Principal Packaging Engineer Jobs
Principal Packaging Engineer jobs are open across consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, and medical devices, from mid-level to staff and principal, with specializations in sustainable packaging, structural design, and regulatory compliance. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 5 of 27+ Principal Packaging Engineer jobs
Location: San Jose, CA (on-site)
Backed by industry giants like NVIDIA, AMD and Intel and manufactured in partnership with the world’s leading semiconductor ecosystem, Ayar Labs’ co-packaged optics solution is key to unleashing next-generation AI scale-up architectures.
Ayar Labs is seeking a Principal or Senior Principal Advanced Packaging Engineer to help shape the Co-Packaged Optics revolution in High-Performance Computing.
The primary responsibility of the Advanced Packaging Engineer is to define an advanced packaging technology roadmap, enabling the transition from successful design of validation systems to incorporation into high-volume manufacturing. The Advanced Packaging Engineer is expected to drive the electrical package engineering team to success with first principles, collaboration and discipline.
Prior experience in photonics is not necessary; however, the candidate must display a propensity for growth. The exceptional candidate must be highly motivated and energetic, willing to collaborate with diverse, cross-functional teams. This is an on-site role in Ayar Labs’ San Jose Headquarter office.
Essential Functions
- Design and develop the package architecture from silicon validation to high-volume product adoption.
- Maintain technical documentation for delivery to vendors, manufacturing partners and customers.
- Provide mentorship to engineering staff throughout project execution.
- Collaborate with engineering and program management to make accurate risk assessments, driving critical project schedules.
- Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders including Reliability, Silicon Engineering, Validation, Design Service Vendors, substrate suppliers, and OSAT/assembly partners.
- Ensure appropriate standards for DFM, DFA, and DFR (design-for-manufacturability, -assembly, and -reliability) are met for all package deliverables.
- Define package-level specifications for high-speed electrical interfaces, including SerDes, PCIe, and die-to-die (D2D) interconnects.
- Define company standards for power distribution network (PDN) design, simulation and verification.
- Advanced degree in Electrical Engineering or related field plus 12+ years (15+ years for Senior Principal) of industry experience.
- Demonstrated experience in the design and validation of advanced package technology for SerDes, PCIe, die-to-die (D2D) interconnects, HPC .
- Expert in Power and Signal Integrity analysis and design, with proficiency in at least one major simulation tool (e.g., Ansys HFSS, SIwave, Cadence Clarity, PowerSI).
- Strong understanding of warpage, thermal and mechanical analysis of substrate technology.
- Exceptional technical communication skills.
- Experience in the design of high-power advanced package designs (>1kW).
- Experience in optical transceiver design and validation, especially co-packaged optics.
- Experience using agentic design and verification workflows (e.g., AI-assisted simulation setup, layout checking, or documentation generation).
- Track record of new product introduction (NPI), from concept through development and production release.
- Familiarity with JEDEC and other industry reliability/qualification standards.
Principals only. We are not accepting resumes from recruiters for this position. Remuneration for recruiting activities is only applicable subject to a signed and executed agreement between the parties. Please don’t send candidates to Ayar Labs, and do not contact our managers.
Ayar Labs is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and is strongly committed to all policies which will afford equal opportunity employment to all qualified persons without regard to age, sex, national origin, race, color, ethnicity, creed, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. It is the policy of Ayar Labs to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. Veterans are more than welcome and encouraged to apply.
Location: San Jose, CA (on-site)
Backed by industry giants like NVIDIA, AMD and Intel and manufactured in partnership with the world’s leading semiconductor ecosystem, Ayar Labs’ co-packaged optics solution is key to unleashing next-generation AI scale-up architectures.
Ayar Labs is seeking a Principal or Senior Principal Advanced Packaging Engineer to help shape the Co-Packaged Optics revolution in High-Performance Computing.
The primary responsibility of the Advanced Packaging Engineer is to define an advanced packaging technology roadmap, enabling the transition from successful design of validation systems to incorporation into high-volume manufacturing. The Advanced Packaging Engineer is expected to drive the electrical package engineering team to success with first principles, collaboration and discipline.
Prior experience in photonics is not necessary; however, the candidate must display a propensity for growth. The exceptional candidate must be highly motivated and energetic, willing to collaborate with diverse, cross-functional teams. This is an on-site role in Ayar Labs’ San Jose Headquarter office.
Essential Functions
- Design and develop the package architecture from silicon validation to high-volume product adoption.
- Maintain technical documentation for delivery to vendors, manufacturing partners and customers.
- Provide mentorship to engineering staff throughout project execution.
- Collaborate with engineering and program management to make accurate risk assessments, driving critical project schedules.
- Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders including Reliability, Silicon Engineering, Validation, Design Service Vendors, substrate suppliers, and OSAT/assembly partners.
- Ensure appropriate standards for DFM, DFA, and DFR (design-for-manufacturability, -assembly, and -reliability) are met for all package deliverables.
- Define package-level specifications for high-speed electrical interfaces, including SerDes, PCIe, and die-to-die (D2D) interconnects.
- Define company standards for power distribution network (PDN) design, simulation and verification.
- Advanced degree in Electrical Engineering or related field plus 12+ years (15+ years for Senior Principal) of industry experience.
