Job Expo

Meet Our Program

As an undergraduate program that began in 2014, the Packaging Systems and Design major is rapidly growing and expanding its connections around the globe. With around 100 current undergraduate students and an expansive network of alumni, our program maintains a job and graduate school placement rate of nearly 100 percent. Companies that hire our students cover a wide range of sectors from beauty products to defense companies, including Amazon, International Paper, Packaging Corporations of America, HP, Northrop Grumman, L'Oreal, and many others. Virginia Tech strives to strengthen these connections through our students.
Recruit the Best
Join the Packaging Systems and Design program at Virginia Tech for our inaugural Packaging Job Expo, Feb. 21 to Feb. 23, 2023, on the Virginia Tech campus. You will be able to meet and network with many talented undergraduate and graduate students seeking internship and career opportunities and showcase what your company has to offer. The three-day event includes a networking reception, job fair, and on-site interviews with students.
Secure your booth today by emailing packaging@vt.edu or calling 540-231-8853.
The students of Virginia Tech Packaging Systems and Design look forward to meeting you!

The Packaging Systems and Design major is constructed of small class sizes which provide our undergraduate students with the unique opportunity to construct personal connections with faculty. We also have a Faculty and Advising mentorship program to ensure that every packaging student has someone to provide insight into industry connections and career direction through their time at Virginia Tech. Every student is assigned a mentor to furnish their understanding of the packaging industry and guidance as they refine their personal career goals.
The biggest benefit of our small class sizes is our ability to take our learning outside of the classroom. From our students visiting local packaging companies to companies coming to visit our classes; our students are exposed to real-world packaging implementations on a very in-depth level. This exploratory take on learning has allowed our students to be exposed to all different aspects of packing from materials, to design, to engineering, to testing.
Virginia Tech is a research institution and our packaging program is a global leader in pallet research. The Brooks Lab in Blacksburg is known for its state-of-the-art equipment and fantastic lab management. We pride ourselves on allowing our students an environment where they can gain hands-on experience and exposure to the realities of the packaging industry before they leave school.

Virginia Tech acknowledges that the best way to solidify knowledge obtained in the classroom is to use that information to solve real-life packaging problems. All of our packaging students have the opportunity to get involved in hands-on projects. These opportunities include working in the Center for Pallet and Unit Load Design, performing undergraduate research in one of our labs, and gaining experience through industry-sponsored design projects.
Because of our small class sizes, our students are provided with unique opportunities to learn from hands-on experience. We have three different courses that are specifically designed to provide our students with real-world packaging design experience through research with various industry sponsors (Sustainable Packaging Design I and II, and the Senior Packaging Practicum). In addition to these courses, all of our packaging coursework contains hands-on elements that are designed to provide students with the practical skills that they will need in industry.
Through partnerships with companies for internships, co-ops, and full-time positions, we hope to grow our network and build more opportunities and partnerships for the future of our program.
Event Information
The College of Natural Resources and Environment and the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials invites you to join our inaugural Packaging Job Expo on February 22 through 23, 2023.

CNRE/Packaging Networking Reception
Tuesday Evening, February 21, 2023
University Club at South End Zone Stadium
Spring Packaging Job Fair
Wednesday, February 22nd”, 2023
Squires Student Center Ballroom (2nd floor)
On-campus Interviews
Thursday, February 23, 2023
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Smith Career Center
Sponsorship Levels

Meet Our Committee
This event is student-run with support of faculty and staff of the College of Natural Resources and Environment. Please feel free to reach out to any of us if you have questions about the job expo or our program at packaging@vt.edu.
Young-Teck Kim Advisor

Eduardo Molina Advisor

Gabby Brophy

Marta Ghigo

Zachary Weston

Adnan Ahmed: : Committee Member

Aiko Martinez

Noah Madel

Rosa Williams

Contact Information
Interested? Contact us now!
Phone: 540-231-8853
Email: packaging@vt.edu
Address:
Cheatham Hall, RM 230, Virginia Tech
310 West Campus Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24061
USA