Packaging Engineer Lab Leader

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

     

JOB DESCRIPTION:

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare leader, creating breakthrough science to improve people’s health. We’re always looking towards the future, anticipating changes in medical science and technology.

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
• Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year
• An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution
• Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
• A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

The Opportunity

This position works out of our Abbott Park (Lake Bluff), IL location in the Core Diagnostics Division. Our diagnostic solutions are used in hospitals, laboratories, and clinics around the globe. The crucial information derived from our tests, instruments and informatics systems are often the first step in patient care decision making for hundreds of health conditions from heart attacks to blood disorders to infectious diseases and cancers.

As the Packaging Engineer ​Lab Leader, you will be responsible for leading the packaging engineering lab that is responsible for qualifying medical device packaging. The position oversees daily lab operations, including test scheduling, equipment maintenance, inventory control, and compliance with Standard Test Procedures (STPs) and Good Documentation Practices (GDP). The leader manages multiple direct reports, providing technical and team leadership for packaging lab technicians, collaborating lab resources to support cross-functional teams in new product development, on-market improvements, and distribution packaging qualifications. Performs hands-on testing as needed, maintains accurate records, and reports lab performance metrics. Drives continuous improvement and ensure alignment with quality and regulatory standards. 

Responsibilities

• Design new or update existing secondary and or tertiary packaging for diagnostic products
• Schedule and track packaging tests to ensure timely execution and on-time release of test reports to meet project timelines.
• Ensure test data is accurate, results are reliable, and all activities comply with established procedures and protocols.
• Oversee equipment calibration and qualification activities to ensure accurate and reliable testing performance
• Maintain lab equipment and facilities in functional and clean condition, ensuring compliance with Abbott quality policies and procedures.
• Responsible for characterization, verification and validation activities for packaging design and labeling, including IQ, OQ, PQ, and the dangerous goods certification program
• Lead a team of packaging technicians including setting goals, providing annual reviews, and develop technical and soft skills for team members
• Develop, monitor, and report on lab performance metrics, using data-driven insights to inform decision-making and drive operational improvements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams—including Engineers, QA, Planning, and Manufacturing—to resolve packaging issues and support business-critical initiatives
• Provide packaging technical support and expert services to various manufacturing sites and divisions
• Lead risk assessments and implement mitigation strategies to ensure packaging integrity, regulatory compliance, and business continuity
• Generate cost savings ideas, complete proof of concept d