Packaging Engineer

| Title | Packaging Engineer | | --- | --- | | Department | Manufacturing Engineering | | Reports to | Director of Production Engineering | **SEE YOUR CAREER THROUGH A NEW LENS WITH RPO!** RPO is a global leader in precision optics, optical components, and optical assemblies. We specialize in a full spectrum of products & services including – Design and Engineering, Systems Integration, Lens Assembly, Visible and Infrared Components, Glass and Plastic Molded Aspheres, and Thin Film Coating. As one of the fastest growing companies in Rochester, RPO offers exciting career paths and work on market-leading programs. See below one of many career opportunities to join the RPO team! **Position Overview:** The Packaging Engineer is responsible for the design, development, validation, and continuous improvement of packaging solutions used to protect precision optical components and assemblies throughout manufacturing, storage, and customer delivery. This role supports both internal product movement and external shipment, ensuring components remain protected from damage, contamination, and handling risks while meeting customer, quality, and regulatory requirements. Working closely with Operations, Quality, Engineering, and Supply Chain teams, the Packaging Engineer will develop practical packaging systems that improve product protection, support manufacturing flow, reduce handling risk, and enhance operational efficiency. The ideal candidate combines strong engineering fundamentals with hands-on problem-solving skills and experience supporting high-value, fragile, or precision-manufactured products. **Key Responsibilities:** - Design, develop, and implement packaging solutions for precision optical components, assemblies, and finished products. - Engineer reusable trays, totes, fixtures, and handling systems used throughout the manufacturing process. - Develop customer-facing packaging solutions that meet product protection, cleanliness, transportation, and regulatory requirements. - Evaluate packaging performance through drop, vibration, compression, environmental, and distribution testing. - Select, qualify, and validate packaging materials suitable for precision optics and environmentally controlled manufacturing environments. - Create and maintain packaging drawings, specifications, work instructions, bills of material, and engineering change documentation. - Collaborate with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Engineering teams to ensure packaging supports efficient product flow and product protection. - Investigate packaging-related quality issues, shipping damage, and handling concerns and implement corrective actions. - Standardize packaging solutions across product families where appropriate to improve consistency and reduce costs. - Support new product introduction activities by developing packaging requirements and validation plans. - Analyze packaging costs, material utilization, and operational efficiency to identify improvement opportunities. - Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on damage reduction, handling efficiency, storage optimization, and packaging performance. - Support customer packaging requirements, audits, and packaging-related technical inquiries as required. **Required Qualifications:** - Bachelor's degree in Packaging Science, Packaging Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline. - Minimum of 5 years of experience in packaging engineering supporting manufacturing environments. - Experience developing packaging solutions for precision components, medical devices, electronics, aerospace products, optics, semiconductor products, or other fragile/high-value products. - Proficiency with CAD software, preferably SolidWorks, for the design of packaging components, trays, fixtures, and handling systems. - Experience performing packaging validation testing and familiarity with ISTA, ASTM, and other industry-standard test methods. - Demonstrated abil…