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Plum Organics

R&D Manager - Packaging

Summary:

This is a unique opportunity to make an impact in a fast growing, mission-based consumer products company in the food industry. Plum Inc. is looking to add a talented R&D Manager - Packaging to our growing team, reporting to the R&D Director.  The R&D Manager - Packaging will play a cross-functional leadership role within Plum Inc. 

 

Summary of Responsibilities:

This position is responsible for leading all aspects of packaging innovation pipeline for the Plum Organics business.   As such, this person must have strong critical thinking, technical troubleshooting, project management, and communication skills. The position has the responsibility of working closely with cross functional team members to develop and launch new innovative packaging solutions into the market and support brand maintenance programs including cost saving initiatives, continuous improvement opportunities, and troubleshooting.  This includes working with brand teams on conceptual development for new ideas, completing proof of principle testing, and then scaling-up the concept through commercialization while ensuring technical rigor and attention to detail.  A critical part of this position is to execute technically challenging and complex projects on fast-paced commercial launch schedules. 

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 Key Responsibilities:

  • Provide technical packaging leadership to the entire Plum organization.
  • Proactively challenge assumptions and current business processes to drive new disruptive innovative packaging solutions.
  • Understand the relationship between package, product, and process.
  • Establishes deep working knowledge of technologies and translates that knowledge into commercial launches and troubleshooting activities.
  • Guides cross-functional teams and organization on technical viability early in the development process for given consumer opportunities.
  • Work with outside vendors, technology providers, and manufacturing facilities to translate consumer concepts into commercially viable solutions for new product and package format launches.
  • Provides critical thinking on technology and strategic direction for potential new packaging solutions and technologies.
  • Proactively seek out and understands packaging technologies that may have application to business.
  • Drive and direct key packaging supplier relationships to meet Plum business needs.
  • Drive alignment with key project stakeholders on packaging development technology direction.
  • Trouble shoot issues that arise during assessment, feasibility, development and commercialization.
  • Coordinate, manage, and execute technically complex and multi-disciplined projects with minimal supervision.

 

 

Qualifications

  • Minimum education required: Bachelors of science degree in packaging or related field
  • Years of relevant experience: 5-7+ Years of experience
  • Demonstrated strong technical and scientific aptitude
  • Strong leadership and influencing skills
  • Able to deal with ambiguity.
  • Aptitude for learning new technologies and depth of technical expertise on multiple packaging materials or packaging/ processing systems.
  • Experience in leading creation, development and commercialization of consumer-based packaging innovations.
  • Able to develop and implement plans on a moderate to high risk projects using sound technical methodology.
  • Understands the cost and performance drivers of packaging materials.
  • Understands material and format alternatives for a given application.
  • Experience in hot fill and retort packaging applications is a plus.
  • Must be able to travel up to 30% of the time.

 

Personal Characteristics:

  • A Creative Problem Solver – You have a creative bent and you love taking on challenges with a fresh perspective and creative mind.
  • An Action Oriented Doer – Someone who is driven by results. Someone who strongly believes in accountability. A task oriented self-starter who stays calm under pressure and proactively takes on big ideas and projects.
  • Hands On – Someone humble enough to tackle low level mundane tasks some days and then drive high-level strategic discussions the next. Someone who is hungry to learn and take on more responsibility as the company grows.
  • A Collaborator – One who works well with teams, and can listen while still sharing a strong point of view.
  • An Optimist – Someone with a can-do attitude, who can lead in the face of uncertainty, and with a great sense of humor.

 

Who we are – Plum PBC – Emeryville, California

Plum, PBC is home to Plum Organics, a values-driven company committed to nourishing the next generation with great tasting, nutritious food from high chair to lunchbox. Plum, PBC is a group of extremely passionate people that truly love what they do and why they do it. They are parents, aunts, uncles, big brothers… tooth fairies. They are curious connoisseurs and joy seeking foodies that have come together to discover, celebrate & create all things healthy, inventive & yum.

For more information, visit www.plumorganics.com. You can also follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/PlumOrganics) and Twitter (@plumorganics).

Plum, PBC is committed to providing equal opportunity for employees and applicants in all aspects of the employment relationship, without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion or any other classification protected by law.

Job ID: o6Mw4fwc
Employment Type: Other

This job is no longer available.

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