Principal Packaging Systems Engineer

Within our Corporate Engineering team located in Denver - Leprino is seeking a Principal Packaging Systems Engineer to lead the design, integration, and startup of high-speed packaging systems across our cheese and dairy nutrition manufacturing network. This role is focused on packaging automation, end-of-line (EOL) systems, and full-line integration-from case packing and conveying through robotic palletizing and stretch wrapping. You'll provide technical leadership on major capital projects from concept and equipment selection through FAT, installation, commissioning, and production ramp-up.

At Leprino, starting compensation for this role typically ranges between $147,000 and $170,000. This position has an annual target bonus of 15%. Based on your experience, we may also consider you for our Engineer II or Senior Engineer levels.

What You'll Do:

• Serve as a technical authority for high-speed packaging systems, EOL automation, and packaging line integration across our manufacturing network.
• Lead large, complex packaging capital projects from concept development and equipment specification through installation, commissioning, startup, and performance validation.
• Design and integrate complete packaging systems incorporating case packers, conveyors, robotic material handling, palletizers, stretch wrappers, labeling, and code-dating equipment.
• Develop packaging system concepts, equipment specifications, line layouts, controls and integration requirements, utility requirements, and commissioning plans.
• Engineer material flow, accumulation, indexing, line balancing, and equipment synchronization to create reliable, integrated packaging systems rather than collections of standalone machines.
• Evaluate and select packaging OEMs and systems integrators based on technical capability, equipment performance, sanitary design, lifecycle support, and application fit.
• Lead technical reviews with OEMs and integrators and ensure equipment interfaces, controls architecture, guarding, product handling, and upstream/downstream dependencies are addressed before installation.
• Support and lead FATs, SATs, commissioning, startup, and production ramp-up, troubleshooting mechanical, controls, material-flow, and equipment-interface issues in the field.
• Diagnose packaging-line constraints and develop solutions that improve throughput, OEE, reliability, changeover performance, and line efficiency.
• Partner with plant Engineering, Maintenance, Operations, Quality, and Corporate Engineering teams to solve complex packaging-system and automation challenges.
• Establish and maintain engineering best practices for packaging equipment, automation, system integration, and installation.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers working on packaging and capital projects throughout the organization.
• Travel to manufacturing facilities and equipment suppliers as needed to support design reviews, FATs, installations, commissioning, and startups.

You Have At Least (Required Qualifications):

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related engineering field.
• 10+ years of engineering experience in food, beverage, dairy, or another high-speed manufacturing environment.
• Significant hands-on experience with high-speed packaging machinery and automated packaging systems.
• Demonstrated ownership of major packaging capital projects with responsibility for technical scope, equipment selection, budget, schedule, installation, and startup.
• Experience integrating multiple packaging machines into a complete production system, including conveying, accumulation, indexing, controls interfaces, and line synchronization.
• Strong working knowledge of secondary and tertiary packaging automation, including equipment such as case packers, robotic palletizers, conveyors, stretch wrappers, labeling systems, and material-handling equipment.
• Experience working directly with packaging machinery OEMs and systems integrators from specification and design review through FAT and commissioning.
• Experience troubleshooting and optimizing automated packaging lines for throughput, bottlenecks, OEE, reliability, and changeover performance.
• Ability to work effectively in operating 24/7 manufacturing facilities during equipment installations, startups, and production ramp-ups.
• Ability to travel up to 70%.

We Hope You Also Have (Preferred Qualifications):

• Deep experience with EOL packaging automation and integrated secondary/tertiary packaging systems.
• Experience with robotic palletizing, automated case packing, conveying and accumulation systems, stretch wrapping, labeling, and code dating.
• Experience commissioning new packaging lines or major packaging-line expansions in active food or dairy manufacturing facilities.
• Knowledge of sanitary equipment design and food-manufacturing engineering standards.
• Experience with multiple major packaging-equipment OEMs, robotics suppliers, and systems integrators.
• Experience leading line-performance optimization, including constraint analysis, line balancing, changeover reduction, throughput improvement, and OEE improvement.

At Leprino, we believe in equal employment opportunity and make employment decisions based on each individual's unique talents, experience, skills, and knowledge; we do not discriminate on the basis of any personal characteristics. We know we are better together and are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive culture in which all employees can thrive.

Offering You In Return:

A chance to be part of a global team of individuals passionate about producing and delivering high-quality products that help feed and nourish families around the world. Leprino could not be where it is today without our incredible employees. That is why we share in our success together by rewarding you for your hard work. Hiring great people who are in it for the long run is our goal. Through competitive salaries and bonuses, life, medical/dental/vision coverage, voluntary benefits, employee assistance programs, wellness incentives, tuition assistance, vacation, ten paid holidays, sick time, paid parental leave, annual merit increases, as well as the LFC Profit-Sharing & 401(k) plan. Your impact will be noticed and rewarded, as you seek to further our company, our customers, and one another.

Our Story:

Leprino's history dates back to the 1950s, when Jim Leprino first started making small batches of mozzarella for local markets and eateries in the Little Italy neighborhood of Denver. We've grown a bit since then. Today, Leprino is the world's largest manufacturer of mozzarella and lactose, and a leading producer of whey protein. Still owned by the Leprino family, our sights are set to be the "World's Best Dairy Food and Ingredient Company." From a small corner grocery store we have grown to over 5,500 employees throughout the globe. Will you join us on our journey?