Packaging Engineer

Role Summary

The Packaging Engineer will support the design, qualification, approval, and implementation of new and revised packaging materials and packaging bills of materials for Pfizer products at the Kalamazoo, Michigan facility. Serve as the packaging technical contact for sterile and non-sterile product packaging. Works under general supervision and collaborates with Quality, Procurement, Packaging Operations, Regulatory, and Warehouse.

Responsibilities

• Execute appropriate package qualification testing as defined by internal SOPs.
• Partner with outside vendors and internal cross-functional teams to develop and engineer packages to ensure functionality, compliance, cost, and timing objectives are met.
• Author and approve lab protocols and reports, packaging specifications, pallet patterns, and bills of materials for primary container/closure systems, secondary, and tertiary packaging.
• Participate in packaging material investigations, deviations, troubleshooting, corrective actions, and vendor capability assessments of moderate complexity.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor’s degree with 0+ years of experience; OR Associate’s degree with 4 years of experience; OR high school diploma (or equivalent) with 6 years of relevant experience.
• Required: Fundamental knowledge of working in a regulated/GMP environment.
• Required: Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability to interact effectively with moderate levels of the organization.
• Required: Ability to balance workload for a variety of simultaneous projects.
• Preferred: Functional knowledge of writing technical documents such as lab protocols and reports.
• Preferred: Familiarity with packaging performance testing equipment and methods (ASTM, ISTA, HDA, Instron, Container Closure Integrity and Leak Detection, Shock and Vibration Testing).
• Preferred: Understanding of GMPs.
• Preferred: Experience with package labeling requirements related to packaging line labeling.
• Preferred: MRP, Packaging specification, CAD, or related software familiarity.
• Preferred: Six Sigma, Statistical Process Control or other scientific data analysis familiarity.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree; OR Associate’s degree with relevant experience; OR high school diploma with relevant experience.

Additional Requirements

• Physical: Standing, walking, and sitting; occasional lifting; lab sample preparation and testing; ability to analyze data results.
• Work environment: Works on manufacturing floor, in lab, and in office environments.
• Travel: Some travel required (approximately 10–15%).
• Location: Kalamazoo, MI; on premise.