Job Description:

Position Summary:

The Materials Engineer is responsible for advancing Hi-Cone’s sustainable packaging portfolio by optimizing material performance and driving innovation across next‑generation beverage packaging systems. This role focuses on material development, LCA performance enhancement, and platform refresh initiatives informed by customer feedback and CBI (customer back innovation) insights. The Materials Engineer leads the evaluation, testing, and qualification of new materials and product lines, supporting the transition from concept to full-scale production. The position collaborates with cross‑functional teams to define future material standards, validate system performance, and ensure reliable, efficient delivery of sustainable packaging solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

Material Portfolio Innovation:

• Evaluate material categories and supplier capabilities against product and system performance requirements.
• Research emerging material technologies and provide strategic assessments in alignment with the innovation pipeline and long-term platform roadmap.
• Develop property benchmarking criteria for alternate material categories to establish consistent baseline KPIs.

Standardization and Governance:

• Develop and implement global material testing protocols to ensure consistent evaluation across all facilities.
• Define material evaluation criteria and identify required analytical and testing equipment to support standardized qualification methods.
• Create standardized work instructions for laboratory activities, train technicians and monitor adherence to define procedures.
• Issue material specifications and Certificates of Analysis (CoA) requirements to supply chain to ensure material compliance.

Process & Material Optimization:

• Develop standard additive formulations to optimize material performance, manufacturability, and end use functionality.

• Identify key process variables influencing material performance and provide actionable guidance to operations for improved consistency, quality, and overall process capability.

• Support evaluation activities linking material characteristics to process capability, system performance, and manufacturability to drive continuous improvement.

• Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in materials / polymer engineering, or related field, required.

• 3–5 years of experience in material development, sustainability focus preferred.

• Strong knowledge of cast extrusion, material blending, and optimization.

• Experience with broad material evaluation across multiple categories.

• Familiarity with continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma preferred).

• Familiarity with a stage gate product design and development process.

• Experience with CAD, Solid Works or AutoCAD preferred.

• Character Capabilities Required

• Learning Agility: Quickly understand and apply new concepts to drive execution.

• Analytical Thinking: Evaluate and interpret complex data to define desired outcomes and potential solutions.

• Collaborative: Strong team-oriented approach to problem analysis and resolution.

• Adaptability: Ability to adjust to changing project requirements, emerging technologies, and evolving industry trends.

• Strategic Mindset: Ability to anticipate future trends, align decisions with long-term objectives, and prioritize actions that create sustainable value.

• Credibility Capabilities Required

• Project Management: Demonstrated ability to consistently execute projects and meet objectives/timelines.

• Product Design: Clear focused approach to innovative development grounded in stage gate process to ensure cross functional alignment.

• Material Development: Strong background in the evaluation, modification, and application of various material categories, ideally polymer and fiber based.

• Product Testing: Proficient in evaluation, instrumentation, and data analysis to ensure compliance with specifications and standards.

• Physical Demands

• Frequently required to reach with hands and arms.

• Regularly required to sit and walk.

• Occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

• The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 35 pounds.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

• Working Conditions

• Regularly will work in an office setting

• Regularly will work in a manufacturing setting and required to wear personal protective equipment (hearing protection, safety shoes, safety gloves, safety glasses, hi-viz apparel).

• Hours of Work

• Normal business hours with occasional extended hours as needed

• Flexibility with schedule to meet critical deadlines

• Travel to other divisional and vendor locations, domestic and international, up to 25% as needed

Compensation Information: The base salary range for this position is $100,000 – $120,000 annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as the candidate’s skills, qualifications, experience, and geographic location (this range is for successful candidates in the Chicago, Illinois metro area), and may fall outside of this range in certain circumstances.

Additionally, the successful and their eligible family members will be eligible for ITW’s generous benefits. Our comprehensive plans currently include Medical and Prescription Drug, Dental, Flexible Spending, Wellness, Basic and Voluntary Life and Accident Insurance, Dependent Life, Disability, and more. Learn more about our full benefit offerings by visiting https://myitwhr.com/.

*ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential. *

*As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship. *

*All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. *