Packaging Engineer Intern/Co-Op

No Relocation Assistance Offered Job Number #176250 - Topeka, Kansas, United States

Who We Are

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specializing in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!

Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.

Position Summary

The Packaging Engineering Intern/Co-op will support the development, qualification, and implementation of packaging solutions for pet food products at Hill’s Pet Nutrition. This role partners closely with cross-functional teams to deliver consumer-centric packaging that meets performance, quality, cost, and manufacturability requirements.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Support packaging project execution

• Assist packaging engineers in driving packaging projects to closure from concept through commercialization. Contribute to project documentation, timelines, and progress updates.
• Support LCA (Life cycle assessment) on packaging solutions and provide recommendations.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Work with Product Development, Marketing,Design, Supply Chain, and other functional groups to identify and develop packaging technologies.
• Help ensure solutions meet key attributes such as cost targets, consumer usage/functionality, manufacturability, and compatibility of materials with product formulations.

Technical communication and reporting

• Prepare and present clear technical summaries, packaging concepts, test results, and business impact to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Develop written reports, slide presentations, and supporting documentation.

Packaging development, scale-up, and technology transfer

• Support packaging development through pilot and manufacturing scale-up.
• Partner with Quality, Product Development, and manufacturing site teams to: Ensure packaging equipment/material system specifications, functionality, and design are appropriate for intended use.
• Confirm that packaging maintains product integrity and visual appeal under various shipping, handling, and display conditions.

Testing, analysis, and recommendations

• Monitor and/or conduct package testing (e.g., stability, transit, drop, compression, sealing, etc.).
• Analyze test data and prepare reports including conclusions and recommendations for design or process changes.
• Case/cube information, cost estimates, and savings estimates

Laboratory and equipment understanding

• Develop a working knowledge of Packaging Laboratory test equipment and capabilities.
• Learn and apply standard operating procedures for equipment use and data collection.

Education & Qualifications

Currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree program in:

Packaging Engineering / Packaging Science

Materials Science

Or a closely related technical field

Minimum GPA : 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)

Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills

Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional, team-oriented environment

Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word); familiarity with CAD or packaging-related software is a plus

Compensation and Benefits

Salary Range

$26.00 - $38.00 USD

Pay is determined based on experience, qualifications, and location. Salaried employees may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, profit-sharing, and long-term incentives for Executive-level roles.

Benefits

Salaried employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance, paid parental leave, disability coverage, and participation in the 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions subject to eligibility requirements. Additional benefits include a minimum of 15 vacation/PTO days (hourly employees receive a minimum of 120 hours) and 13 paid holidays (vacation days are prorated based on the employee's hire date within the calendar year). Paid sick leave is adjusted based on role and location in accordance with local laws. Detailed information regarding paid sick leave entitlements will be provided to employees upon hiring and may be subject to adjustments based on changes in legislation or company policies.

Our Commitment to Inclusion Our journey begins with our people—developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect, and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form should you require accommodation.

For additional Colgate terms and conditions, please click here .

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