Senior Technician-Packaging Laboratory, Pet Research & Development

Your Opportunity as the Senior Technician-Packaging Laboratory, Pet Research & Development

The Packaging Laboratory testing technician role is an important role supporting our package and product development technical work in Pet Research & Development (R&D), with a secondary support for the other SBA packaging R&D teams . This position is responsible for organizing, communicating, and facilitating packaging and product testing in the packaging lab and CT chamber activities within Pet R&D. This includes managing test requests, testing and documentation, inventory receiving and system accountability, recycling and disposal of materials after testing is completed, continued training on test methods and packaging equipment operation and maintenance. The role also involves collaborating and documenting standard operating process on all packaging equipment including safety practices and prevention.

In addition to these responsibilities, this role will be ordering of all common Packaging materials to support packaging projects related to the packaging lab, testing and support line trial shipments from outside manufacturing facilities to Jarrett Distribution and to the Discovery building. The role will also manage the package testing, evaluation and documentation, ensuring compliance with key element policies and other critical parameters needed by the packaging team. The Packaging laboratory technician will directly support the Pet packaging staff and as available capacity exists, may support packaging lab testing requests from the other JMS packaging SBA's.

A smaller but very important role will be maintaining the packaging laboratory operating budget with the Packaging Manager, scheduling preventative maintenance and repairs for all packaging lab equipment. Weekly oversight of packaging laboratory housekeeping, trash and recycle disposal will also be a requirement of this role.

Location: Orrville, OH Corporate Offices

In this role you will:

• Packaging component ordering: Oversee the ordering of all common test packaging components, ensuring compliance with corporate policies. Review and maintain purchase orders within company policies. Evaluate all SDS for raw materials used in the packaging lab annually.
• Internal & External Pet Storage: Facilitate shipments to/from with Jarrett with shipping coordinator. Keep storage areas organized, including pallet movement. Maintain inventory of internal storage by using CisPro (inventory traceability system) and pallet tagging system for Dock 7, and Pet R&D Packaging lab items. Collaborate with R&D personnel who have storage needs/issues. Daily & monthly housekeeping. Organize & coordinate clean-outs as needed.
• Maintain Common Packaging Lab Supply: Maintain adequate supply of common packaging testing items, stock packaging materials as identified by the packaging teams, and other items as needed. Recognize and report questionable condition/defective materials to the supervisor. Monitor periodically the North Packaging lab for proper disposal of materials and movement of stored pallets and materials on benchtop.
• Lead and Perform Packaging Performance Testing for the Pet Team: Align with scope of testing being requested for packaging testing with the Engineer. Prepare and stage testing. Properly set up and monitor testing, collecting key documentation throughout. Once testing is complete, collect and document the results and share with the engineer. Acquire & maintain proper training to support ISTA lab testing/certification and SIOC testing methods and submission (if required) proper documentation to certify results.
• Testing Support for the Packaging Community: When available, support carrying out testing needs for the other SBA's that require specific use of equipment or testing knowledge. The Engineer who requests the testing will complete proper documentation and any necessary reports.
• Maintain Packaging Prototype Lab: Develop understanding of key pieces of equipment through continued training and use. Schedule necessary PM's and maintain proper packaging materials for samples.
• Safety and Quality Programs: Participate and contribute to Safety and Quality programs such as periodic inspections, overseeing of corrective actions, and key contributor to Shipping Key Element program.
  • Daily checks of Environmental chambers and corrective actions / communications as needed.
• Stage Packaging lab with appropriate product: Stage pallets and product as needed for Packaging Engineers to conduct testing. Once Packaging Engineers complete testing and clean up area, return items to appropriate storage locations and update Inventory Accordingly.
• Preventative Maintenance (PM): Owner of PM programs as it relates to Pet assets, such as Environmental chambers, testing equipment in the North packaging lab, powered pallet jacks, and the Bendi Forklift.
• Other duties may be assigned as it relates to the Process Lab daily operations.

The Right Place for You

We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs, and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs.

What we are looking for:

Minimum Requirements:

• High School/Vocational School Diploma with at least 2 years of relevant experience OR an associate degree.
• Food processing experience with a working knowledge of food safety regulations and the ability to adhere to J.M. Smucker health, safety, and environmental standards, as well as GMP/Food Safety/QA compliance requirements.
• Competent computer skills, particularly in Microsoft Office 365, our core business communications tool.
• Adaptability to a change forward environment and effective collaboration with a diverse team.
• Strong planning skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work proactively and independently in an agile environment.
• Physical ability to meet the demands of the position, including standing on hard floors for up to 6 hours, lifting up to 30lbs, and working with various forms of PPE and raw materials such as raw meat, powdered foods, and liquid flavors.
• Mechanical aptitude to support preventative maintenance on general processing equipment, conveying systems, and other lab equipment.
• Understanding of how assigned duties relate to the team and its integration within the broader discipline.
• Proactive problem-solving ability within the work area without consistent instruction.
• Positive impact on the team through the quality of services or information provided, effective collaboration, and proactive contribution to achieving team goals.
• Continuous learning mindset.

Learn more about working at Smucker:

• Our Total Rewards Benefits Program
• Our Thriving Together Philosophy Supporting All Impacted by Our Business
• Our Continued Progress on Inclusion, Diversity and Equity

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