- Demonstrated experience in the design and validation of advanced package technology for SerDes, PCIe, die-to-die (D2D) interconnects, HPC .
- Expert in Power and Signal Integrity analysis and design, with proficiency in at least one major simulation tool (e.g., Ansys HFSS, SIwave, Cadence Clarity, PowerSI).
- Strong understanding of warpage, thermal and mechanical analysis of substrate technology.
- Exceptional technical communication skills.
- Experience in the design of high-power advanced package designs (>1kW).
- Experience in optical transceiver design and validation, especially co-packaged optics.
- Experience using agentic design and verification workflows (e.g., AI-assisted simulation setup, layout checking, or documentation generation).
- Track record of new product introduction (NPI), from concept through development and production release.
- Familiarity with JEDEC and other industry reliability/qualification standards.
Principals only. We are not accepting resumes from recruiters for this position. Remuneration for recruiting activities is only applicable subject to a signed and executed agreement between the parties. Please don’t send candidates to Ayar Labs, and do not contact our managers.
Ayar Labs is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and is strongly committed to all policies which will afford equal opportunity employment to all qualified persons without regard to age, sex, national origin, race, color, ethnicity, creed, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. It is the policy of Ayar Labs to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. Veterans are more than welcome and encouraged to apply.
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Find JobsPrincipal Packaging Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware
- Manufacturing
- Telecommunications
- Technology & Software
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal packaging engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in packaging science, engineering, or a related technical field
- 7 or more years of hands-on packaging development and qualification experience
- Proficiency with CAD tools and structural dieline development software
- Experience with ISTA, ASTM, or ISO packaging test methods and protocols
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional projects from concept through commercialization
- Knowledge of FDA, EU, or other regulatory packaging requirements relevant to the industry
Tips for Your Principal Packaging Engineer Job Search
Tailor your resume to material expertise
Hiring managers for principal packaging engineer roles scan for specific materials knowledge, whether that's flexibles, rigid plastics, glass, or paperboard. Call out the substrates and formats you've qualified, not just the projects you managed, so your resume passes the first technical screen.
Highlight sustainability and lightweighting projects
Principal-level roles increasingly own sustainability roadmaps. If you've led source-reduction initiatives, transitioned SKUs to recyclable materials, or hit down-gauging targets, quantify those outcomes on your resume. That differentiates you from candidates who only list design software proficiency.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists principal packaging engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Filter openings by development stage and category
Principal roles in CPG look very different from those in pharma serialization or e-commerce ship-testing. Prioritize listings whose product categories and development phases align with where you've led projects, since interviewers will probe your domain depth, not just your seniority.
Prepare a portfolio of ISTA and ASTM test outcomes
Principal packaging engineers are expected to defend specification decisions with data. Bring documented test results, failure analyses, or distribution simulation reports to interviews. Even informal case studies showing how you resolved a field failure impress hiring panels far more than a list of certifications alone.
Negotiate scope alongside compensation
At the principal level, your influence over supplier selection, capital requests, and packaging standards is a real variable between roles. During offer discussions, clarify decision-making authority, team size, and whether the role owns global or regional packaging specs before committing.
Principal Packaging Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most principal packaging engineers?
The companies hiring the most principal packaging engineers right now include Skyworks Solutions, ASM, and Qualcomm, with the largest share of openings in California, Texas, and Arizona, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Consumer goods, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage companies consistently drive the highest volume of principal-level packaging roles.
How many principal packaging engineer jobs are remote?
About 20% of principal packaging engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though the role's lab, plant, and supplier-facing responsibilities mean fully remote positions are less common than in software engineering. Roles focused on packaging specifications, project management, or sustainability strategy tend to offer the most location flexibility.
How do you become a principal packaging engineer?
Most principal packaging engineers start with a degree in packaging science, materials engineering, or mechanical engineering, then build experience across the full packaging development cycle, from concept and structural design through supplier qualification and commercialization. Advancing to the principal level typically requires leading multi-SKU or cross-category projects, mentoring junior engineers, and demonstrating ownership of packaging standards or cost initiatives. Certifications from the Institute of Packaging Professionals can reinforce your credentials along the way.
Can I get hired as a principal packaging engineer without direct principal-level experience?
Yes, candidates promoted from senior packaging engineer roles are regularly hired at the principal level, especially when they can show they've already operated at that scope. Emphasize projects where you set direction rather than followed it: supplier negotiations you led, specifications you authored that became company standards, or cross-functional initiatives you owned end-to-end. A strong portfolio of technical outcomes carries more weight than a job title that already says 'principal.'
What does the principal packaging engineer interview process look like?
The process typically starts with a recruiter screen focused on background and category experience, followed by a technical interview where you walk through past projects and defend your design or material decisions with data. Most companies then include a panel interview with R&D, supply chain, and marketing stakeholders, since principal engineers are expected to align across functions. Some roles require a written case study or a presentation on a past packaging challenge you resolved.
Where can I find and apply to principal packaging engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to principal packaging engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from companies across the United States. Search for roles that match your industry background and seniority, then apply directly to each listing that fits your experience.
See All 27 Principal Packaging Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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