#Packaging designer jobs professional#

The jury’s still out, but this would be a great study for a food scientist looking for the best way to package their soda.

Food scientists are essential to consumer packaging: They evaluate how certain foods or drinks interact with their packaging and how the packaging might alter flavoring, shelf life and more.įor example, it is said that soda pop tastes different when it’s packaged in a bottle versus an aluminum can. If your goal is to work in the consumer food packaging industry, you may consider taking some courses on food science or considering this career path. You’ll get to test and evaluate adhesives-such as whether or not the packaging adhesive will stand up to a refrigerated environment (hint: with the right cold glue adhesive, it can)-and determine whether or not the packaging as a whole is well-suited to the product, climate and other conditions. Remember when you would create housings for eggs and drop them off the balcony in high school physics class? This job is something like that. However, just like in software, packaging requires testing to ensure that a high-quality product comes off the assembly line. When you think of product testing, you might think of tech-focused jobs like user experience and quality assurance testers. Similarly, you may be interested in a job as a packaging mechanic if you’d like to take responsibility for a company’s packaging line systems and equipment. This is a good job for those who enjoy sorting out complex, mechanical problems and who like the idea of working with machinery.

For example, a person in this role might assess and test the machinery and develop new systems for packaging production. Unlike most of the other careers listed here, a packaging operator is less concerned with how the packaging looks and is more involved in how it’s made. He or she should be able to produce a specialized packaging plan that is tailored to the package’s unique contents. The packaging specialist, who may work in-house or as a consultant, should be an expert on different types of packaging materials, adhesives, labels and packaging technologies.

#Packaging designer jobs professional#

This is the job title for the nitty-gritty packaging professional who will be able answer questions like, “Is fugitive glue the right adhesive for this particular container?” or, “Can we increase sales by switching to a biodegradable box?” A strong background in statistics and research is useful in such a role. In consumer packaging, the analyst might study whether or not a specific color or logo design has any impact on whether or not a consumer gravitates towards a certain product or brand.

If you consider yourself a behind-the-scenes type of person but love packaging, this is a great field for you! Consumer behavior analysts study market trends and are able to compile in-depth reports to argue for or against consumers’ preferences as a whole, using focus groups, surveys, studies and other forms of research. Typically, those who design packaging have a background in a field, such as industrial design, and will often work closely with copywriters, marketing experts and engineers to create packages that will stand out in a crowd at the store. These are the employees who design the aesthetic, including colors, graphics, fonts and figures, of the packaging. These employees will have a hand in all levels of packaging, from testing to design to effective shipment methods.Īll the world’s top manufacturers, from Microsoft to Apple to your favorite small-batch coffee roaster, rely on a packaging designer. Here are the top 10 consumer packaging jobs for you to consider:Ī packaging engineer, according to the world’s first packaging engineering program at Rutgers University, “draws on chemical, industrial, materials and mechanical engineering in order to design and create boxes, cartons, bottles and other packing materials that meet specific criteria.” This is the ideal choice for those who excel in math, chemistry, physics and technology, but also have an eye for design and a keen sense of industry trends. The industry shows so significant signs of decline, so go ahead and consider a career in packaging or manufacturing! And, if that’s not enough to convince you that packaging is a worthwhile pursuit, consider that it’s a $400 billion industry with careers well-suited for logical, analytic and creative thinkers alike. Related: Top Jobs for Packaging Professionalsįrom perishables like food and drinks to pharmaceuticals and electronics, consumer packaging is truly everywhere.