As a packaging engineer in the Scotch Whisky Industry, you are responsible for the design, development, and implementation of packaging materials and systems for the production, storage, and transportation of Scotch whisky products. You will work closely with production, quality assurance, and marketing teams to ensure that packaging materials and systems meet functional, aesthetic, and regulatory requirements.

You will be responsible for evaluating existing packaging and developing new, improved designs that achieve cost improvement strategies. This can involve selecting, designing and developing the machinery used with specific packaging operations. The role is multidisciplinary and requires coordination with internal creative graphic designers, industrial designers, project engineers, and vendors for new and existing projects.

Main duties and responsibilities

Key responsibilities of a packaging engineer in the Scotch whisky industry include:

• Review and improve the design and development of packaging materials and systems, considering factors such as product protection, shelf life, branding, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.
• Perform testing and validation of packaging materials and systems to ensure that they meet regulatory requirements, quality, company, and industry standards. This may involve conducting tests for durability, moisture resistance, and other factors that could impact product quality.
• Participate in brand and new product development projects, to deliver new products to market or to drive value and loss elimination.
• Provide technical expertise to ensure both actual and potential issues are mitigated.
• Facilitate and manage the approval of packaging line trials.
• Develop and manage technical packaging specifications, drawings, and product data sheets.
• Work closely with production teams to evaluate and make recommendations for product schedules to run as efficiently as possible and to ensure optimum stock holdings.
• Manage the artwork approval process.
• Identify and implement sustainable packaging solutions, considering factors such as material selection, recyclability, and environmental impact.
• Continuously evaluate and improve packaging materials and systems, seeking to optimise performance, reduce costs, and enhance the customer experience.
• Participate in periodic business review meetings with external packaging partners, to ensure they meet quality standards, specifications, and delivery schedules.
• Assist in the development and training of other packaging team members.
• Keep abreast of developments across appropriate packaging and manufacturing technologies.
• Develop packaging business plans to identify resources (funding, staff, materials, equipment) necessary to complete key projects.
• Provide verbal, written reports and presentations to senior management.
• Perform various administrative functions including daily scheduling, time and attendance, vacation scheduling, etc.

Skills and experience

As a Packaging Engineer you will need to demonstrate the following skills and experience:

• A strong understanding of materials science, manufacturing processes, and design principles is essential for a packaging engineer.
• A degree in packaging engineering or a related field is often preferred.
• Strong troubleshooting skills demonstrated using continuous improvement techniques.
• Good project management skills such as planning, budgeting, and team coordination.
• The ability to work with a variety of stakeholders, including suppliers, production staff, and marketing teams.
• Meticulous attention to detail in your work, ensuring that packaging materials and systems are designed and manufactured to meet regulatory and industry standards.
• The ability to develop creative solutions to design challenges and to meet customer requirements.
• Strong analytical skills to analyse data and conduct experiments that evaluate the performance of packaging materials and systems.
• A good working knowledge of regulatory requirements related to food safety, labelling, and packaging design.
• Demonstrated ability to promote a continuous improvement mindset by continually seek to improve processes and products.

Overall, a combination of technical knowledge, project management skills, communication skills, and creativity is important for success as a Packaging Engineer.

Qualifications Required

Typical qualifications required to become a Packaging Manager.

• A minimum of 5 years minimum experience in packaging development. Preferably with previous experience in an FMCG company (drinks, food, packaging, logistics).
• Bachelor's or Graduate's Degree in computer science, packaging science, package engineering or engineering, or equivalent experience.
• Experience with CAD, R Language, CNC, Artios CAD, APP-V, and DCHP software and systems.
• Good computer literacy with experience using Adobe Creative Suite.
• Strict attention to detail and dedication to continuous improvement.
• Strong problem solving, project management and leadership skills.
• A natural collaborator.
• A wide-ranging knowledge of material quality standards and packaging specification creation

1. Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) - Packaging Society: The Packaging Society is a community within the IOM3 that focuses on the science, technology, and engineering of packaging. It offers a range of events, webinars, and publications to help packaging engineers stay up to date on the latest developments in the industry.
2. Packaging News is a leading source of news and analysis for the UK packaging industry. It covers topics such as sustainability, design, and innovation, and offers a range of resources, including webinars and podcasts.
3. The British Plastics Federation (BPF) Packaging Group represents the interests of the UK plastics packaging industry. It provides a range of resources, including technical guidance and industry statistics, to help packaging engineers stay informed about developments in the industry.
4. The Packaging Collective is a UK-based community of packaging professionals that offers a range of resources, including webinars, events, and job listings. It aims to connect and support packaging professionals at all stages of their careers.
5. The Packaging Society (TPS) is a UK-based organisation that supports packaging professionals through networking, training, and knowledge sharing. It offers a range of resources, including webinars, publications, and events, to help packaging engineers stay informed and connected.