What are the High-Paying Jobs in Container and packaging industry?

High-paying jobs in the packaging industry

The containers and packaging industry is growing day by day. The reason is its broad coverage over all the major business sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, retail, and e-commerce. This importance creates a lot of career opportunities at different levels out there.

So, if you’re interested in working in the packaging sector, we are here to mention high-paying jobs in the container and packaging industry. And the best part is that some of these even don’t require any professional degree.

So, understand what type of skills and guts are necessary to work in the packaging industry and secure a handsome wage. Let’s read ahead to know each career position in detail.

High-paying jobs in the Containers and Packaging Industry

Packaging Engineers

A packaging engineer directs designing and developing the packaging solutions for a range of products. They have to ensure the quality of packaging that can keep products safe during storage and shipping as well as easy to produce in large quantities. Meanwhile, they focus on cost-effective production of the packaging.

Here are the exact responsibilities that packaging engineers handle:

Design Protective Packaging

Packaging engineers choose the type of material as per the product needs. For example, they decide where to use sturdy materials and where to add extra padding inside the box.

Test Packaging Strength

Though professional designers design the final look of the packaging, packaging engineers finalize the end product. For example, they run different quality tests to finalize the packaging for mass production.

Work on Eco-friendly Packaging

Packaging engineers also consider eco-friendly materials to make their products widely acceptable. They meet the sustainable needs of businesses by working on making their materials recyclable and biodegradable.

Develop Packaging for Machines

Packaging engineers also develop boxes compatible with the performance of machines. For example, they design packaging that machines can easily assemble in factories without any manual interference.

Skills Need to Become a Packaging Engineer

Though a professional degree in a bachelor’s of Packaging Engineering is required anyway, the following skills are also essential to learn to step into the packaging sector. A few of the important skills are:

• Material knowledge and Product Understanding
• Software Skills and 3D Modeling
• Problem-Solving Tactics
• Attention to Detail

Owing to the most important duties of a packaging engineer, it’s the high-paying job in the container and packaging industry.

For instance, they earn up to $70,000-$100,000 per year. However, new graduates take start with $55000-$65000 per year.

Packaging engineers earn well because of their value addition in the industry. Their work directly affects product safety and customer satisfaction.

Where to Work?

Packaging engineers are versatile in their working area and thus can join different industries. For example:

• Food and beverage companies
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Electronics companies
• E-commerce warehouse

Supply Chain Manager

A supply chain manager handles the supply of raw materials and the finished products to their destinations. In general, supply chain managers monitor the overall supply process of goods. Here’s what they work step by step:

Planning the Supply Process

In the initial stage, managers plan the movement of raw materials in the right quantity and at the right time. Similarly, they also focus on the manufacturing time of the packaging to plan the final exit of boxes from warehouses to the market.

Finding and Dealing with Suppliers

Supply chain managers streamline the availability of raw materials so that the packaging process runs without any delays. Therefore, they find the best raw material suppliers and deal with them on the basis of price, quality, and delivery time.

Managing Warehouses

The management of warehouses is important while keeping an eye on the production process. So, supply chain managers ensure the safety of products and manage enough space in the warehouses. After all, they have to deliver these stored products to their destinations.

Delivering the Packaging Products

Managers also handle the delivery of products to the respective businesses and clients. They arrange transport, plan the delivery time, and focus on meeting the deadlines. 

Skills that a Supply Chain Manager Needs

Supply Chain managers should have a bachelor’s degree in business, Supply Chain Management, or Industrial Engineering to secure this high-paying job. Some advanced certifications also come in handy such as certified supply chain professional CSCP or APICS.

Similarly, there are the following skills that a supply chain manager should have to perform better:

• Problem-solving tactics
• Time management
• Knowledge of Packaging Materials
• Communication Skills

Owing to this expertise, they earn $85000-$120000.

This role is high-paying because of the rising trend of businesses and their online stores. So, these involve the supply of packaging from warehouses to clients and thereafter from stores to the customers. That’s why companies pay higher to managers who can handle the supply professionally and prevent the chances of product returns.

