Child-Resistant

Term from Packaging industry explained for recruiters

Child-Resistant refers to special packaging designs that make it difficult for children to open but remain accessible for adults. This is a crucial safety feature required by law for many products, especially pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and household products. When someone mentions "child-resistant" on their resume, they're typically talking about their experience in designing, testing, or working with packaging that meets government safety standards. Similar terms include "CR packaging," "safety packaging," or "child-proof packaging," though experts avoid using "child-proof" since no packaging is 100% child-proof.

Examples in Resumes

Developed Child-Resistant closure system for pharmaceutical bottles that exceeded safety requirements

Led quality control testing for Child-Resistant CR packaging materials

Managed production line converting to new Child-Resistant cap design for household chemicals

Typical job title: "Packaging Engineers"

Also try searching for:

Packaging Engineer Package Design Engineer Quality Control Specialist Product Safety Manager Packaging Development Manager Compliance Specialist Safety Testing Coordinator

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you ensure a new child-resistant package design meets all regulatory requirements?

Expected Answer: A senior candidate should discuss knowledge of CPSC protocols, testing procedures with children and seniors, documentation requirements, and experience managing the certification process.

Q: Tell me about a time you had to modify a child-resistant design due to user feedback.

Expected Answer: Look for examples of balancing safety requirements with user accessibility, especially for elderly users, while maintaining child-resistance standards.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What factors do you consider when designing child-resistant packaging?

Expected Answer: Should mention safety regulations, user accessibility, manufacturing costs, material selection, and testing requirements.

Q: How do you test child-resistant packaging effectiveness?

Expected Answer: Should describe basic testing protocols, working with testing panels of children and adults, and understanding pass/fail criteria.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is the difference between child-resistant and child-proof packaging?

Expected Answer: Should explain that no packaging is truly child-proof, only child-resistant, and understand basic safety requirements.

Q: What types of products require child-resistant packaging?

Expected Answer: Should list common categories like medications, chemicals, and household products, showing basic knowledge of regulations.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic understanding of safety regulations
  • Quality control testing
  • Documentation of safety tests
  • Knowledge of common CR designs

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Implementation of CR features
  • Testing protocol management
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Design modification experience

Senior (5+ years)

  • New CR system development
  • Regulatory strategy planning
  • Cross-functional team leadership
  • Innovation in safety design

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No knowledge of current safety regulations
  • Unfamiliar with testing protocols
  • No experience with compliance documentation
  • Lack of understanding about senior-friendly requirements