Mars Inc

Principal Engineer - Packaging Development

Mars Inc • $100K — $130K *
Franklin, TN 37064In-Person
Food & Beverages
8 - 10 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Packaging R&D, Material Science, Chemical or Mechanical Engineering, Food Science, or a related field.
  • 8+ years of relevant experience, preferably in the pet industry.
  • Deep knowledge of emerging packaging technologies across various formats.
  • Expertise in rapid prototyping and digital packaging capabilities.
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate and influence diverse stakeholders effectively.

Responsibilities

  • Lead strategic innovation in packaging aligned with enterprise growth and current trends.
  • Develop comprehensive packaging roadmaps and validation protocols for new formats.
  • Manage and ensure compliance with global Packaging Quality Management standards and risk assessments.
  • Implement digital packaging strategies to enhance data integration and operational efficiency.
  • Serve as the primary interface with Science & Technology teams to drive the commercial application of material science innovations.
  • Identify and evaluate external technology to expand early-stage technical pipelines.

Benefits

  • Access to extensive learning and development opportunities via Mars University.
  • Competitive industry salary and benefits, including performance bonuses.
Full Job Description
Job Description:

Principal Engineer - Packaging Development

The Principal Engineer - Packaging Development is a strategic technical leader responsible for advancing future-ready packaging platforms and ensuring robust packaging material governance across the enterprise. This role leads the evaluation of emerging packaging materials and technologies, establishes technical readiness frameworks, leads digital packaging platforms and drives packaging innovation from concept through commercialization.

This role requires a unique blend of deep material science expertise, rigorous risk management, and commercial acumen. This role will translate emerging consumer demands and digital supply chain constraints into a robust, multi-year packaging roadmap that safeguards our products, delights our customers, and drives sustainable growth.

What are we looking for?
  • Minimum of a Bachelor's in Packaging R&D, Material Science, Chemical or Mechanical Engineering, Food Science (or relevant field) paired with deep expertise in polymer properties, material science, and early-stage innovation pipeline processes.
  • Minimum of 8 years' experience in similar role (Pet industry preferred).
  • In-depth technical knowledge of emerging packaging technologies across all formats and technology platforms, rapid prototyping, and digital packaging capabilities.
  • Technical rigor in every activity
  • Strong track record of driving results, collaborating and influencing without authority a variety of stakeholders


What would your key responsibilities be?
  • Lead strategic packaging innovation framing aligned with enterprise growth platforms and emerging macro trends (e-commerce, digital supply chain, traceability).
  • Build enterprise-level packaging roadmaps and establish validation frameworks for novel packaging formats. Identify potential technical failure modes early in the innovation funnel and design mitigation protocols prior to scale-up.
  • Define, govern, and implement strategy for Packaging Quality Management global standard compliance around Packaging Risk Assessments (PRAs) across all packaging materials, impacting all category technologies, ensuring packaging materials meet food safety, quality, and regulatory requirements across all category technologies.
  • Lead digital Packaging strategy implementation aligned with Specification Systems and digital efficiency tools. Drive integration of packaging data, specifications, risk assessments, and technical requirements into enterprise digital platforms. Advance digital capabilities that improve packaging development efficiency, traceability, compliance management, and decision-making.
  • Primary packaging interface with Science & Technology (S&T) teams, translating breakthrough material science into scalable commercial applications, align regional requirements for Technical Readiness Levels (TRLs) for packaging innovation
  • Scout external technology developments, suppliers, and academic partnerships to build early-stage technical pipelines.


What can you expect from Mars?
  • A strong focus on 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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About Mars Inc

Mars, Incorporated is an American multinational manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products. It was founded in 1911 and is headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Mars operates in six business segments: Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, and Symbioscience. Some of its most popular brands include M&M's, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, Skittles, and Pedigree. The company is known for its commitment to sustainability and has set a goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 67% by 2050.
Learn more about Mars Inc
Size
125,000 employees
Industry
Food & Beverages
Founded
1911
* Ladders Estimates

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