Packaging Specialist

• Department: Production
• Reports to: Sr. Production Manager
• Location: Irwindale
• Pay: Starting Salary $80K (Depending on Experience)

Make a greater impact at Bonduelle Americas!

Bonduelle Americas is a certified B Corp inviting people to embrace a flexitarian lifestyle with an expanding portfolio of plant-rich products available in and beyond the produce aisle. We operate four facilities and employ nearly 3,000 Associates in the US.


Bonduelle Americas is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Groupe Bonduelle (BON.PA), an established global brand with more than 170 years of family heritage bringing the joy of plants to tables around the world. Globally, our ready-to-eat plant-rich food products are grown on 173,000 acres by our grower partners and marketed in nearly 100 countries. Our mission is to inspire the transition toward a plant-rich diet to contribute to people's well-being and planet health.


Join us at Bonduelle Americas for an opportunity to advance your career in a culture that places people first. As a valued member of our company, you will work in a mission-driven environment aimed at preserving the planet's resources while providing healthy plant-based products to millions of consumers around the world.

Position Summary:

The Packaging Specialist serves as the technical expert and primary liaison between Packaging Operations and Maintenance, ensuring equipment is operated, maintained, and improved in a safe, efficient, and standardized manner. This role is responsible for developing operator capability through structured training, skills assessments, and standardized work practices while supporting equipment reliability and Autonomous Maintenance (AM) initiatives.


The Packaging Specialist provides subject matter expertise on assigned packaging equipment (baggers, sealers, scales, metal detectors and case sealers) and machine centers, enabling the successful training and certification of operators, and packaging machine operators. The role partners closely with Team Leads (TLs) to develop team capabilities through ongoing skills assessments, competency evaluations, and skills matrix management.


In addition, the Packaging Specialist collaborates with Maintenance, Operations, QA, HR trainers, and Continuous Improvement teams to develop and maintain training materials, One Point Lessons (OPLs), Standard Work Instructions (SWIs), Autonomous Maintenance standards, startup checklists, centerlines, and troubleshooting guides. When Maintenance Leadership is not on-site, the Packaging Specialist provides operational support and coordination to help maintain equipment performance and production continuity.


Key Responsibilities:

Training & Workforce Development
• Develop, deliver, and continuously improve training programs for packaging operators on equipment operation, setup, changeovers, troubleshooting, and basic maintenance activities.
• Create and maintain training documentation, including:
• One Point Lessons (OPLs)
• Standard Work Instructions (SWIs)
• Job aids and visual controls
• Equipment operating manuals
• Changeover procedures
• Startup and shutdown procedures
• Troubleshooting guides


• Support operator qualification and certification processes.
• Conduct periodic assessments to evaluate operator proficiency and identify development opportunities.
• Partner with Packaging Team Leads (TLs) to close skill gaps and improve workforce capability. Skills Matrix Management
• Develop, maintain, and regularly update the Packaging Skills Matrix.
• Track employee training progress, certifications, and competency levels.
• Identify cross-training opportunities to increase workforce flexibility and operational effectiveness.
• Provide recommendations to leadership regarding training priorities and succession planning. Autonomous Maintenance (AM) & Continuous Improvement
• Support and sustain the Autonomous Maintenance program.
• Collaborate with Operations, Maintenance and QA teams to develop:
• Daily, weekly, and monthly AM tasks o Equipment inspection standards o Lubrication standards
• Cleaning standards
• Startup and verification checklists
• Drive adherence to centerlines and equipment operating standards.
• Participate in root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives to improve equipment reliability and reduce downtime.


Equipment & Maintenance Support
• Serve as the technical resource for assigned packaging equipment and machine centers.
• Support troubleshooting efforts and assist Maintenance personnel in identifying recurring equipment issues.
• Coordinate communication between Production, QA and Maintenance to ensure timely resolution of equipment-related concerns.
• Provide operational support to the Maintenance team when Maintenance Leadership is unavailable.
• Assist in the development and implementation of equipment improvements and reliability initiatives.


Documentation & Knowledge Management
• Develop, organize, and maintain both electronic and hard-copy libraries of:
• Training materials
• OPLs
• SWIs
• Equipment manuals
• Maintenance procedures o
• AM documentation
• Technical reference materials
• Ensure all documentation remains current, standardized, and easily accessible to operations personnel.
• Support document control processes and compliance with company standards.


Minimum Qualifications:
• Strong technical knowledge of packaging equipment, machine operations, and troubleshooting.
• Experience in manufacturing, packaging, food processing, or related industrial environments.
• Working knowledge of TPM, Autonomous Maintenance, Lean Manufacturing, and Continuous Improvement principles.
• Strong training, coaching, and communication skills.
• Ability to create technical documentation and standardized work procedures.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and manufacturing documentation systems.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.


Education:
• High school diploma or GED preferred.


Success Measures
• Training completion and certification rates.
• Skills matrix progression and cross-training effectiveness.
• Autonomous Maintenance compliance and audit scores.
• Reduction in equipment downtime and operator-related stoppages.
• Improvement in OEE, changeover performance, and equipment reliability.
• Effectiveness and utilization of OPLs, SWIs, and training documentation.


Additional Responsibilities
• Perform other related duties and special projects as assigned.