Director, R&D - Labeling and Packaging

In-Office, Covington, GA

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Job ID: R-549696
Category: Research & Development
Location: Covington, Georgia

Build an engineering career where innovation, ownership and impact move healthcare forward

At BD, Engineering and R&D professionals design, develop and improve the technologies that shape how healthcare is delivered worldwide. You'll apply scientific thinking, technical expertise and creative problem-solving to turn complex challenges into solutions that matter.

Whether you specialize in mechanical, electrical, process, systems, software or research engineering, BD offers the scale, resources and freedom to innovate – with clear expectations, accountability for outcomes and opportunities to grow your career alongside industry-leading technology.

And as one of the world's largest medical technology companies, you'll shape solutions that reach across global healthcare systems and improve lives at scale.

We are the people who give possibilities purpose

BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world. Advancing the world of health™ is our Purpose, and it’s no small feat. It takes the imagination and passion of all of us—from design and engineering to the manufacturing and marketing of our billions of MedTech products per year—to look at the impossible and find transformative solutions that turn dreams into possibilities.

Job Description

Director, Labeling & Packaging, R&D – UCC

Be part of something bigger!

BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics, and the delivery of care. With over 70,000 employees worldwide, BD addresses some of the most complex global health challenges through innovation, quality, and operational excellence.

Position Summary

The Director of Labeling & Packaging is a key member of the UCC R&D leadership team, responsible for setting the strategic direction and operational execution of labeling and packaging across innovation, new product development (NPD), and sustaining engineering (SE).

This role brings a consumer-centric mindset to product experience—ensuring that labeling and packaging not only meet regulatory requirements but also enhance usability, clarity, and market competitiveness. The Director will drive process excellence, efficiency, and scalability within the labeling and packaging functions while ensuring compliance with global medical device regulations.

Focus Areas

Consumer-Centric Design Excellence: Embed consumer product packaging principles to elevate usability, clarity, and shelf/point-of-use impact
Operational Efficiency & Process Transformation: Drive standardization, automation, and continuous improvement (e.g., AI-enabled workflows, labeling throughput optimization)
Regulatory Compliance & Quality: Ensure adherence to global medical device labeling, packaging, and design control requirements
Execution & Delivery: Ensure on-time, high-quality delivery of labeling and packaging across NPD and SE portfolios
Talent & Organization Development: Build a high-performing, scalable organization with strong technical and operational capabilities

Primary Responsibilities

Strategy & Leadership

Define and execute the long-term strategy for labeling and packaging aligned with UCC growth objectives
Serve as the functional leader across labeling and packaging, providing direction across platforms and projects
Act as a key contributor to functional and business strategy development

Consumer-Centric Packaging & Labeling

Apply consumer product design principles to improve product differentiation, usability, and customer experience
Partner with Marketing and Design teams to ensure packaging and labeling meet evolving customer needs and expectations
Drive innovation in packaging formats, materials, and labeling presentation

Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement

Lead transformation initiatives to improve labeling and packaging efficiency, throughput, and predictability
Standardize workflows (e.g., artwork creation, review cycles, release processes) and eliminate waste
Implement digital and AI-enabled solutions to accelerate labeling and packaging processes
Develop and track key performance metrics (cycle time, quality, cost, delivery)

Program Execution

Oversee labeling and packaging deliverables across the full product lifecycle (concept through commercialization and sustaining)
Ensure alignment with BD’s Global Product Development System (GPDS) and design control practices
Provide governance, risk management, and escalation support for critical programs

Regulatory & Quality Compliance

Ensure all labeling and packaging meet global regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA, EU MDR, ISO standards)
Partner with Quality and Regulatory Affairs to ensure compliance within BD’s Quality Management System
Maintain inspection readiness and support audits

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with R&D, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, Marketing, and Supply Chain
Ensure seamless integration of labeling and packaging into product development and commercialization plans
Serve as a key stakeholder in platform and portfolio decision-making

Talent Development & Organization Leadership

Build and lead a high-performing team of labeling and packaging professionals
Develop technical depth and leadership capability across the organization
Drive a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and BD Excellence mindset

Candidate Profile

BD is seeking a transformational and execution-focused leader who combines consumer product insight with strong operational discipline and regulatory awareness.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Packaging Science, Industrial Design, or related field (advanced degree preferred)
12+ years of experience in packaging, labeling, or product development, including leadership roles
Proven experience in consumer products packaging and/or industrial design
Demonstrated success driving process improvements and operational efficiency in a complex organization
Experience working within regulated industries (medical device preferred)

Preferred Qualifications

Experience integrating consumer design principles into healthcare or regulated environments
Knowledge of global labeling and packaging regulations (e.g., FDA, EU MDR, ISO 13485)
Experience with digital/AI tools for labeling workflows and artwork management
Background in high-volume consumables or disposable product categories

Critical Skills & Competencies

Strategic thinking and business acumen
Strong execution discipline and process mindset
Consumer mindset and design sensitivity
Cross-functional leadership and influence
Data-driven decision making
Change leadership and organizational transformation
Talent development and team building

Why Join Us?

Join a leadership team driving a transformation in how UCC delivers innovation—expanding from traditional MedTech into consumer-focused, design-driven solutions at scale.

