Adept Group offers an award-winning workplace for exceptional packaging industry talent. We work on a range of innovative projects for iconic brand owners. Our technically gifted team collaborates to produce unparalleled results.
We offer a great place to showcase your expertise and build upon your skillset. All while having fun with amazing people from a variety of diverse backgrounds. We’re driven, inspirational and most importantly, human.
We offer a flexible, creative culture focusing on 3 pillars - our environment, our communities, and our health and well-being. Join a team committed to building a sustainable future!
The Opportunity
Adept Group is seeking a Packaging Engineer (1099 Contractor)! The ideal candidate is a hands-on packaging engineer with 2–5 years of packaging engineering experience, specifically developing bag, case, and pallet configurations in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. They bring strong technical capability in sizing bags, creating 2D die lines (AutoCAD), and using case-sizing tools to optimize packaging performance. They excel at troubleshooting issues such as case deformation or corrugate strength, validating supplier samples, and ensuring packaging meets retail shelf-fit expectations. Someone who is detail-oriented, efficient, and able to work independently while collaborating closely with Marketing, Operations, Packaging Engineering, and suppliers will thrive in this role. A strong execution mindset and comfort supporting both manual and automated packing systems are key.
This is a 1099 Contractor (Independent Contractor) opportunity for at least 3 months at 40-hours per week.
Bag, Case & Unit-Load Execution
- Size bags for adult incontinence products and training pants using pad counts and stack configurations.
- Determine flat and filled bag dimensions through measurement and trial fitting.
- Create or update 2D bag die lines in AutoCAD or by providing dimensions to suppliers.
- Use clients’ case-sizing software to generate case options and select case and unit load configurations compatible with manual and automated packing.
- Support unit-load (pallet) configuration to meet warehouse, logistics, and customer requirements.
Packaging Fit & Performance
- Ensure bag/case dimensions meet retail shelf-fit expectations, including competitive-width matching when needed.
- Help resolve case deformation issues (e.g., “football-shaped” cases) caused by incorrect sizing or environmental conditions.
Cross-Functional Support
- Collaborate with the on-site packaging engineer, part-time contractor, Marketing, Operations, and suppliers.
- Support innovation and new customer projects by completing necessary packaging configuration tasks to keep timelines moving.
Documentation & Supplier Interaction
- Capture bag dimensions and maintain accurate documentation for die line creation.
- Validate supplier-generated sample bags for correct fit and presentation.
Additional Support
- Contribute to process improvements to make packaging work more efficient.
- Support corrugate-related troubleshooting, including humidity- or grade-related strength issues.
- Assist with pallet-fill and compression optimization opportunities.
Typical Day-to-Day
- Create box and die line specs for new product launches. Support packaging configuration and documentation for innovation timelines. Work cross-functionally to ensure timelines are met and packaging needs are unblocked.
- Determine flat and filled bag dimensions based on product counts and stack configurations.
- Create or update 2D die lines (either internally in AutoCAD or by providing measurements to suppliers).
- Use clients’ case-sizing software to generate case options and select configurations that fit manual and automated case packers.
- Support unit-load configuration decisions to optimize pallet fill and minimize logistics costs.
- Assist with resolving issues such as box deformation (“football-shaped” cases) due to humidity or sizing mismatches.
Must-Haves
- 2–5 years of packaging engineering experience
- Hands-on experience creating bag and case dimensions (flat and filled bag dimensions, sample evaluation, trial fitting)
- Ability to create or update 2D die lines (AutoCAD)
- Experience sizing bags, cases, and pallet loads using established tools/software
- Basic understanding of corrugated behavior and case performance issues (e.g., humidity-related collapse, “football-shaped” cases)
- Ability to support retail shelf-fit requirements (matching competitive bag widths when required)
- Comfort working across functions (Marketing, Operations, Packaging Engineering, suppliers)
- Strong executional focus and ability to work efficiently and independently on defined tasks
- Ability to support manual and automated case packer requirements
Nice-to-Haves
- Familiarity with adult incontinence products, training pants, or similar soft-goods packaging
- Experience working with suppliers for die line creation or bag manufacturing
- Knowledge of manual packing operations and constraints
- Exposure to automated case packer environments (robotic loading, case sealing, palletizer systems)
- Understanding of how bag/case geometry affects shelf presentation and retail fit
- Experience with pallet compression or logistics optimization
- Ability to validate sample bags and evaluate competitive products for dimensional benchmarks
- Comfort supporting process improvements to make packaging workflows faster/easier
- Experience with TOPS packaging optimization software
Disclaimer:
This is a 1099 independent contractor position. As such, this role is not eligible for company-sponsored benefits, including health insurance, paid time off, or retirement plans. The contractor is responsible for managing their own tax withholdings, insurance coverage, and other obligations associated with independent contractor status.
Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.
