Senior R&D Packaging Specialist Amsterdam • Rituals

Come join our Amsterdam based Innovation department as our new Senior R&D Packaging Specialist and contribute to Rituals’ success by developing packaging solutions

We are growing rapidly worldwide, which means our team is expanding. As a Senior R&D Packaging Specialist, you’ll play a vital role in bringing our iconic rituals to life through packaging that is as thoughtful and beautiful as the products inside. 

You’ll be at the forefront of developing innovative, sustainable, and premium packaging solutions that align with our commitment to wellbeing, design excellence, and a better planet. In close collaboration with other teams within Innovation, Sourcing, Sustainability & Impact, Quality and Regulatory, you’ll shape the future of Rituals’ packaging, from early-stage feasibility testing and briefing till validation where we team up with Quality and our partners. .

You are passionate about purposeful design and sustainability. You’re analytical yet creative, precise but open-minded. You thrive in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment and love turning technical challenges into elegant, high-performing solutions. You combine technical expertise with a commercial mindset — and you never lose sight of the customer experience.

Your role

As a Senior R&D Packaging Specialist, you are the bridge between creativity and technical feasibility. You help translate bold ideas into tangible, sustainable packaging solutions that reflect the Rituals aesthetic — elegant, functional and future-ready towards Net-Zero target. 

You will:

• Lead the technical development of innovative packaging solutions for new product launches within your product category, from concept to production-ready designs.
• Perform early-stage technical feasibility assessments and risk analyses to ensure packaging concepts can be produced efficiently, meet recyclability standards, and retain their design intent.
• Drive sustainability initiatives by evaluating packaging through Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), assessing material choices, and advising on recyclability and environmental impact.
• Stay ahead of packaging legislation and compliance by translating complex regulatory requirements (such as PPWR) into practical design and development standards.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams in Innovation, Sourcing, Impact, Quality and Regulatory, as well as with external suppliers and manufacturing partners.
• Explore and assess new materials and technologies — especially those that support Rituals’ Net Zero goals — and bring relevant innovations into the development pipeline.
• Guide and support product category teams by offering expertise in packaging sustainability, circular design, and material optimization.
• Ensure the accurate reporting of sustainability data and support internal and external communication on packaging performance and compliance.
• Contribute to knowledge-sharing and best practices within the R&D Packaging team and across departments, helping to elevate the packaging craft at Rituals.

This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the look, feel, and environmental impact of Rituals’ products — and to bring joy and beauty into the daily lives of millions

High on energy, low on ego and with a of little bit humour. 

• A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Packaging, Industrial Design Engineering, Material Chemistry, or a related field.
• 4–6 years of relevant experience in packaging development within cosmetics, personal care, home care or FMCG.
• You have affinity with cosmetics.
• Deep knowledge of packaging materials, production technologies, and sustainability frameworks.
• Experience in early-stage packaging development and technical briefing.
• Familiarity with packaging legislation (e.g. PPWR), circular design, and LCA tools.
• A proactive, detail-focused mindset with strong project management skills.
• You have a strong personality with excellent communication & persuasion skills
• You are savvy, accurate and persuasive.
• Ideally you have experience with data-driven development tools (e.g., Power BI, Power Query for Excel).
• Fluent in English (verbal and written communication).
• You are keen to be the best in class. You are flexible, you enjoy making things better every day and you are a team player who thrives within a dynamic and fast-growing company. 

Grow with us! The next steps are:

• Please apply via our career site
• Our recruiter, Peter Swinkels, will contact you within 10 working days
• An introductory meeting with a team member and the hiring manager follows
• An online assessment and business case to prepare for the second interview
• A second interview
• In the event of a positive outcome, you will receive a proposal with the terms of employment

Acquisition is not appreciated. Please note that applications via email are not considered.