Principal Engineer, R&D Flexible Film Packaging

Job Purpose

AsaFlexible FilmPackagingEngineeryou will contribute technical expertise to help develop and advanceflexiblepackaging material and format solutions for the North American portfolio. The objective of the role is to support development and validation of functional cost-competitiveflexiblepackaging solutions that meet sustainability requirements while enabling innovation compliance and value engineering initiatives. You will collaborate with Innovation Process and Platform packaging teams and cross-functional stakeholders to translate technical and sustainability requirements into commercially manufacturable solutions under the guidance of technical leadership.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Support execution offlexiblepackaging technical initiativesby completing assigned research development and validation workstreams that balance technology exploration withproof of conceptneeds.

• Contribute to technical assessments and business case inputsfor packaging technologies/applications by gathering data summarizing learnings and documenting technical risks and opportunities.

• Support external collaboration activitiesacross the value chain (e.g. resinbarriermaterial suppliers; universities; institutes; start-ups; open innovation networks; scouting partners industry partnerships) by coordinating samples/trials tracking actions and documenting outcomes.

• Apply enterprise standards and manufacturability considerationsby following established guidance to ensure design decisions align with enterprise standards manufacturability needs sustainability needs and platform direction.

• Provide technical problem solving onflexiblepackaging projectsby using structured troubleshooting data analysis and experimentation to resolve technical hurdles.

• Apply Design of Experiments (DoE) statistics and technical problem-solving practicestoresearch development and validation work.

• Support prototyping development for consumer testingand assist with pilot line setup and scale-up to industrial production as required to enable commercialization.

• Contribute to knowledge sharing and capability buildingby documenting learnings creating technical summaries and supporting training content or informal coaching as needed.

People Management Responsibilities

• Individual Contributor

Key Outputs & Deliverables

• Contribute to execution of theflexiblepackaging technology strategythrough technical work products (data packages trial results recommendations) that support sustainability innovation and value engineering initiatives.

• Deliver technical workstreams forflexiblepackaging projectsfrom concept through proof of concept and handover support meeting committed timelines and technical performance targets for assigned responsibilities.

• Support compliance with sustainability and regulatory requirementsby incorporating requirements into experimental plans and design recommendations including:

• MinimizingExtended Producer Responsibility (EPR)fee impacts (as applicable to design choices)

• Supporting designs that help avoidmaterial bans and regulatory risks

• Supportingrecyclable reusable and compliantpackaging formats aligned with enterprise sustainability goals and legislative requirements

• Support delivery of packaging designs to Performance-Based Specifications (PBS)to meet defined functional quality shelf-life consumer experience and manufacturing performance outcomes.

Expected Experience & Required Skills

• BS/MS/PhDdegree in Engineering Materials Chemical or Packaging Engineering preferred or related discipline.

• Minimum of 6 yearsofR&Dpackagingtechnology development commercialization experience with exposure toflexible filmpackagingandproject leadership experience (consumer goods food & beverage pharma or similar preferred).Experience working at converter or upstreamfilmor technology provider ideal.

• Working technical knowledge ofmaterials(films paper barriers coatings sealantsand additives etc.) andmanufacturing constraints including converting processes (e.g.extrusion lamination adhesive lamination sealing pouch forming form-fill-sealetc).

• Demonstrated ability to support end-to-end development activities including planning/performing experiments documenting results and coordinating with cross-functional partners.

• Demonstrated capabilityofdesign ofexperiments and statisticsand technical problem solving.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to influence across functions and levels.

• Working knowledge of project execution disciplines (e.g. task planning risk identification stakeholder updates) and comfort operating within PMO expectations/templates.

• Exposure to sustainable packaging solutions material/package industry standards and regulations.

• Ability to support pilot line activities and scale-up toindustrial production as required.

• Willingness and ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

Work Environment & Scheduleisposition operatesprimarily in a hybrid work environment and is based at the Kraft Heinz R&D Innovation Center in Glenview IL. Our hybrid model provides flexibility based on business needs allowing employees to work virtually up to two days per week with an expectation to work on-site at least three days per week at the Glenview Innovation Center (Glenview IL).

Physical demandsinclude butnotlimited to

• Regular office work

• Physical presence at labs and manufacturing sites (internal and external) to perform experimental and validation testing