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For more than 115 years, Ferrara has created sugar confections that enable moments of sweetness, celebration, and connection for candy lovers of all generations. Today, the company is the #1 sugar confectioner in the United States. Ferrara boasts a passionate team of nearly 9,000 employees creating and delivering hundreds of products sold under 20 popular brands like Brach’s®, NERDS®, SweeTARTS®, Laffy Taffy®, and Trolli® to more than 66 million U.S. households annually and popular Dori snacking products under brands such as Dori, Gomets, Pettiz, and Yogurte 100 in Brazil. Additionally, Jelly Belly, known world-wide for its confections, was acquired in November of 2023.

Sr. Packaging Designer

Work Location: Chicago

Due to the highly interactive and team-based nature of this role, in-person attendance for most of the workweek (i.e., 3 days or more) is essential for: effective communication including during in-person meetings, strong supervision, real-time problem-solving, and participation in cross-functional initiatives.

Want to make an impact?

As a Sr. Developer, Packaging, you will be instrumental in bringing a groundbreaking new product line to life. Your technical expertise and passion for creative problem-solving will directly influence how consumers experience our candy, by developing inventive, consumer-centric packaging solutions. Collaborating closely with cross-functional teams and engaging with senior leadership, you’ll drive projects that enhance our brand and support our long-term strategic growth.

Ways you will make a difference

Lead the ideation, design, prototyping, and development of innovative packaging solutions focused on delivering memorable consumer experiences for new product lines.
Translate creative concepts into functional, manufacturable packaging using your technical skills and collaborative mindset.
Oversee the technical development process from conception to industrialization, ensuring solutions are viable for manufacturing—internally or at co-packers.
Work closely with Marketing, R&D, Industrial Design, Procurement, and Manufacturing teams to align on design, feasibility, cost, timing, and quality.
Identify, develop, and onboard suppliers and vendors in partnership with the Packaging Procurement team, ensuring all technical and quality standards are met.
Coordinate day-to-day packaging workstreams, manage timelines, and escalate issues as needed to keep projects on track.
Present conceptual and analytical packaging solutions to senior stakeholders, incorporating feedback and driving decision-making alignment.
Combine industry and category insights with analytics to identify new opportunities and enhance our Experiential Candy offerings.

Skills that will make you successful

Strong knowledge and hands-on experience with packaging materials and processes such as thermoforming, injection molding, and incorporation of oxygen/moisture barriers for food applications.
Proficiency with design and engineering software (e.g., AutoCAD, SolidWorks).
Demonstrated experience in new product development, from concept through launch.
Creative and collaborative mindset, with the ability to turn ideas into working prototypes and real-world solutions.
Exceptional interpersonal skills—empathy, integrity, enthusiasm, and the ability to influence and build consensus across teams.
Clear, concise, and impactful communication skills for presenting ideas and analyses.
Strong organizational abilities to manage multiple priorities, timelines, deliverables, risks, and escalations.

Experiences that will support your success

Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Industrial Design, or a related field.
3–5 years of experience in packaging R&D, packaging engineering, product design, or similar roles.
Experience in the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry is a plus.
Hands-on experience with material selection, prototyping, and manufacturing processes for packaged food products.
Direct involvement in cross-functional project teams and a proven ability to manage projects from concept to commercialization.
Track record of bringing creative, consumer-focused packaging solutions to market.

What We Offer

At Ferrara, we’re proud to support our employees by providing comprehensive benefits such as health insurance, dental insurance, a 401(k), and paid time off (PTO). Eligible employees may also receive an annual bonus based on company performance. Learn more about our benefits at https://flimp.live/Ferrara-Candy-2025-OE-QR

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $80,300 - $112,500.

Ferrara’s success in industry-leading innovation has been driven by deep consumer insights, strong retailer co-creation and partnerships, and a dedication to diversity of thought, experience, and people. A privately held company, Ferrara has its global headquarters in Chicago and an operational network of more than 27 locations in North America, Brazil, and China that includes manufacturing, distribution, sales, and R&D facilities. Ferrara is a privately held Ferrero related company. Learn more at www.ferrara.com or www.linkedin.com/company/ferrara-.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees, employment decisions and opportunities at Ferrara will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital or civil union status, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, military or veteran status, disability, handicap, genetic information, pregnancy (childbirth or related medical condition), or on any other basis prohibited by law. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.

Nearest Major Market: Chicago