At Real Pet Food Company (RPF), we believe pets deserve real food — made with care, quality ingredients, and people who take pride in what they do. Our teams work hard, support each other, and stay grounded in doing what’s right for pets, customers, and each other.

We are now looking for an experienced Packaging Technologist to join our business and play a critical role in shaping packaging solutions that protect product quality, enable manufacturing performance, and support our sustainability ambitions.

This is an opportunity for a technically strong and commercially minded packaging professional who enjoys being close to operations, solving real problems on the factory floor, and influencing outcomes across a growing FMCG business.

The Opportunity

The Packaging Technologist provides technical leadership across packaging formats, materials, suppliers, and manufacturing sites. You will lead the development, validation, and implementation of packaging solutions that meet performance, compliance, cost, and sustainability objectives — without compromising product quality or operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

Packaging Development & Technical Leadership

• Lead packaging development for NPD, renovations, and continuous improvement initiatives

• Work across multiple formats including pouches, bags, cartons, trays, labels, and secondary packaging

• Own and maintain packaging specifications, ensuring accuracy and version control

• Provide expertise on material structures, sealing performance, shelf life, and pack integrity

• Lead line trials, validation runs, and first production activities

Manufacturing & Site Support

• Act as the packaging technical SME supporting manufacturing sites - this role will specifically cover our Ingleburn and Somersby Sites so you must have your own transport and be willing and able to travel to these sites on a monthly basis/when required.

• Troubleshoot on-line packaging issues and implement root cause solutions

• Support commissioning of new equipment, format changes, and process improvements

• Ensure packaging performs effectively across automated and semi-automated lines

Supplier & Stakeholder Management

• Manage relationships with packaging suppliers, printers, and converters

• Lead technical discussions around quality, performance, and innovation

• Collaborate closely with Marketing, Quality, Operations, Planning, Finance, and Procurement

• Translate technical concepts into clear, practical guidance for stakeholders

Compliance, Quality & Sustainability

• Ensure packaging meets food safety, regulatory, and customer requirements

• Support sustainability initiatives aligned to APCO and recyclability goals

• Participate in quality reviews, NCR investigations, and continuous improvement programs

Governance & Capability

• Drive packaging change management and NPD governance processes

• Support standardisation initiatives to reduce complexity

• Mentor junior technologists and uplift packaging capability across sites

About You

You are practical, solutions-focused, and comfortable balancing technical detail with commercial outcomes. You enjoy working cross-functionally and take pride in seeing projects successfully move from concept to production.

Essential experience

• 5+ years’ experience in packaging technology within FMCG, food, beverage, or pet food manufacturing

• Strong knowledge of flexible packaging, corrugate, labels, and secondary packaging

• Hands-on experience supporting production lines, trials, and validations

• Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis capability

• Proven ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment

• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills

Desirable

• Experience with retort packaging, pouch filling lines, or high-speed automation

• Knowledge of APCO sustainability and recyclability frameworks

• Exposure to GS1 barcoding, artwork management, and specification systems

• Multi-site manufacturing experience

• Experience with ERP or specification systems such as QAD or Lascom

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in Packaging Technology, Engineering, Food Science, or related discipline

Why Join RPF?

At RPF, you’ll be part of a business where people genuinely care about what they do and who they do it for. The work can be challenging, but it is meaningful — and your contribution directly supports a growing business committed to feeding pets real food.

We’re looking for someone who wants to help our business thrive, takes ownership, and is proud to be part of something bigger.

What we’re about

Welcome to RPF, where we believe in keeping it Real.

Since 1994, we have been Australia and New Zealand’s pioneers in fresher dog and cat nutrition. Our story is one of passion for a better way to care for pets, a belief in fresher nutrition, and an unwavering commitment to delivering this to pet parents and pets worldwide.

We're dedicated to fostering authentic partnerships, encouraging real ambition, and providing real career opportunities for our employees to make a difference.

Real means fresher ingredients and fresher methods. We'll never stop expanding, innovating, and trying new things. We compete in every pet category and channel, creating favourite brands such as Ivory Coat, Nature’s Gift, V.I.P. Petfoods, and Love ‘Em & Fussy Cat!

Since the establishment of RPF, we have grown to over 900 people across Australia and New Zealand, China, Southeast Asia and Europe.

With the pet industry growing rapidly (a $15 billion industry!) and pets becoming increasingly important in our lives and homes, this is a unique opportunity to be a part of our remarkable growth story and advance your career.

Why join us?

Do work that matters. We’re pioneering in a new area of pet food, always striving for fresher. We’re restless, creating a better life for our pets.

Make an impact and change the game. You won’t be another ‘cog in the wheel’ here. We give full trust and autonomy for you to do your best work – and to make a real difference. Do you have a great idea for a new product or system improvement? We’re all ears!

Growing and global. We’re growing fast! We now have global presence across APAC, and Europe regions and we’re only getting started!

Work with a pack of awesome, genuine people who are passionate about what they do.

Grow your career with us. We’re big believers in lifelong learning. You’ll be given access to LinkedIn Learning, plus opportunities for internal mobility and leadership training to fast-track your career.

Pets our part of our family: bring your pet to our Crows Nest office, access our Pawrental leave when you adopt a new cat or dog, pet carer and compassionate leave.

Generous perks including day off for your anniversary, product discounts, volunteering days to help the community, novated leases, a rewards program and parental leave.

What’s next?

If you're ready to unleash your potential and make a real difference in the booming pet industry, then we want to hear from you! Next steps will include:

• An initial telephone interview followed by 2 face to face interviews and site visit

• 2 work references

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Diversity’s not a buzzword here, it’s in our DNA. Diverse perspectives shape our culture and make our work better. That’s why we’re committed to building inclusive teams that represent a variety of backgrounds and skills. If you need any reasonable adjustments, accessibility assistance or would like to note which pronouns you use at any stage of our hiring process, just contact us at accommodations: people&culture@realpetfoodco.com.au. We look forward to hearing from you.

Please note: NO agencies will be considered during this process. We encourage you to refrain from submitting unsolicited profiles