Senior Product Designer Job at Placon Corporation in Madison

The Senior Product Design Engineer is responsible for leading the development of product / package concepts that reinforce Placon's brand identity in our chosen markets, as well as, provide ideation of concepts addressing customer brand needs and competitive position in brand category. In collaboration with the customer, account managers, and other applicable parties, the product design engineer is to provide visualization of concepts through the use of applicable technical documentation (i.e. modeling, renderings, etc.) and communication mediums utilizing technologies, facilities, and workspaces (i.e. Design Center). Additional responsibilities include providing expert level leadership and guidance in areas of progressive creative thermoform product design and response, alignment of Placon's core competencies, and responsible environmental packaging solutions.

Essential Accountabilities

1. Lead the conceptualization stages of product / package solutions to explore possibilities through collaboration and rapid response to satisfy customer's requirements.
2. Understands multiple packaging technologies such as paperboard, thermoform, injection mold, blow mold and other packaging methods.
3. Identifies appropriate level of presentation methods to convey design and manufacturing intent that will satisfy the customer requirements.
4. Provides independent research and competitive analysis of customer product / packaging.
5. Provides concepts that address graphic and merchandising requirements.
6. Responsible for presentations to multiple levels of customer management and brand management directing concept evolution to satisfy objectives.
7. Provides analysis of concepts between different product / packaging modes which bring value to customer brand management decisions.
8. Develops relationships with outside support services and production capabilities to link with Placon fulfillment of customer needs.
9. Provides leadership in developing concepts within Placon core competencies in thermoforming and the identified target markets.
10. Provides leadership regarding manufacturing processes to extend current capabilities to satisfy expanding market requirements.
11. Responsible for awareness and compliance with Placon's environmental policies and initiatives within our chosen markets.
12. Lead the creation of innovative designs that incorporate sustainability with regards to design and material selection that are in alignment with our customer's and Placon's environmental initiatives.
13. Coordinate and manage the rapid sample creation and customer approval process.
14. Lead and / or participate in patent search efforts and the protection of intellectual property within Placon.
15. Assume design responsibilities for launch activities required for the New Product Development process.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's of Science degree in Packaging, Mechanical Engineering or other related field with 5 years design (product or tooling) experience or Associate degree with 10 years design (product or tooling) experience in the plastics industry that includes project management and leadership responsibilities.

Proficient in the use of multiple platforms of Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems in both 2D and 3D, as well as, graphical illustration.

Desired Skills

• Standard office professional software (i.e. word processing, spreadsheets)
• Thermoform plastics manufacturing experience
• Knowledge of quality systems and controlled documentation systems
• Problem solving ability
• Customer focused
• Multi-tasking
• Strong organizational skills
• Strong communication skills
• Self-directed with ability to work without close direction

Position Requirements

Work Environment Conditions:

Inside: Office

Inside (other): Sample Lab

Equipment/Tools Used:

Computer, fax, phone, copier, measurement tools, 3D printer, 3D Scanning, 3D Modeling CAD, Adobe suite, MS Office, Oracle

Physical Requirements: Light work (lift 10 lbs): frequently - product samples

Medium Work (lift 11-30 lbs.): frequently - product Heavy Work (lift 31-50 lbs.) occasionally - boxes of product Mental Requirements Reading, writing, calculating

Interpersonal skills

Reasoning / Analysis

Works with minimal supervision

Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously

Travel Frequency (in addition to seminars or related training):

Minimal (less than 10%)