Packaging Project Engineer EU & Asia

Abbott has maintained a strong presence in Ireland since 1946 and will celebrate its 80th anniversary in the country in 2026. The company supports the Irish healthcare sector through a broad portfolio spanning diagnostics, diabetes care, medical devices and nutritional products. Today, Abbott employs more than 6,500 people across ten sites located in Dublin, Donegal, Clonmel, Cootehill, Galway, Kilkenny, Longford and Sligo.

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutrition and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Abbott Nutrition produces a range of infant formula products under the Similac brand, along with follow-on formula products under the Gain brand. The facility combines locally sourced liquid skim milk with carbohydrates, vegetable oils, vitamins and minerals before blending, pasteurising, drying and packaging the final product.

Established in 1975, Abbott Nutrition in Ireland is the largest powder manufacturing facility for infant formula production within Abbott globally. Approximately 1,000 dairy farms across Ireland and Northern Ireland supply quality milk to the Cootehill facility, which processes over 500,000 litres daily. This secure supply chain, combined with Ireland's reputation as a clean and sustainable agricultural environment, is of significant strategic importance to Abbott Nutrition.

Abbott Nutrition is seeking a Packaging Project Engineer - EU & Asia to join our Packaging Operations team on a permanent basis. This role is based in Cootehill, Co. Cavan, with international responsibilities across Abbott Nutrition's global manufacturing network.

The Packaging Operations team is responsible for providing technical expertise and packaging performance leadership for products manufactured across Abbott Nutrition International.

• →Provide technical and project management leadership within Packaging Operations and to third-party manufacturing partners.
• →Develop expertise and become a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in can and end making, can conversion and can closure technologies.
• →Lead packaging projects through the full project lifecycle, from planning and execution through to implementation and post-project evaluation.
• →Develop and manage project plans, timelines, budgets, forecasts and resource requirements.
• →Monitor project progress and performance against agreed objectives, milestones and deliverables.
• →Develop packaging commodity specifications and associated technical drawings.
• →Provide technical direction to improve packaging performance and manufacturing line efficiency.
• →Develop and execute packaging qualification and validation protocols.
• →Lead packaging-related technology transfer and process improvement projects.
• →Act as technical lead and/or project manager on significant packaging initiatives.
• →Manage cross-functional project teams and stakeholders to ensure successful project delivery.
• →Ensure effective scope management and on-time execution of packaging commodity projects.
• →Drive troubleshooting and root-cause analysis activities to resolve technical and operational issues.
• →Support continuous improvement initiatives across Abbott Nutrition's global supply chain network.

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or formal project management training.
• Experience with flexible foils, corrugated packaging and injection-moulded components.
• Experience in packaging qualification, validation and packaging performance testing.
• Experience within food, nutrition, pharmaceutical, medical device or FMCG manufacturing environments.

• 3-5 years' experience in a technical role within a manufacturing or packaging environment.
• Proven project management and technical leadership experience.
• Experience managing projects from initiation through completion.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Project.
• Experience using AutoCAD.
• Strong understanding of troubleshooting and root-cause analysis methodologies within a manufacturing environment.
• Ability to influence and communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in cross-functional and international teams.
• Recognised technical expertise within a manufacturing or engineering environment.

In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.