The Role
As a Technical Engineer - Packaging at Green Thumb Industries (GTI), you will be responsible for designing, developing, and optimizing packaging and packaging automation solutions for our production processes across multiple facilities. In this role, you will balance various factors, including product protection, cost, regulatory requirements, and brand standards. Working collaboratively with GTI's Brand and Product Development team, you will transform packaging concepts into scalable production-ready solutions and develop automation systems that align with local volume requirements. Additionally, this role will support local facilities by addressing packaging and automation challenges. Our ideal candidate has expertise in equipment selection, equipment troubleshooting, and implementing automated packaging production processes within a manufacturing environment. We are open to finding the right candidate who is willing to travel for this role. Our priority locations are Chicago HQ, Mid-Atlantic region or near one of our manufacturing facilities with close proximity to a hub airport.
Responsibilities
Packaging Design and Development:
- Collaborate with Brand to design, develop and validate packaging solutions that provide adequate protection for products during transportation, storage, and handling.
- Consider factors such as product fragility, size, weight, and shelf life when designing packaging.
- Collaborate with Process Engineer and Operations team to determine automated manufacturing processes for new GTI product packaging
- Coordinate with cross-functional team line validation studies for new packaging selections to determine the best option for the business.
Automation System Design & Implementation:
- Research and select packaging automation solutions which fit the local sites’ volume, staffing, and regulatory needs.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to conceptualize and design packaging automation systems that align with production requirements and quality standards.
- Conduct financial analysis on automation solutions to ensure capital is spent efficiently and ensure the highest return on capital investment.
- Lead the integration of packaging automation solutions into existing manufacturing processes, ensuring seamless implementation and minimal disruption to operations.
- Serve as SME for packaging automation technology; execute equipment-level tech transfer including controls training and commissioning support, enabling site teams to maintain and operate new automation solutions independently.
- Work with the site team to ensure Autonomous Maintenance and Planned Maintenance systems are in place for new automation solutions.
- Lead IQ, OQ, and PQ validations for new and modified packaging equipment and processes; execute technical transfers to site production teams in partnership with Quality.
- Own the hardware side of label printing and marking equipment across all sites, including printer fleet selection, installation, qualification, and uptime; partner with the Director of Packaging & Process Optimization on label accuracy and compliance outcomes
Technical Support & Continuous Improvement:
- Provide ongoing technical support for packaging automation equipment, troubleshooting issues, and implementing corrective actions to maximize efficiency and minimize downtime.
- Ensure the local teams are trained on the equipment through extensive technical knowledge transfer to promote a culture of Autonomous Maintenance.
- Provide engineering startup support for new facilities, including:
- Equipment layout and requirements definition
- Construction handoff coordination
- Regulatory compliance requirements for equipment
- Best-practice process development for new lines
- Equipment technical transfer and controls training
- Maintain up-to-date as-built records, drawings, and SOP documentation for all packaging equipment deployments.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Provide engineering input to Product Development, Operations, Supply Chain, and Marketing on packaging equipment capabilities, constraints, and automation options, supporting overall packaging strategy.
- Work cross-functionally to translate ideas and packaging specifications from marketing and research and development into scalable and efficient packaging processes at site level
- Integrate with the Maintenance vertical to ensure packaging automation equipment is supported through structured turnover documentation, spare parts planning, and technician training programs; serve as the primary engineering contact for maintenance on all packaging systems.
- Travel to GTI manufacturing and processing locations to scope and execute packaging processes.
Safety & Compliance
- Be aware of and actively mitigate hazards in the workspace.
- Retain and apply department-specific safety and compliance training.
- Report safety incidents and concerns; comply with all follow-up actions.
- Maintain compliance with area safety requirements, state regulations, and PPE requirements.
- Follow GMP, biosecurity, sanitation, and other quality and compliance requirements.
- Report and escalate safety and quality concerns promptly.
Working Conditions
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to perform reaching, grasping, bending, stooping, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions.
- Must be able to sit and/or stand for extended periods of time while maintaining focus.
- Must be able to lift, carry, and balance up to 50 pounds (and up to 100 pounds with assistance), and must be able to do so with extreme care and caution when working with product.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, changing, and challenging environment.
- Work involves daily exposure to allergens (such as cannabis, tree nuts, and coconut oil).
Qualifications
- 4+ years’ experience in Packaging Engineering or Technical Engineering.
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field, or equivalent experience.
- Proven experience in packaging engineering within a regulated consumer goods or related manufacturing industry (food & beverage, pharma, nutraceuticals, or similar).
- Cannabis industry experience or experience in other highly regulated environments highly desired.
- Experience driving efficiency and continuous improvement in an automated manufacturing environment.
- Hands-on experience with packaging equipment including flow wrappers, combination scales, bag fillers, labelers, case packers, and related automated systems.
- Working knowledge of packaging materials, substrates, and sealing technologies including heat seal, pressure sensitive, induction, and tamper-evident applications as they relate to automated packaging line performance.
- Experience managing packaging engineering projects through IQ, OQ, and PQ validation processes.
- Knowledge of TPM-based continuous improvement methodology and lean manufacturing principles.
- Travel required up to 50% of the time to GTI manufacturing sites, often with short notice.
Skills
- Strong verbal, written, and presentation skills.
- Strong analytical and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to manage large-scale projects from conception to implementation.
- Ability to work effectively with little supervision; highly independent / flexible setting priorities.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and shift focus between tasks / projects.
- Ability to collaboratively lead / influence stakeholders across organizational functions.
Additional Requirements
- Must pass any and all required background checks.
- Must be and remain compliant with all legal or company regulations for working in the industry.
- Must be a minimum of 21 years of age.
- Must possess a valid state ID.
- Must possess a valid driver’s license.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain state badging requirements to work in the cannabis industry (requires background check and state review).
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