Product Packaging Designers

Designers illustrate the product packaging in a way that it attracts the potential customers. They work with respective businesses to meet their design needs and put active participation to make the packaging unique. Besides presentation, they also take care of the design compatibility with the packaging material so that it can protect items too.

They mainly work on the outer cover of the box as it’s the first thing that customers encounter ever. Their major tasks are to:

• Create visual designs
• Choose a color scheme, fonts, images, and logos for printing
• Ensure the exclusivity of the design
• Ensure the alignment of packaging design with the brand image
• Test out the packaging design for functionality and ease of use

Companies pay higher to product packaging designers to make their products look stand out.

Skills that a Packaging Designed Needs

The packaging designers need to have technical knowledge as well as creative tactics to do things uniquely. And it’s also a job that one can secure without any progress. Work experience and a creative mind are all what a designer needs to do this high-paying job in the container industry.

In general, a packaging designer should have:

• Graphic design skills
• Understanding of materials
• Knowledge of printing methods and compatibility
• Attention to detail
• Communication skills

The professional packaging designers earn $40000-$50000 per year.

Designers also have an opportunity to grow their careers down the road. They can switch to a packaging design lead or a creative director to deal with multiple design projects. Freelance opportunities are also endless.

Quality Control Managers

Quality control is an important process in the container and packaging sector where every batch has to be perfect. Therefore, quality control managers keep an eye on the overall manufacturing and designing process. They have to ensure quality after each step. For example, they finalize the quality of raw materials, confirm the design that has to be printed, and check the final product before its storage.

In general, they have to complete the following tasks:

Inspecting Raw Materials

After the supply chain managers import raw materials into the factory, quality controllers further inspect each material for its strength and durability.

Testing Finished Packaging

Quality control managers test out the packaging samples after manufacturing. They eradicate the damaged products and confirm the storage of only high-quality boxes. 

Supervising Factory Workers

Quality controllers also check out the manual work efficiency besides that of machines. So, they guide machine operators as well as workers to provide quality work.

Handling Customer Complaints

Quality control managers also deal with customer satisfaction. If the businesses find any issue with the packaging, they consult with quality controllers.

Skills and Knowledge that a Quality Control Manager Should Have

• Understanding of packaging materials
• Product testing techniques such as drop test, compression test, or leak test
• Attention to detail
• Problem-solving tactics
• Knowledge of industry standards

Quality control managers are an important part of any packaging-providing service as they ensure quality products. They directly deal with the customer experience to prevent product returns or loss of customers. Therefore, companies offer hefty packages to quality controllers to stand out in the market.

In general, they earn $100000 per year which can vary from packaging sector to sector.

Automation and Technology Specialists

Automation and technology experts work on a large scale to monitor the work performance of machinery. They ensure the smooth performance of packaging factories by introducing smart technology regularly.

In short, they deal with machines, robots, and software that handle packaging tasks. The purpose is to reduce manual interference while making machines efficient in their task. Their main duties are:

• Setting up automated machines that perform printing, designing, folding, and sealing
• Programming machines by giving them step-by-step instructions to do their tasks smoothly
• Fixing any breakdowns during manufacturing to get production moving again
• Improving work efficiency by adjusting machines on specific settings
• Testing and implementing new technology to meet the advanced packaging needs

Skills that Automation and Technology Specialists Need

This high-paying job in the packaging industry is specific for those having a degree in either:

• Industrial Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Technology Automation
• Electrical Engineering

Besides any professional degree, these technology experts need the following skills:

• Machine knowledge
• Computer skills
• Electrical and mechanical knowledge
• Attention to detail
• Problem-solving tactics

Depending on work experience, technology experts can earn up to $120,000 per year. It’s a high-paying job as it involves technical skills. Because the packaging machinery costs expensive, companies cannot afford their malfunctioning. So, they require automation specialists to make their machines run smoothly.

Final Words

As you see, the containers and packaging industry offers a range of career paths to consider. Some of these require only soft skills or creativity to work at entry levels. Since the industry is supposed to grow tremendously in the coming years, choosing these high-paying careers can put you on the path to success.