Adept Group offers an award-winning workplace for exceptional packaging industry talent. We work on a range of innovative projects for iconic brand owners. Our technically gifted team collaborates to produce unparalleled results.
We offer a great place to showcase your expertise and build upon your skillset. All while having fun with amazing people from a variety of diverse backgrounds. We’re driven, inspirational and most importantly, human.
We offer a flexible, creative culture focusing on 3 pillars - our environment, our communities, and our health and well-being. Join a team committed to building a sustainable future!
The Opportunity
Adept Group is seeking a Packaging Engineer (1099 Contractor) to add to our team! This candidate would be responsible for leading packaging compliance audits, technical assessments, and validation activities within a distribution center, warehouse and retail supply chain environment. Working under the direction of the Program Manager or Senior Packaging Engineer, this role combines field execution, engineering analysis, compliance validation, team supervision, and recommendation development to ensure packaging systems meet operational, safety, and retailer requirements.
Packaging Engineers will perform all activities that may be conducted by Technicians and Inspectors while also directing, supervising, training and validating the work performed by those resources. The Packaging Engineer serves as the primary technical authority for audit execution, compliance interpretation, risk assessment, engineering review, issue escalation, and final disposition of findings. This position requires a strong foundation in packaging engineering principles, supply chain operations, packaging materials, and distribution performance.
This is a 1099 Contractor (Independent Contractor) opportunity for 4 to 6 months at 40 hours per week. First and second shift opportunities available.
Key Responsibilities:
- Direct and supervise daily activities of assigned Tecnicians and Inspectors.
- Train field personnel on audit protocols, measurement methods, documentation requirements, and safety procedures.
- Review and validate all audit data collected by Technicians and Inspectors.
- Ensure consistency, accuracy and completeness of field audit execution.
- Assign daily workloads and audit priorities based on program objectives.
- Perform quality reviews of completed inspections and compliance assessments.
- Provide real-time technical support and issue resolution during audit execution.
- Escalate critical findings, compliance gaps, and operational risks to project leadership and client stakeholders.
- Validate audit conclusions and approve final findings prior to reporting.
- Mentor junior engineers, interns, co-op students, technicians and inspectors participating in the engagement.
Typical Day to Day:
- Lead physical packaging audits and compliance assessments across distribution center and warehouse operations.
- Supervise Technicians and Inspectors during field execution activities.
- Execute physical inspections, measurements, testing, photography, and audit documentation activities.
- Review packaging specifications, drawings, testing reports, Certificates of Analysis (CoAs), Certificates of Conformance (CoCs), and qualification documentation.
- Evaluate packaging compliance against retailer, customer, regulatory and operational requirements.
- Assess pallet stability, stretch wrap performance, label placement, barcode readability, packaging dimensions, and automated handling compatibility.
- Analyze audit findings and identify compliance gaps, operational risks, and improvement opportunities.
- Perform engineering reviews of packaging systems, materials, and supply chain performance.
- Support root cause investigations and corrective action development when required.
- Develop technical recommendations to improve compliance, performance, quality, cost, and operational efficiency.
- Prepare audit reports, engineering assessments, presentations, and client deliverables.
- Participate in customer meetings and present findings to internal and external stakeholders.
- Maintain adherence to all safety, quality, and operational requirements while working in active warehouse and manufacturing environments.
Requirements:- Bachelor's Degree in Packaging, Packaging Science, Packaging Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, or related technical discipline.
- 1 to 5 years of relevant experience
- Co-op, internship, or working experience in packaging, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, food, beverage, consumer products, or retail operations.
- Understanding of packaging materials, distribution environments, and packaging testing fundamentals.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and technical reporting tools.
Additional Preferred Skills
- Experience within CPG, food and beverage, retail, consumer products, industrial products, or packaging manufacturing industries.
- Experience with corrugated packaging, flexible packaging, rigid plastics, pallets, stretch wrap, labels, and distribution packaging systems.
- Familiarity with retailer packaging requirements and supply chain compliance programs.
- Experience conducting packaging audits, warehouse evaluations, quality inspections, or compliance assessments.
- Knowledge of ISTA testing, ASTM standards, packaging qualification programs, and distribution performance evaluations.
- Experience working within manufacturing plants, warehouses, distribution centers, or retail supply chains.
- Supervising team members
Disclaimer:
This is a 1099 independent contractor position. As such, this role is not eligible for company-sponsored benefits, including health insurance, paid time off, or retirement plans. The contractor is responsible for managing their own tax withholding, insurance coverage, and other obligations associated with independent contractor status.
Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.
