Product Development Manager Jobs in Ames, IA (NOW HIRING)

Description

At American Packaging Corporation (APC), you'll find the packaging career you've been looking for. With competitive salaries, excellent benefits, 401(k) plans and tuition reimbursement programs, we nurture our employees while advancing and promoting diversity and inclusion. As the leading flexible packaging converter in North America for over a century, APC's longstanding success is fueled from the inside out. We're constantly seeking to improve our internal operations and were named a "Best of the Best" in the Best workplaces in the America's awards for 12 years in a row. It's how and why we engage the best and brightest talent to continue propelling our shared success into the future.

LOCATION: UT, IA, WI or NY APC Locations

SUMMARY: A Product Development position reporting to the COE Technical Manager. Primary responsibility is the development of new products of a complex nature, resolve customer issues (end use performance) while ensuring they can be successfully manufactured at the specific COE. Additional responsibilities are to provide professional and technical leadership toward successful project management of assigned projects many of which may be multi-COE, with minimal guidance on day-to-day activities with decisions that are consistent with the vision of American Packaging Corporation.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• Proficient in all requirements for the Product Development Engineer Role
• Knowledgeable of multiple market and/or technology areas for flexible packaging
• Ability to represent American Packaging Corporation with customers and suppliers
• Build project plans and timelines with consistent successful outcomes
• Project Management & Ownership of American Packaging Corporation needs regarding NBO activity, manufacturing and quality support, budgeting, and continuous improvement.
• Material and process research regarding technologies that match the American Packaging Corporation's capabilities or initiatives.
• Collaborate with external technical resources on NBO activity, specification development, and material development initiatives.
• Ensure the COE has all the necessary information, specifications, and knowledge to meet customer expectations.
• Product Development, Customer interface, presentations, and primary responsibility for technical support of assigned accounts.
• Participate in customer visits to the facilities.
• Apply regulatory evaluations pertaining to packaging food safety.
• Maintain an updated file on finished roll stock, pouch, die-lines, third party, perforation, and other required specifications as well as the particular inspection/testing procedures associated with each product.
• Maintain an updated specification file on all raw materials (papers, films, inks, adhesives, etc.) used in their respective production process.
• Prepare and manage in-plant technical trials through conducting pre-trial planning meetings, directing on-line manufacture of trial materials, documenting results of trials and ensuring trial results are met.
• Research and qualify new and alternate materials.
• Interacting with Customers, Management, Marketing, Sales, and Suppliers
• Be results oriented and responsible for those results in developing new products and processes in response to customer input, and/or assigned duties.
• Ability to successfully interact with all levels - hourly to Operations Manager, customers, and suppliers.
• Ability to handle multiple projects/demands. Must be accurate, detail oriented with excellent follow up and project management skills
• Participate in training, embrace concepts of and actively practice the SPOT Safety Program fundamentals to aid APC's efforts to achieve a zero-accident rate.
• Attend and participate in all company mandated meetings.
• Business travel required.
• Other Duties as Assigned

Requirements

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Bachelor's degree (B. A.) in a Technical Field (Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, etc.) from a four-year college or university; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience with printing and laminations for flexible packaging using materials such as papers, films, foils, and sealants is desired. 

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. Skillful in presentation skills - both preparation and presentation.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to apply mathematical operations to such tasks as frequency distribution, determination of test reliability and validity, analysis of variance, correlation techniques, sampling theory, and factor analysis.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include color vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

American Packaging Corporation is committed to equal opportunity for all, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. American Packaging Corporation will make reasonable accommodations for known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified employees and applicants with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business. EOE/AA Disability/Veteran.

If you are interested in applying for an employment opportunity and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply for a posted position, please contact our Human Resources department at:

talentacquisition@americanpackaging.com.