Packaging and Commercialization Engineer

Arcadia Beverage Co.•Arden, NC

12d

About The Position

The Packaging and Commercialization Engineer leads technical execution and coordination of new product introductions, packaging evaluations, and process improvements for Arcadia Beverage’s cold-fill PET and HDPE bottling operations. This role bridges engineering, quality, operations, and customer teams to ensure seamless commercialization and optimized packaging performance across all product lines. The ideal candidate has strong project management skills and detail-oriented work habits, while remaining flexible and adaptable to customer requests and operational needs. This position will report directly to our Operational Excellence Manager. What We Do: Arcadia is a people-first organization. We exist to care for each other through our actions and values, and to share that with everyone we encounter. Arcadia Beverage has over 80 years of beverage co-packing experience and we are a pasteurized cold fill scale contract packager of non-alcoholic / non-carbonated beverages for major retailers and food service distributors. Our Core Values: Care Deeply Respect & Support the Whole Person Grow & Learn Everyday Celebrate & Have Fun Do What We Say We’re Going to Do A Day in the Life: Each day brings a mix of hands-on technical work and cross-functional collaboration. The Packaging and Commercialization Engineer may start by walking the production floor to observe a new bottle or label trial, confirming fill line compatibility and visual quality. The morning could continue with supplier calls to review material performance data or evaluate a new bottle design. Midday might include preparing documentation for a customer portal or finalizing a new product specification package for first production. Afternoons include our daily production meeting which often leads to working directly with operators to identify and resolve inefficiencies with new or existing packaging, optimizing run speeds and setup consistency. This role balances planning and execution, requiring close coordination with internal teams and customers to ensure every new product moves smoothly from concept to shelf.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Science, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field.
2–5 years of experience in packaging engineering, commercialization, or manufacturing environment (beverage or food industry preferred but not required).
Strong project management and communication skills, with ability to coordinate cross-functional teams and interact directly with customers.
Working knowledge of rigid plastics (PET/HDPE), corrugate design, labeling, and palletization principles preferred but not required.
Ability to interpret and apply regulatory labeling requirements (e.g., CFR, FDA) preferred but not required.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with ERP systems and digital workflow tools a plus.

Responsibilities

Serve as the technical lead for new product commercialization, coordinating activities across Operations, Quality, Engineering, and Supply Chain to ensure readiness from formulation through first production.
Manage packaging development and qualification for PET, HDPE, corrugate, and labels, including line trials, fit/form/function testing, and supplier coordination.
Manage customer portals, forms, and documentation requirements to ensure accurate, timely submission of packaging and labeling information; prevent errors that could delay commercialization.
Partner with customers to identify packaging requirements, guide them toward optimal solutions that align with Arcadia’s manufacturing capabilities, and document specifications for long-term reference.
Lead packaging line trials to confirm manufacturability, run speeds, and quality standards.
Create, maintain, and improve documentation for bottles, closures, cases, and pallet configurations, ensuring version control and accessibility across departments.
Create and maintain packaging specifications, drawings, and bills of materials.
Partner with marketing, regulatory, and graphics teams to ensure label accuracy and print quality compliance.
Evaluate new packaging formats and materials for manufacturability, quality, sustainability, and cost effectiveness.
Lead and support root cause analysis and continuous improvement for packaging-related quality and operational issues.
Support development of process capability metrics and documentation for packaging systems.
Support sustainability initiatives, including lightweighting, recyclability, and waste reduction.
Ensure safety, quality, and food safety by following company rules and standards, enforcing the requirements, and communicating violations or concerns to the leadership team.