R&D Packaging Specialist

Position: R&D Packaging Specialist
Area: Northamptonshire
Salary: £35k - £45k 
The Company: Wet Wipe Manufacturer 

The Role:
•    To lead development, validation and implementation activities for new and existing products, with a focus on packing, packaging, materials, process improvement and wider R&D projects as required.
•    Working within R&D, the role provides a technical link between Operations, Engineering, Quality, Procurement and external suppliers, ensuring solutions are compliant, commercially viable and suitable for manufacturing.
•    Strong planning, organisational, project management, communication and stakeholder management skills.
•    Ability to identify and implement innovative technical solutions and solve technical or operational problems in a structured manner.
•    Strong technical writing, documentation and Microsoft Office skills.
•    Lead development and technology transfer activities for new and existing products, including product, material, process, packing and packaging workstreams.
•    Identify new materials, technologies, processes and innovation opportunities through supplier engagement, trade shows and cross functional collaboration.
•    Act as the technical contact for product development activities, materials, processes, specifications, trials and performance requirements.
•    Coordinate laboratory, pilot and production trials, validation activities, operational readiness and scale-up requirements.
•    Ensure products, materials, processes, packaging systems and documentation meet regulatory, customer, quality and manufacturing requirements.
•    Support sustainability, efficiency, troubleshooting, lifecycle management and continuous improvement initiatives.
•    Investigate and resolve technical, operational and data-related issues, including OOS investigations where required.
•    Apply practical and analytical problem-solving to identify effective short and long-term solutions.
•    Comply with Health, Safety and Environmental requirements, assess risks and report accidents, incidents, near misses or unsafe conditions.
•    Operate equipment only within training and competency levels and promote safe working practices at all times.
•    Maintain compliance with Company GMP/GLP requirements, quality standards and inspection-ready work areas.

Requirements:
•    Degree in Packaging Technology, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Engineering or related discipline, or equivalent industrial experience.
•    Experience would also be beneficial of the following: Flow-wrap manufacturing, polymer technology and raw material manufacturing processes
•    Packaging line trials, validation, technology transfer and commercialisation activities
•    GMP / regulated manufacturing environments, project management and supplier collaboration
•    Training will be provided
•    Innovative, flexible/adaptable, organised and quality aware
•    Respectful, courteous, positive, self-motivated, reliable and a team player