Position Summary

As a Designer specializing in CAD creation, board types, and specifications, you will play a pivotal role in designing packaging solutions that meet our clients' needs while adhering to industry standards. Reporting to the Design Manager, you will contribute to the creation of innovative, functional, and visually appealing packaging designs. This position also delivers on our core focus of:

• The answer is yes. Be a solutions provider

While building on our core values of:

• Help 1st
• Take ownership
• Do the right thing
• Expect excellence

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Create detailed computer-aided design (CAD) drawings and mock-ups of packaging solutions, ensuring they meet client requirements and industry standards.
• Understand different board types, such as corrugated boards, folding cartons, and foam boards, and their specific characteristics and applications.
• Familiarity with board specifications, including dimensions, thickness, and weight limits, to ensure packaging designs are fit for purpose.
• Develop a deep understanding of various packaging types, including product packaging, shipping containers, point-of-sale displays, and promotional packaging.
• Work closely with the design team, sales, and clients to translate ideas and concepts into effective and visually appealing packaging designs.
• Conduct quality checks to ensure packaging designs are accurate and align with client expectations.
• Collaborate with production and procurement teams to ensure that designs are both functional and cost-effective.
• Stay updated on industry trends, emerging technologies, and sustainable packaging solutions to bring innovative ideas to the design process.
• Maintain accurate sample records and documentation of design specifications and changes.

Cultural Competencies

Help First means being a reliable team member serving everyone, internally and externally. At Akers, we believe and exhibit a “roll up your sleeves and get the job done” mentality and behavior. No job is unimportant, and no person is above any job. We demonstrate this through:

• Able communicator—good clarity, balanced talker, and listener
• Has energy and enthusiasm
• Solution vs. blame oriented

Take Ownership means that you think and act like an owner. No matter the role, everyone is empowered to be a good steward of the organization. Each person has the autonomy to make recommendations for improvement to their work and the organization. We demonstrate this through:

• Patient
• Effectively assertive and able to handle conflict and confrontational situations
• Advocate for continuous improvement
• Mixture of firmness and flexibility
• Has energy and enthusiasm
• Holds self and others accountable
• Takes calculated risks

Do the Right Thing means that do what’s right regardless of its popularity. Having high moral standards is paramount and is the compass that keeps us on track. We demonstrate this through:

• Systematic trainer, willing and able to develop people
• Good work ethic, task focused and willing to extend extra effort
• Able to follow structure where it exists and create structure where it does not

Expect Excellence means that you do it right the first time. At Akers, we expect excellence in all we do We demonstrate this through:

• Resilient—able to deal with the unexpected, not easily flustered
• Has sense of urgency
• Follows up to ensure quality task completion

Work Environment / Physical Demands

Fast paced environment, requiring adaptation to continuous changes in Company, Customer and People needs.

• Ability to frequently sit, stand, walk, reach with hands and arm’s length, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, and crouch.
• Ability to regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time at desk in traditional office environment.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.
• Ability to work at least 75% of the time on site to facilitate collaboration with production facility.

Systems Usage

• MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams)
• Utilize CAD software and systems.
• ERP system Kiwi
• Maintain and operate measurement equipment.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in industrial design, graphic design, packaging design, or a related field.
• Proven experience in CAD design and packaging design.
• Proficiency in CAD software, such as SolidWorks, AutoCAD, or Adobe Illustrator.

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of packaging design principles and industry standards.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong organizational and time management abilities.
• Experience in corrugated, strongly preferred.
• A genuine, positive, and friendly disposition
• In-depth knowledge of various board types, board specifications, and packaging types.