Freelance Packaging Engineer

Location: Antwerp, Amsterdam
Contract duration: at least 6 months, minimum 4 days / week

Own packaging development and help drive successful, cost-effective and sustainable product launches.

This isn't a lateral move. We built Loop by going all in from day one. You’ll independently lead packaging development across new product development and sustaining projects, from early concept through mass product ion readiness. All yours. If you've mastered packaging development, validation and supplier engagement, and you're ready to break the rules that no longer work, this is where you do it.

The role

You step into ownership. You move fast and take responsibility for what you build. You focus on work that matters, not on noise that slows things down. You’ll own packaging specifications, validation approaches and supplier coordination for assigned programs, while balancing product protection, brand, cost, manufacturability and sustainability requirements.

What you’ll do (and what you won’t)

• You own packaging development from concept through mass production readiness

• You partner with Product Development and Contract Manufacturing teams to meet product protection, brand and cost goals

• You lead DFM reviews with packaging vendors and Contract Manufacturers

• You approve golden samples, first articles and adherence to packaging specifications

• You lead packaging validation, including ISTA and drop testing

• You identify opportunities to reduce waste, lower cost and improve sustainability

• You lead root cause analysis and permanent corrective actions for in-market packaging quality issues

• You make data-driven recommendations on cost and sustainability trade-offs

You won’t

• wait for endless approvals

• hide behind processes

• spend months polishing work before moving it forward

• pass accountability to others
  

How you’ll succeed

We look for people who think big, stay curious, and aren’t afraid to go all in to make things happen. You’ll succeed by launching projects on time without packaging-related delays, reducing packaging-related vendor non-conformances, and delivering measurable cost savings or efficiency improvements through packaging changes.

What you’ll bring

• You bring 3+ years of experience in packaging engineering or a related field

• You have a strong understanding of packaging formats, DFM principles and global shipping requirements

• You have hands-on experience leading packaging validation, including ISTA and drop testing

• You can drive packaging decisions in cross-functional settings

• You know how to align vendors and hold them accountable

• You can identify root causes and drive permanent corrective actions

• You can develop data-backed recommendations that balance cost and sustainability

• You work independently and know when to involve others
  

Loop isn’t for everyone. We might not be a match if you:

• Wait for direction instead of taking initiative

• Mistake activity for impact

• Feel uneasy when things are still taking shape

• Prefer alignment meetings over decisions
  

Still listening?

Good. We are not looking for people to watch from the sidelines. Loopers step in, speak up and go for more. More firsts. More growth. More: “I can’t believe we did that.” If you are like that too, press that beautiful apply button and let’s talk.

Application deadline: 24 August 2026