Product Development Engineer, Flexible Packaging

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Accredo Packaging is a family- and minority-owned flexible packaging manufacturer and part of API Group. Founded in 2009, and based in Sugar Land, Texas, Accredo Packaging provides flexible packaging and film solutions with a focus on advanced manufacturing, performance, innovation, and solutions designed to help customers pursue their sustainability goals. By pairing the best talent in the industry with state-of-the-art technologies, we create innovative, environmentally responsible packaging that drives value for our customers and the planet.

Location: Sugar Land, TX (Greater Houston) Type: Onsite, no option for remote or Hybrid Relocation assistance is available

Position Overview We are seeking an experienced Product Development Engineer to serve as a key technical leader and customer-facing resource. In this role, you will bridge the gap between customer needs and manufacturing capabilities, driving business growth through strategic product development initiatives. You will provide end-to-end technical expertise - ensuring film applications meet performance expectations across production, converting, packing line runnability, distribution logistics, consumer end-use, and sustainable end-of-life performance.

Products You Will Help Develop In this position, you will engineer and commercialize advanced, high-performance polyolefin and polyethylene-based film structures tailored for demanding food and CPG applications. Key product formats in your development portfolio will include: Flexible Barrier Packaging Films: High-barrier, multi-layer films engineered for moisture, oxygen, and aroma protection to maximize product shelf life. Laminated Roll Stock: Specialized substrate films engineered for high-speed printing, lamination, and form-fill-seal (FFS) packaging operations. Shrink Bundling & Overwrap Films: Tough, high-clarity shrink and overwrap packaging films optimized for multi-pack bundling, secondary containment, and retail shelf presence. Wicketed Bags & Specialty Formats: Customized film formulations optimized for high-speed converting into wicketed bags, pouches, and bag-making applications. Breathable Films & Packaging Labels: Controlled gas/moisture-transmission films for fresh produce/micro-vented packaging, as well as high-performance filmic substrates for pressure-sensitive and wrap-around labeling.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical interface for assigned customer accounts and market segments, leading technical meetings, discovery sessions, and joint development programs.
• Translate customer application requirements and market trends into clear technical specifications for innovative blown film packaging structures.
• Oversee product development projects from initial concept and lab scale testing through commercial launch, ensuring timelines and performance gates are met.
• Partner closely with raw material vendors (resin suppliers, masterbatch/additive producers) to evaluate, select, and optimize materials for cost, processability, and functional performance.
• Design and engineer monolayer and multilayer blown film structures optimized for barrier properties, seal strength, puncture resistance, optics, and shelf-life extension.
• Spearhead sustainable packaging initiatives, including recyclable mono-material structures, PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin integration, and downgauging/lightweighting projects.
• Plan, facilitate, and oversee internal plant development trials on blown film lines to validate processing parameters and physical property metrics.
• Coordinate and attend external customer plant trials, offering on-site troubleshooting for film runnability on converting, printing, and Form-Fill-Seal (FFS) packaging equipment.
• Analyze trial data, summarize results, and deliver clear technical reports and recommendations to both internal leadership and external clients.
• Collaborate closely with Sales, Operations, Quality Assurance, and Regulatory teams to ensure new formulations are commercially viable, compliant (FDA, food contact, etc.), and scalable.
• Support root-cause analysis and corrective actions for technical issues or customer complaints related to product performance.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Polymer Science, Plastics Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Packaging Science, Materials Science, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 8 years of progressive product development experience within the flexible packaging industry (specifically focused on polyolefin/PE-based blown film extrusion).
• Deep working knowledge of blown film extrusion processing, Polyethylene (PE) resins (LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, mLLDPE, EVA), functional additives, and polymer characterization.
• Strong understanding of film conversion processes (printing, laminating, pouching) and high-speed packaging equipment dynamics (Form-Fill-Seal).
• Proven track record of managing technical relationships with external customers, presenting data, and navigating technical commercialization projects.
• Familiarity with sustainable packaging trends, circular economy goals, recyclable film structures, and bio-based/recycled content resins.
• Self-starter with strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple complex technical projects simultaneously.

Travel Willingness to travel up to 20% for customer visits, trials, and industry events.