Working As a Contract Packaging Engineer

The job market has changed significantly in recent years. Job seekers are choosing positions that provide flexibility and autonomy, and – according to a 2018 NPR/Marist poll – one in five jobs in the U.S. is now held by a contract worker. This relationship can be mutually beneficial for workers who prefer a contract relationship and employers who often need specific expertise or extra manpower for a defined-duration project. Working as a contractor comes with a lot of perks, especially in the packaging engineering field, and you may find this type of employment is a great fit, even if you’ve only worked under more traditional arrangements. In this blog, we outline some of the top benefits of working as a contractor.

Predictability

In a traditional work environment, priorities may shift as the business’s needs change – even over the course of a single day. The result is engineers bouncing between tasks and sometimes being pulled from packaging engineering projects entirely. Contractors come on board to complete or advance a specific project, agreed upon in advance. This provides a balanced, focused workload where the engineer won’t be subjected to outside pressures that derail their priorities. This arrangement between employer and contractor often results in quality output and adherence to specific schedules and timelines.

Project Choice

Scope creep occurs when a company reorganizes and shifts engineers onto tasks and projects that fall outside of their experience and skillset. Because packaging engineering consultants are hired for a specific role on a specific project, they are not subject to scope creep in the way engineers in traditional employment arrangements are. It also allows contractors to accept projects they are passionate about or that advance their career goals without the possibility of being derailed by tasks that fall outside their area of interest.

Flexibility

In contrast to a traditional on-site, nine-to-five workday, contract packaging engineers enjoy options for a great deal of flexibility in both the types of projects they take on and their workload. Consultants are able to choose projects for which the workload matches their availability, taking on less time-intensive projects while they further their education or focus on family and other life activities. Additionally, consultants can often work from multiple locations or use a defined-duration project as a jumping off point when relocating to a new area.

 Variety

Contract packaging engineers are able to diversify their experience by taking on roles in new industries or choosing project types that help to advance their career goals, allowing them to develop new skills and build expertise in new disciplines. By exposing themselves to a variety of projects and industries, consultants can find the types of opportunities that stoke their passion or provide new challenges that keep them engaged in their career.

Alignment

By working for a consultancy, engineers have the opportunity to work for a variety of companies and get exposure to an equal variety of workplace cultures. Because organizational culture plays a key role in employee happiness, consultants have the privilege of sampling a variety of cultures and learning which situations best suit their personality, work style and professional goals.

Find Your Best Fit with Adept Packaging

Adept Packaging has both fulltime employees and a roster of consultants we can match with our clients’ needs, and because we are owned, operated and recruited by engineers, we understand your skillset and can seamlessly match you with a placement you desire, from location to project type. We work with a majority of the top CPG and Life Sciences companies in the world. If big names aren’t of interest, you'll have the opportunity to experience what it’s like to work with different clients to evaluate their culture.

In addition to working with multiple brand owners, our associates are exposed to a variety of project types, technologies and different departments within an organization allowing for skillset expansion. We host monthly Learning Share webinars and offer industry-specific trainings and technical skill builders. Adept associates are also allocated a budget for training. You will work with the packaging industry’s top subject matter experts to learn new skills, solve problems and expand your global network.

Whether you’re interested in working in a specific location, on a specific project type, or for a defined duration, our recruiters will find a placement that fits those needs. Since many of our projects allow for remote work, our associates enjoy an unconventional amount of flexibility while driving results for our clients. If you’re looking to diversify your work experience and take a more active role in choosing your next project, reach out. We’re always looking for new talent.