Sr. Packaging Engineer

At Polaris Inc., we have fun doing what we love by driving change and innovation. We empower employees to take on challenging assignments and roles with an elevated level of responsibility in our agile working environment. Our people make us who we are, and we create incredible products and experiences that empower us to THINK OUTSIDE.

Summary

As a Senior Inbound Packaging Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in leading initiatives that prioritize safety, quality, cost efficiency, operator productivity, and the transition to returnable packaging, ensuring the seamless and secure delivery of materials to our plants. This role thrives on collaboration, offering opportunities to work closely with teams across sourcing, new product development, logistics, and plant operations. Leveraging your advanced project management skills and technical expertise, you will drive operational improvements and deliver impactful cost-saving solutions with minimal oversight. If you excel in addressing complex packaging challenges and flourish in a dynamic, cross-functional setting, this is your chance to grow with the global leader in Powersports.

Responsibilities

• Lead inbound packaging initiatives, including safety, quality, cost savings, operator efficiency, and transitioning to returnable packaging, while managing total cost solution models and capital expenditure requests
• Develop and implement innovative packaging strategies, ensuring integrity through design, testing, and troubleshooting, while driving continuous improvements and managing complex projects across various phases.
• Collaborate with sourcing, engineering, logistics, and plant operations teams to deliver impactful packaging improvement projects and define optimal packaging solutions for new product development.
• Provide technical expertise, mentor colleagues, and influence strategic decisions to align engineering goals with business objectives.
• Deliver operational reporting to leadership and take ownership of solving advanced challenges to optimize processes and add organizational value.
• Manage and monitor the packaging budget by reviewing and approving supplier packaging invoices

Desired Competencies

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Excel in working with diverse teams and stakeholders to ensure packaging strategies align with overarching business objectives.
• Initiative & Ownership: Take proactive measures to identify inefficiencies, create actionable solutions, and successfully lead projects with minimal supervision.
• Global Awareness: Leverage a deep understanding of global operations to address challenges and capitalize on opportunities that drive impactful results.
• Project Management: Demonstrate expertise in planning, prioritizing, and coordinating multiple tasks to consistently exceed deadlines, ensure stakeholder alignment, and uphold high-quality standards with exceptional attention to detail.
• Technical Expertise & Problem Solving: Apply advanced technical knowledge to resolve packaging challenges, employing innovative problem-solving approaches to enhance efficiency and achieve superior outcomes.
• Commitment & Adaptability: Effectively handle shifting demands and priorities while maintaining quality and delivering on objectives.
• Leadership: Lead projects with confidence, make sound decisions, and foster trust to establish yourself as a reliable and influential leader within the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering or related technical field
• 5+ years of experience in a packaging engineering or related technical field required
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, AS400, and various Packaging programs- CAPE, Pack Assistant and Creo
• Proven cross functional project management experience with a track record of delivering process improvements
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present insights clearly
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills
• Comfortable managing ambiguity and balancing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

Working Conditions

• Hybrid office environment (3 days in office, 2 days of flex)

The starting pay range for Minnesota is $85,000 to $112,000 per year. Individual salaries and positioning within the range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills, and geography.  While individual pay could fall anywhere in the range based on these factors, it is not common to start at the high end or top of the range. 

To qualify for this position, former employees must