Sustainable Packaging Engineer

Plastic Ingenuity is hiring a Sustainable Packaging Engineer in Cross Plains, WI, to lead sustainability initiatives and assessments for clients in the packaging industry. Responsibilities include conducting sustainable packaging assessments, coordinating with external organizations, supporting marketing efforts, and collaborating with engineering teams. The role requires attending industry events and serving as a resource for sustainability inquiries, emphasizing the company's commitment to innovative and sustainable packaging solutions.
Company Summary:

Plastic Ingenuity is committed to providing innovative, high-quality packaging for the food, healthcare, and consumer goods industries. At the company's heart are five core values that define who we are and why we have sustained success since 1972. We are friendly and genuine, fostering authentic connections with colleagues and clients alike. Resourcefulness defines our approach, allowing us to turn challenges into opportunities. Collaboration is ingrained in our process, uniting diverse perspectives to identify creative solutions. Total customer focus drives us; we listen intently, respond promptly, and consistently exceed expectations. Lastly, we are dependable doers, letting our actions speak louder than words. These values are the cornerstone of Plastic Ingenuity.

Role Summary:

The Sustainable Packaging Engineer is responsible for coordinating PI's sustainability activities in support of customer initiatives. This role leads the proactive deployment of our sustainable packaging assessment process. This includes providing roadmaps to PI's clients for consideration and coordinating the execution of projects stemming from these assessments. This role will collaborate with outside firms when external Life Cycle Assessments are required for customer projects. The role will coordinate efforts between PI and outside organizations for customer packaging evaluations, such as Association of Plastic Recyclers critical guidance testing and Sustainable Packaging Coalition's How2Recycle labeling. The role will provide content creation support for marketing needs related to sustainability and circularity. This role is a subject matter expert on the APR Design Guide, Walmart Playbook, and other key resources. This will require engaging with PI's commercial and engineering teams to support organizational needs in these areas. The role includes collaboration with PI's polymer scientist on client specific development projects, ensuring deliverables are met on time and communicated to the customer. This role is a resource for the sales team to address inquiries regarding sustainability. This role will require attendance at select conferences, trade shows, and webinars that advance understanding of sustainability topics. This role will include representation of PI in select industry collaborations and trade associations related to sustainability.

Key Responsibilities:
• Conduct sustainable packaging assessments (SPAs) for customers
• Execute basic life cycle assessments
• Coordinate efforts between PI and outside orgs, i.e. SPC, APR, for customer projects
• Support marketing content creation including annual report and newsletter
• Become subject matter expert on APR design guidelines and other key resources
• Collaborate with PI materials engineer on customer projects
• Be a resource for PI commercial team to support customer sustainability initiatives
• Support the construction of sustainable systems
• Represent PI in industry collaborations, conferences, and trade shows
• Proactively create SPAs for customers, track progress and measure impact
• Manage sustainability activities stemming from SPA process
• Lead PI's annual stakeholder study
• Conduct more complex LCAs and product carbon footprint calculations
• Lead customer lunch and learns and other enrichment activities
• Lead industry collaboration projects and pursue leadership positions
• Present at select industry events and conferences
• Write segments of PI annual report, PI Courses, and quarterly newsletters
• Be a resource for PI commercial team to support customer sustainability initiatives
• Conduct on-boarding training and other internal enrichment sessions
• Lead sustainable material development projects to meet customer needs

Minimum Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in package engineering or related field.
• Proven work experience as a packaging engineer or a similar role.
• Strong passion and interest in sustainability and circularity.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to multi-task and meet deadlines.
• Strong analytic and critical thinking skills with the ability to seek creative solutions.
• Proficient knowledge in modern office productivity, communication, and collaboration toolsets with a focus on Microsoft tools

Desired Qualifications:
• Ability to prioritize work and deliver to deadlines
• Clear, authoritative, and professional communication and presentation skills
• Strong interpersonal, influencing, negotiating, consensus building, and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to interact with company personnel, build strong relationships at all levels and across all business units and organizations, and understand business imperatives
• Keeps commitments; exhibits candor and courage - is not afraid to establish a visible presence and point of view, to engage in spirited and constructive debate, to hold others accountable

Plastic Ingenuity is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace, as we know that each of our employees helps to make us better. We strongly encourage applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life. Come join us.