Process & Product Development Engineer

About the role

The Process & Product Development Engineer will support innovation initiatives focused on corrugated products. This role works with a cross-functional team to develop and commercialize new processes, products, and product improvements.

Responsibilities

• Act as technical lead for development and commercialization of corrugated processes, products, and product improvements.
• Serve as technical SME and project manager for cross-functional projects that include commercial teams, suppliers, operations, and customers.
• Define project scope, schedules, budgets and deliverables; track milestones and drive project closure.
• Conduct literature and vendor research, design experiments, develop hypotheses, and propose high-impact corrugated research and improvement projects.
• Plan, execute and coordinate corrugated plant and lab trials to validate hypotheses and generate sample products for downstream testing.
• Analyze experimental data using appropriate statistical methods and software to produce statistically sound conclusions and recommendations.
• Expand and maintain internal testing capabilities as new needs arise; document methods and transfer learnings to operations.
• Follow plant safety procedures and support safe execution of trials.
• Perform hands-on work in lab and manufacturing environments during trials; ability to lift up to 50 lbs with or without assistance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Packaging, or a related field.
• 3+ years of professional experience applying analytical thinking and problem-solving in R&D, product development, or manufacturing settings.
• 3+ years’ experience working in a production environment (e.g., converting, paper/packaging plant or R&D role).
• Demonstrated project management experience leading cross-functional projects (planning, resourcing, schedule and risk management).
• Experience with experimental design, hypothesis testing, and literature/vendor research.
• Proficiency analyzing test data and deriving statistically sound conclusions.
• Able to travel up to 30%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Packaging, or a related field.
• 3+ years of professional experience applying analytical thinking and problem-solving in R&D, product development, or manufacturing settings.
• 3+ years’ experience working in a production environment (e.g., converting, paper/packaging plant or R&D role).
• Demonstrated project management experience leading cross-functional projects (planning, resourcing, schedule and risk management).
• Experience with experimental design, hypothesis testing, and literature/vendor research.
• Proficiency analyzing test data and deriving statistically sound conclusions.
• Able to travel up to 30%.

Skills

• Experience in Corrugated R&D and/or plant roles.
• Experience in Paper, Packaging, or Converting industries.
• Experience working in innovation, product development, applied research, process improvement, and/or a manufacturing environment.
• Competency in a statistical software (e.g., JMP, SAS, Minitab, etc).
• Experience leading end-to-end commercialization projects and transferring technology to operations.
• Formal project management training or certification (PMP, CAPM, or equivalent).

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts.
• Life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement.
• Paid vacation/time off, educational assistance.
• May include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance.