Engineer - Packaging Compliance

Description

The Engineer - Packaging Regulatory Compliance & EPR Programs is responsible for day-to-day execution and continuous improvement of ELC's packaging compliance programs. The role translates packaging laws, substance restrictions, EPR obligations, PPWR readiness requirements, supplier declarations, and internal packaging standards into practical business actions. This position helps protect business continuity by maintaining timely reporting, accurate documentation, clear regulatory guidance, and audit-ready evidence for North America and selected global packaging compliance programs. The role partners closely with Global Product Stewardship, Packaging, Sustainability, Materials Science, Legal, Quality, Finance, regional affiliates, consultants, and external producer responsibility organizations to ensure packaging compliance work is organized, defensible, and responsive to emerging regulatory expectations.

Packaging Compliance Program Execution
• Lead day-to-day execution of North American EPR registration, reporting, authority submissions, producer responsibility organization communications, deadline tracking, and recordkeeping for applicable U.S. and Canadian programs.
• Maintain EPR trackers, program calendars, authority contacts, global contact lists, login records, mailbox follow-up, payment/fee evidence, and supporting files so reporting evidence remains current and audit ready.
• Monitor new and emerging packaging obligations and summarize business impact, required actions, ownership, timing, and escalation needs for management review.
• Coordinate with consultants, affiliates, Finance, Sustainability, Packaging, and other internal partners to close reporting gaps and support timely submissions.
PPWR, Global Packaging Regulations & Market Readiness
• Drive working-level readiness for EU PPWR activities assigned to Global Product Stewardship, including declaration of conformity support, proof collection, system documentation, and regulatory intelligence tracking.
• Monitor PPWR substances-of-concern developments and compare emerging requirements against ELC packaging materials and substance standards in partnership with Materials Science, Sustainability, Legal, and Regulatory stakeholders.
• Provide practical guidance for excess space, regional packaging requirements, and emerging LATAM or APAC packaging obligations by routing questions to appropriate SMEs and preparing concise business summaries where needed.
Materials, Substances & Supplier Compliance
• Manage working-level updates and evidence collection for the Packaging Materials and Substance Compliance Standard, including coordination of stakeholder review inputs and open technical questions.
• Respond to supplier, brand, packaging, and internal business questions involving REACH/SVHC, CMRs, antimicrobial treatment, sterilization, PFAS, BPA, wood-origin information, and other packaging substance or material concerns.
• Organize and maintain certification and declaration files, including REACH/SVHC requests, child-resistant closure GCCs, and other packaging documentation required for retailer, consumer, regulatory, or audit support.
SOPs, Systems, Governance & Process Improvement
• Maintain and improve the Packaging Compliance SOP and supporting requirements matrices so Packaging designers and cross-functional partners can understand and apply regulatory requirements consistently.
• Improve compliance workflows, ownership models, evidence capture, mailbox management, escalation pathways, and team handoffs to reduce key-person dependency and strengthen business continuity.
• Use trackers, dashboards, and structured documentation to make regulatory deadlines, open actions, risk areas, and ownership visible to management and cross-functional stakeholders.

Additional Responsibilities

Issue Resolution, Business Impact & Cross-Functional Leadership
• Triage routine packaging compliance questions independently and determine when Legal, Quality, Toxicology, Materials Science, Sustainability, Packaging, or management escalation is required.
• Prepare concise issue summaries, risk considerations, and recommended next steps for business-impacting or legally sensitive matters, including packaging substance concerns, special promotional items, spa-use items, giftsets, and market-specific restrictions.
• Build effective working relationships across Packaging, Sustainability, Materials Science, Legal, Quality, Finance, brands, affiliates, consultants, and external producers or authorities to support compliant, commercially practical outcomes.
• Operate under manager direction for high-risk regulatory interpretations, external authority responses, policy exceptions, or decisions with potential market access, financial, legal, or reputational impact.
• No direct people management or operating budget responsibility is expected; the role may support invoice tracking, fee documentation, and evidence needed for EPR or packaging compliance-related payments.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Science in Engineering or related technical discipline
N/A; packaging, sustainability, quality, regulatory, environmental reporting, or project management certification is a plus2+ years preferred in packaging, consumer products, regulatory compliance, sustainability, materials, quality, or environmental reporting; strong technical entry-level candidates may be considered
• Strong written communication, follow-through, attention to detail, prioritization, and issue-escalation skills.
• Ability to operate independently on routine matters, manage multiple regulatory deadlines, identify compliance gaps, and escalate high-risk or legally sensitive matters with clear recommendations.