustainability initiatives, regulatory compliance, and supplier innovation.
Your Responsibilities
Lead the design, development, qualification, validation, and commercialization of primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging solutions across the Life Sciences portfolio.
Serve as the technical owner for packaging-related specifications, standards, change management activities, and compliance documentation.
Drive packaging strategies that support product quality, customer requirements, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and sustainability objectives.
Lead packaging activities throughout the product development lifecycle utilizing a structured innovation process (Phase Gate, Stage Gate, Design Control, or equivalent).
Establish and maintain packaging design standards, material specifications, testing requirements, and best practices.
Evaluate, qualify, and manage packaging materials, suppliers, and manufacturing partners.
Lead packaging validation activities including transportation testing, package performance studies, shelf-life evaluations, compatibility assessments, and packaging process qualification.
Support investigations, CAPA activities, risk assessments, and root cause analysis related to packaging performance and quality issues.
Collaborate with R&D, Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Procurement, Marketing, and Sales teams to deliver successful product launches and lifecycle improvements.
Identify and implement sustainability initiatives including packaging reduction, recyclability improvements, PCR implementation, PFAS elimination strategies, and alternative material technologies.
Monitor and interpret emerging packaging regulations and industry trends including PPWR, EPR requirements, sustainability legislation, customer expectations, and evolving GMP requirements.
Support customer audits, regulatory inspections, supplier audits, and compliance initiatives by providing packaging expertise.
Drive innovation by scouting emerging packaging technologies, materials, digital packaging solutions, and market trends.
Your Profile
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Packaging Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering, or related technical discipline.
Minimum 5 years of packaging engineering experience within pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, diagnostics, healthcare, specialty chemical, personal care, food, or similarly regulated industries.
Strong understanding of packaging development, material selection, package testing, supplier qualification, and product commercialization.
Working knowledge of regulated manufacturing environments including GMP principles, quality systems, traceability requirements, change control, risk management, and documentation practices.
Experience supporting new product development and commercialization through structured development processes such as Phase Gate, Stage Gate, Design Control, or equivalent methodologies.
Knowledge of packaging sustainability principles and evolving regulatory requirements, including PPWR, global food contact and…