Packaging Designer

What You’ll Do

As a part of the Marketing Team, you will act as the lead crafter for packaging projects, shaping the direction of packaging design and driving creative and sustainability innovation. You will work closely with cross-functional teams, including product management, marketing, and production, to bring packaging concepts to life from initial ideation through final production.

Responsibilities:

• Conception and Creation of Packaging and Guides: Develop original packaging concepts, layouts, and designs for product packaging and quick start guides (QSGs), managing the process from prototyping through to mass production.
• Maintenance of Existing Packaging: Implement regular updates to layout and content for existing packaging, ensuring all designs stay current and meet updated brand or compliance requirements.
• Prototyping and Testing: Develop packaging prototypes and conduct tests to assess durability, functionality, and compliance with safety and quality standards.
• Market Research and Trend Analysis: Stay updated on industry trends, packaging technologies, and competitor packaging strategies to bring fresh and innovative ideas to each project.
• Unboxing Experience Design: Develop packaging that enhances the consumer journey, focusing on a memorable unboxing experience that aligns with brand identity and creates a positive and memorable first impression.
• Create Production-Ready Files: Prepare final artwork for print production, ensuring all files meet technical specifications and are optimized for mass production.
• Sustainability Consideration: Integrate sustainable packaging practices where possible, identifying eco-friendly materials and processes to reduce environmental impact.
• Quality Assurance: Work with manufacturers, product team and suppliers to review sample prints, color proofs, and mock-ups, ensuring packaging integrity and brand consistency from concept through production.
• Asset Creation: Design and produce product images, illustrations, logos, and icons for use in packaging print files, QSGs, point-of-sale (POS) materials, and other printed assets.
• Mockup and Artwork Coordination: Conceptualize and coordinate mockups, artwork, and rendered assets for packaging in collaboration with design teams across Europe and North America.
• Guidelines Compliance: Integrate and maintain product packaging and compliance guidelines, including materials, part numbers, and legal information, across all design assets.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Marketing, Product Management, Design, and Copywriting teams to ideate, refine, and execute packaging design concepts that align with overall brand strategy.
• Internal Asset Management: Oversee task, file, and asset management and distribution across platforms like Monday.com, SharePoint, and Dropbox.
• Supplier Coordination: Work with external suppliers as needed to facilitate packaging production, mockups, and material sourcing.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Packaging Design, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in packaging design, preferably within consumer goods, retail, or similar industries.
• Proficiency in design software such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign; experience with 3D rendering tools (e.g., Cinema 4D or Blender) is a plus.
• Understanding of packaging materials, printing methods, and production techniques to effectively communicate with manufacturers.
• Strong eye for aesthetics and details to ensure high-quality design output.
• Ability to think creatively and bring fresh ideas to packaging design that align with the brand and appeal to the target audience.
• Excellent communication skills for collaborating with various departments and presenting design ideas effectively.
• Ability to communicate design ideas thoroughly, iterate, take and implement feedback.
• A driven and hardworking individual who is flexible in working individually and as part of a team. 
• Must be comfortable managing multiple moving projects at the same time, excel at time management, and be able to consistently meet deadlines.
• Self-starter attitude, reliability, discretion, and ability to maintain a positive and professional attitude at all times.
• Ability to work well independently or in a team environment and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Business English proficiency. German proficiency is a plus. 
• Located in or able to commute to Mönchengladbach, Germany

Also a plus:

• Experience in sustainable packaging design practices.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements and safety standards related to product packaging.
• Familiarity with prototyping tools and methods
• Content Creation technology knowledge