Here is a BD-style “Key Success Metrics” section you can append to the job description. I’ve aligned these to your operating model (velocity, capacity, range), labeling/process transformation priorities, and the execution discipline reflected in your internal materials (e.g., focus on delivery, process improvement, and compliance rigor).

Key Success Metrics

Execution & Delivery (Velocity)

On-Time Labeling & Packaging Delivery: ≥95% of NPD and SE milestones met on time
Cycle Time Reduction: 20–30% reduction in end-to-end labeling/artwork release cycle time
Right-First-Time Yield: ≥98% approval rate on first submission for labeling and packaging deliverables
Launch Readiness: Zero delays to commercialization attributable to labeling or packaging readiness

Operational Efficiency & Capacity

Throughput Improvement: ≥25% increase in labeling project throughput without proportional headcount increase
Workload Balance & Utilization: Optimized resource utilization across labeling and packaging teams (measured via load vs. capacity dashboards)
Automation Adoption: Measurable increase in use of digital/AI-enabled workflows (e.g., artwork comparison, automation of updates)
Cost Efficiency: Year-over-year reduction in cost per labeling/packaging deliverable

Quality & Compliance

Audit Performance: Zero major findings related to labeling/packaging in internal/external audits
Regulatory Compliance: 100% adherence to applicable global regulations (e.g., FDA, EU MDR, ISO 13485)
Error Rate Reduction: Continuous reduction in labeling errors, deviations, and post-release corrections
Inspection Readiness: Sustained state of readiness with no compliance-driven business disruption

Consumer-Centric Impact (Range / Market Impact)

Customer Experience Improvement: Measurable improvements in usability, readability, and product interaction feedback (VOC / HF metrics)
Design Differentiation: Increased adoption of consumer-driven packaging and labeling innovations across NPD portfolio
Market Readiness: Packaging and labeling enable clear product positioning and support successful product launches in global markets

Process Excellence & Transformation

Standardization: Implementation of standardized labeling and packaging workflows across 90%+ of projects
Continuous Improvement Pipeline: Delivery of targeted Kaizen/CI initiatives with quantified benefits (cycle time, quality, cost)
Digital Maturity: Advancement of labeling and packaging processes along the digital maturity curve (tools, data, automation)

Talent & Organization

Team Engagement & Retention: ≥95% retention of key talent and strong engagement scores
Capability Building: Increased bench strength in consumer packaging, regulatory knowledge, and process excellence
Leadership Effectiveness: Demonstrated development of high-performing teams and successors

Executive “So What” (optional framing for req justification)

This role is successful when labeling and packaging evolve from a constraint to a competitive advantage—enabling faster launches, improved consumer experience, and scalable global execution without compromising compliance.

Why Join Us?

To find purpose in the possibilities, we need people who can see the bigger picture, who understand the human story that underpins everything we do. We welcome people with the imagination and drive to help us reinvent the future of healthcare. At BD, you’ll discover a culture in which you can learn, grow and thrive.

We believe that when people connect in person, we learn faster, collaborate more deeply, and build a stronger culture. Join us and enjoy a culture where face-to-face collaboration supports your learning, your progress, and your success.

To learn more about BD visithttps://bd.com/careers.

Becton, Dickinson, and Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital or domestic or civil union status, familial status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, disability, military eligibility or veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.

Required Skills

Optional Skills

Primary Work Location

USA GA - Covington BMD

Additional Locations

Work Shift

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Success Profile

What sets successful Engineering and R&D professionals apart? You're likely to thrive if you are:

Analytical
Collaborative
Curious
Detail-oriented
Inventive
Problem-solver

Ready for your next challenge?

This is an environment for engineers who want to think boldly and execute with precision. You'll have the opportunity to influence design decisions, contribute across the full product lifecycle and see how your work moves from concept to real-world impact – backed by the scale of a global MedTech leader.

Hear from one of our BD Innovators about how BD uses cutting-edge AI and machine learning to power decisions that improve patient outcomes and expand access to care. This is where your work drives real-time impact across the globe.

Hear from Our Associates

"BD is a big, global company so don't be afraid to connect with and reach out to others. There is so much to learn here, and the company does an amazing job of helping people develop and grow. I'd also offer to become like a sponge and soak up as much knowledge as you can and put your Career Blueprint to work for you. I really love my job and am so grateful to work at BD."

Elaheh Alizadeh

Director, R&D – San Diego, CA, United States
"I think we have something like more than 30 different countries represented by those working within the Research Centre Ireland, which is impressive and one of my favourite things about BD. I work with electrical, mechanical engineers, scientists and so many others – it's wonderful to see and hear so many different perspectives during the day."

Balaguru Palanivel

Staff Software Test Engineer – Limerick, Ireland
"I continue to be amazed at how we keep innovating in the Med Tech space. We constantly evaluate how to bring even more solutions to healthcare professionals, how to increase the efficiency of our technologies, all while keeping the patient impact in mind. Not only have I found meaningful work at BD, but a place where I feel I can thrive."

Rob Swanda

Staff Engineer – San Diego, CA, United States
"During my interview, I learned how much of an impact our infusion solutions have across the world and I was impressed because whether it's analgesics, cancer treatments, anesthesia or other treatments, the likelihood of someone within your own family using our product is high. Contributing to the creation of products that have the ability to make such a big impact in healthcare is a great feeling. I love my role at BD."

Simon Bello

Senior Director, R&D – San Diego, CA, United States