This role finds and develops packaging technologies that can make Mars Food & Nutrition products more sustainable. The lead connects external ideas with internal needs, then helps move promising materials and designs from early assessment through pilots and implementation across the business.
The work focuses on practical packaging changes: improving recyclability, increasing recycled content, reducing material use and assessing alternatives. It links Mars’s sustainability commitments with technical feasibility, cost, manufacturing and regulatory requirements, with the potential to move solutions from a single trial toward wider use across food portfolios.
This suits someone with a technical background in packaging, materials or a related field, who can evaluate emerging solutions, build productive external partnerships and guide complex projects across teams. It will appeal to a candidate who enjoys working between research, commercial priorities and the operational realities of scaling packaging innovation.
Job FAQs
What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?
The role identifies and assesses new packaging materials, technologies, suppliers and research partners, then turns relevant opportunities into recommendations and project plans. It also develops packaging roadmaps that align with business needs, sustainability targets and regulatory requirements.
The lead takes selected projects from feasibility and proof of concept through pilot validation and implementation, coordinating with internal technical and business teams and external partners. A central aim is to help scale solutions that support recyclability, recycled content, material reduction and circularity.
Key learning opportunities for this job
The position could build expertise in packaging science, material performance, recyclability and circular economy applications within a major food business. Candidates may gain experience assessing technologies against sustainability, cost, technical feasibility and manufacturing requirements.
Working across Mars teams and external research and supplier networks could also develop skills in partnership management, business-case development and cross-functional project leadership. The posting mentions learning and development support, including Mars University, but does not specify role-specific courses or certifications.
How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?
The posting seeks a degree in packaging science, materials science, engineering, sustainability, food science or a related technical discipline, plus at least five years of relevant experience. Experience evaluating and implementing packaging innovations, managing supplier or research partnerships, and taking technical projects from concept through implementation would be pertinent.
A strong candidate would understand packaging materials, recyclability and circular economy principles, and be able to assess both environmental value and practical constraints. The work also calls for clear communication and the ability to influence colleagues across functions without direct authority.
Advice to stand out and make a successful application
Use the application to show a specific packaging innovation moving through stages such as material assessment, feasibility, pilot and implementation. Explain what you evaluated, how you addressed recyclability or material use, and what evidence informed the decision, without claiming results the project did not achieve.
Include examples of working with suppliers, startups, universities or research institutes, and describe how you brought technical, regulatory, manufacturing and commercial perspectives together. For interviews, prepare to discuss how you would compare an emerging material against sustainability goals, cost, scalability and operational requirements.
What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?
The role is likely to focus on packaging as a direct lever for product environmental performance. The stated priorities include recyclability, recycled content, reduced material use, alternative materials and circular economy objectives.
Its sustainability contribution depends on moving viable options into use while accounting for technical performance, cost, regulatory expectations and manufacturing conditions. The posting does not identify specific targets or quantify expected impact, so the precise contribution would depend on the projects selected and their scale.
What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?
A likely challenge is balancing environmental potential with food packaging performance, cost, supply availability, regulatory requirements and factory feasibility. New materials may appear promising in early evaluations but face barriers when tested or scaled.
The role also depends on coordinating diverse internal teams and external partners, often without direct authority over them. Building a pipeline of innovations while distinguishing near-term implementable options from longer-term research opportunities could require careful prioritization.
How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?
A day could include reviewing new packaging technologies and regulatory developments, assessing a material or supplier against sustainability and technical criteria, and preparing recommendations for an innovation project. The work may shift between research and planning and practical discussions about feasibility or implementation.
Meetings could bring together Packaging R&D, Sustainability, Procurement, Engineering, Quality, Regulatory Affairs and Commercial colleagues, alongside suppliers or research partners. Project stage would shape the balance between scouting, business-case development, pilot coordination and manufacturing transfer.
What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?
The position could deepen a candidate's expertise in sustainable packaging materials, technology assessment and the path from research to manufacturing implementation. Managing external collaborations and cross-functional projects may also build leadership and strategic planning experience.
Because the work spans technical, sustainability and commercial groups, it could provide a basis for future roles in packaging R&D, innovation, sustainability strategy or supplier collaboration. Mars states that it offers learning and development support, including Mars University, but the posting does not specify a promotion path.
The main stakeholders you might be interacting with
Internal stakeholders are likely to include Packaging R&D, S&T, Sustainability, Procurement, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory Affairs and Commercial teams. Their input helps assess whether an innovation meets environmental aims and can work technically and operationally.
External relationships may include packaging suppliers, startups, universities, research institutes, technology providers and industry associations. The role connects these groups with Mars priorities and supports collaboration from initial evaluation through development and implementation.
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