The Packaging Science / Materials Engineer provides on-site technical food packaging support to the DEVCOM Soldier Center (SC) Combat Feeding Division (CFD) under PWS 4.12.2. Working with the Food Protection and Innovative Packaging team, the incumbent plans and conducts advanced studies in the design, development, and production of packaging materials, methods, and total packaging systems for operational rations — with emphasis on novel polymers, barrier performance, and sustainable materials that reduce Soldier-carried load while meeting military performance requirements. The position is full-time, non-supervisory, and fully on-site at 1,880 hours per year, supporting Government personnel in a manner that preserves inherently governmental decision-making authority.

Serve as the on-site Packaging Science / Materials Engineer supporting the DEVCOM SC Combat Feeding Division Food Protection and Innovative Packaging team. Specific responsibilities include:

Packaging Materials Research and Testing

• Design and perform barrier performance storage studies for oxygen (O2) and water vapor (H2O) transmission in flexible ration packaging materials. 
• Conduct tensile, puncture resistance, seal strength, and burst strength testing of polymeric pouch and film materials. 
• Perform leak detection and package integrity evaluations on primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging. 
• Conduct scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of packaging materials, including analysis and interpretation of results. 
• Analyze experimental data using statistical and data analysis software (e.g., GraphPad, SAS, or equivalent). 

Novel and Sustainable Materials Development

• Evaluate and help create novel polymer materials that meet military performance requirements while providing lighter-weight, more sustainable, multifunctional packaging. 
• Perform extrusion of novel materials, including compounding, cast film, and blown film processing at laboratory scale. 
• Evaluate biodegradable, compostable, and other sustainable materials for incorporation into operational ration packaging to reduce Soldier-carried load and burden. 

Scale-Up and Production Support

• Guide or perform scale-up of laboratory-based packaging solutions to full-scale industrial production. 
• Support development and review of packaging requirements and quality assurance provisions (PKG & QAPs), MIL-DTL specifications, and related packaging standards. 

Technical Documentation and Communication

• Assist with and write technical proposals based on capability needs for operational ration packaging. 
• Prepare reports and briefings covering design of experiments, technical approach, milestone schedules, key performance metrics, and project accomplishments. 
• Provide technical comments during document coordination with governmental and non-governmental standards bodies. 
• Attend and present research findings at technical meetings within the scientific community, as directed. 

Technical Knowledge

• Working knowledge of polymer science and its application to food and operational ration packaging. 
• Knowledge of primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging materials and total packaging systems. 
• Understanding of barrier performance concepts: oxygen transmission rate (OTR), water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), and shelf-life determination. 
• Familiarity with mechanical characterization methods including tensile, puncture, seal strength, burst, and drop/vibration testing. 
• Knowledge of biodegradable and compostable materials and their application to primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging. 
• Familiarity with governmental and non-governmental packaging and container standards, MIL-DTL specifications, and packaging requirements and quality assurance provisions (PKG & QAPs). 

Technical Skills

• Hands-on operation of barrier testing instrumentation such as MOCON Oxtran / Permatran for O2 and H2O transmission-rate studies. 
• Laboratory-scale extrusion of polymeric materials, including compounding, cast film, and blown film processing. 
• Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of packaging materials, including analysis and interpretation of data. 
• Proficiency in data analysis software such as GraphPad, SAS, or equivalent. 

Professional Skills

• Strong technical writing skills; able to author test reports, briefings, and technical proposals. 
• Design of experiments and structured study planning against milestone schedules and key performance metrics. 
• Ability to present research findings clearly to scientific, Government, and industry audiences. 
• Highly organized; able to manage multiple concurrent research projects simultaneously. 

Education

• Master's degree or higher in packaging science or an equivalent discipline (PWS 4.12.2 - "MS or higher"). 
• A PhD in packaging science, polymer science, or materials science is acceptable and preferred.

Required Experience

• Polymer science and operational ration packaging. 
• Packaging and polymeric materials for foods, including primary, secondary, and tertiary materials. 
• Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of packaging materials, including analysis and interpretation of data. 
• Biodegradable and compostable materials and their application to primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging. 
• Designing, planning, and executing scientific studies and technical proposals related to operational ration packaging. 
• Data analysis software such as GraphPad, SAS, or equivalent.

Preferred Experience:

• Barrier testing instrumentation such as MOCON Oxtran / Permatran for O2 and H2O transmission-rate studies. 
• Laboratory-scale extrusion trials for novel polymeric materials, including compounding, cast film, and blown film processing. 
• Packaging integrity and mechanical characterization: seal strength / burst testing, tensile and puncture testing of polymeric pouch materials, and drop / vibration testing of case-level packaging. 
• Demonstrated ability to guide or perform scale-up from laboratory-based solutions to full-scale industrial production. 
• Familiarity with governmental and non-governmental packaging and container standards; writing packaging-related technical documents and providing technical comments during coordination. 
• Prior experience supporting DoD combat rations, MIL-DTL specifications, or packaging requirements and quality assurance provisions (PKG & QAPs)

Must be a US Citizen