As a Sr. Packaging Engineer within the Distinctive Brands portfolio, you will design, develop, and produce packages for the noosa brand ensuring efficient manufacturing and use of raw materials, as well as exceptional user experiences. This role will report to the VP of R&D, and you will be a key member of the noosa R&D team supporting projects primarily focused on refrigerated yoghurt or desserts. The Sr. Packaging Engineer’s main goal is to delight our customers and consumers through safe, impactful packaging experiences while partnering with our Product Development Scientists and Chefs to ensure optimal product and packaging interaction. This role will be the lead package engineering resource across a multitude of project types, including: innovation, renovation, quality improvement, continuous improvement, and value engineering. In addition to your responsibilities to design, develop, test and implement new and existing products/packaging, we will ensure design excellence is met through:
Containment – functional protection of our product from point-of-manufacture to point-of-use
Costs – designing to price, profitability, and product protection
Convenience – creating packaging that is intuitive, easy to open, dispense, and dispose of
Communication – conveying the features and benefits of our brands, usage instructions for the product, and recycling information for the packaging
Role Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functionally with Product Development, Supply Chain, Marketing, Sales, Procurement, and Co-manufacturing partners to understand and meet internal and external customer needs effectively.
• Responsible for creating and managing joined up package development programs, leveraging deep technical experience, in combination with R&D and industry insights to develop, implement, and execute creative packaging solutions, including designing trial protocols, to achieve project goals and deadlines.
• Drives creative structural packaging development, as part of Innovation/Renovation projects that delivers on consumer insights, key brand attributes, and manufacturability.
• Scout externally sourced Packaging innovation ideas from current and new suppliers, keeping a keen eye on risk, opportunities and emerging trends, working to engage and partner with the commercial team and procurement teams to deliver innovative solutions.
• Identify and lead productivity opportunities, including short term trouble shooting, to deliver projects to continuously improve overall packaging performance
• Understand rapid prototyping to drive fast test-and-learn designs. Embrace iterative development and be comfortable with learning from failure.
• Understand the financial components of Packaging and Sovos Brands cost structure to guide development. Generate and present valid delivered cost information on package/process and other pertinent financial information. Identify and provide rationale for funds needed to successfully deliver project goals and operate within project budgets
• Design and execute line trials, collect data/production records, and troubleshoot where applicable, ensuring adherence to trial protocols and clearly reporting results. Close collaboration with the manufacturing engineering team is a must.
• Perform distribution tests, pallet inspections, and functional assessments, including shelf-life studies, to validate packaging integrity and performance throughout the supply chain until end of life.
• Develop and manage technical specifications for packaging components and finished goods, ensuring compliance and consistency.

Skills/Experience Required

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Science, Packaging Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 4 years of experience in the consumer products industry; flexible plastic experience is preferred, and manufacturing environment experience is preferred.
• Ability to improvise and convert a new package design idea into a workable prototype which allows potential internal customers to understand and evaluate the value of the innovation.
• Ability to connect technology possibilities with consumer insights in a way to illuminate new package design opportunities
• Builds and leverages internal and external partnerships to generate new ideas and quickly identify and develop new packaging solutions
• Demonstrates and encourages creativity and flexibility by thinking beyond current practices.

Job Qualifications

• This is an onsite role (minimum of 3 days per week) and based in Louisville, CO or Bellvue, CO
• Travel up to 25%, including visits to manufacturing plants and vendor locations.
• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, coupled with strong organizational and project management abilities.
• Detail-oriented with the capacity to manage multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to thrive in a collaborative cross-functional setting while leading your projects independently and adhering to tight deadlines.
• Strong relationship-building skills with both internal and external stakeholders that displays a positive demeanor and can-do attitude
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); familiarity with TOPS/CAPE software is preferred.

The targeted budget for this position is $90-$135K per year. This compensation budget range may be adjusted at any time at the discretion of the company. About Sovos Brands, Inc.Sovos Brands, Inc. is a consumer-packaged food company focused on acquiring and building disruptive growth brands that bring today’s consumers great tasting food that fits the way they live. The Company’s product offerings include a variety of pasta sauces, dry pasta, soups, frozen entrées, frozen pizza and yogurts, all of which are sold in North America under the brand names Rao’s, Michael Angelo’s and noosa. All Sovos Brands’ products are built with authenticity at their core, providing consumers with one-of-a-kind food experiences that are genuine, delicious, and unforgettable. The Company is headquartered in Louisville, Colorado. For more information on Sovos Brands and its products, please visit www.sovosbrands.com
We offer attractive compensation packages based upon background and experience. Package includes base salary, incentive bonus, medical benefits, 401K, and PTO. We maintain a drug and alcohol-free workplace. All candidates offered a position are required to pass a pre-employment drug test. We participate in E-Verify. Sovos Brands is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Sovos Brands is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.