Early Career Engineer

Where You Will Work

This opportunity will be based onsite at one of our three fully integrated mills:

• Augusta, GA – Located along the Savannah River on the state border between Georgia and South Carolina, this mill manufactures light, medium, and heavy weight coated paperboard.
• Cypress Bend, AR – Situated in the historic Mississippi River Delta, this facility produces bleached paperboard and bleached Kraft pulp, used in folding cartons, commercial print paperboard, carded packaging, and cup stock.
• Lewiston, ID – The original Clearwater Paper manufacturing facility, producing paperboard products. Approximately two hours from Clearwater Paper’s headquarters in Spokane, Washington, this mill is a key component of our business strategy.

Your Development

The Clearwater Paper Early Career Engineer role is a rotational development opportunity for recent college graduates. It is designed to provide experience in various aspects of the business through varied assignments, building a strong foundation of technical skills, business acumen, and valuable work experience within the paper mill. Each rotation offers the chance to explore your passions and refine your discipline within engineering.

Responsibilities

Technical Assistance

• Evaluates innovative technologies, implements process changes, and develops systems to reduce operating costs, increase production, and improve quality.
• Leads the technical process for operating areas to solve equipment and process-related problems.
• Provides support data for all reports and performance updates.
• Performs data analysis to reduce variability or improve performance.
• Reviews production schedules and suggests modifications for reduced downtime and/or changeovers.
• Assists with designing solutions to eliminate equipment failures and process instabilities.
• Writes procedures, trains operators, and monitors compliance with quality procedures.
• Organizes shutdown schedules for operations where applicable.

Process Improvement

• Develops working knowledge of all process areas, including process flow, operator responsibility, major quality attributes, and areas for improvement.
• Initiates, conducts, and documents results of process trials to improve productivity and/or quality.
• Assists with proposals to justify capital expenditures, manages technical aspects, and coordinates start-up of capital projects.
• Recommends and implements process improvements or chemical changes to improve overall operation.
• Assists with data collection for justification of capital expenditures and coordination of start-ups.
• Conducts crew training on new process equipment or chemical additives.
• Monitors process variables and recommends operational changes for improved performance.
• Optimizes processes by identifying and eliminating root causes of process variations.

Key Competencies and Attributes

• Problem-Solving: Identifies and understands problems and opportunities by gathering, analyzing, and interpreting quantitative and qualitative information; chooses the best course of action by establishing clear decision criteria, generating and evaluating alternatives, and making timely decisions.
• Decision-Making: Takes action consistent with available facts and constraints, optimizing probable consequences.
• Adaptability: Maintains effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusts effectively to change by exploring benefits, trying innovative approaches, and collaborating with others.
• Initiative: Originates action to improve existing conditions and processes; identifies improvement opportunities, generates ideas, and implements solutions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering required; Chemical Engineering, Paper Science, or Electrical Engineering preferred.
• Internship in the manufacturing industry or paper experience preferred.
• Basic knowledge of PI (Process Information System).
• Previous experience using a Production Management system preferred.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel (intermediate level).
• Ability to work in an industrial environment – subject to extreme heat and cold.
• Must wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the mill environment.
• Comfortable working in noisy, dusty conditions around moving equipment.

Benefits

We prioritize an exceptional workplace experience, offering a comprehensive total rewards package:

• Compensation ranges are estimates based on market data; actual offers account for internal equity and the candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, education, and experience.
• Benefits, including medical, dental, and vision, generally begin after 30 days.
• Paid time off includes vacation days, personal days, and company holidays.

For more on our compensation philosophy, contact our Talent Acquisition Team at Talent.Acquisition@clearwaterpaper.com.

Clearwater Paper will not offer sponsorship for employment-based visa status (e.g., H-1B) for this position. All applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without requiring sponsorship.