Our client, a leading manufacturer of disposable food packaging products, is seeking an Engineering Director to join their Materials Development team in Mason, MI.

The Engineering Director of Materials Development will lead a team focused on advancing our capabilities in plastics, paper and fiber substrates, with a strong emphasis on commercializing solutions that support our company’s shift toward lightweight, sustainable packaging.

What You’ll Do

• Create a strategic vision for the materials development engineering and R&D team, in collaboration with executive leadership.

• Lead a team of managers and individual contributors in the Materials Engineering group, currently strong in fiber, and help build expertise in plastics and paper.

• Build strategic relationships with functional partners and customers including suppliers and vendors to drive innovation aligned with an 18-36 month roadmap, streamlining projects and identifying opportunities for OSVs (outside service vendors).

• Present and explain proposals, reports, or findings to internal and external audiences

• Champion commercial leadership—ensuring engineering efforts are focused on business impact, not research for research’s sake.

• Foster a culture of cross-training and connection between the immediate team's goals to company-wide success.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor’s in engineering, business, or related field with 8+ years of engineering experience including 7+ years of people leadership experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.

• Proven success in successfully contributing to the commercialization of engineered products and leading complex projects from concept to production.

• Strong understanding of plastics engineering, materials science, and manufacturing processes.

• Ability to lead and inspire a team with diverse technical backgrounds (chemical, process, etc.).

• Strategic thinker with excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.