Production Engineer, Fiber

About the role

We invite you to join our journey to “Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World.” Ahlstrom is committed to attracting, retaining, and energizing passionate people by investing in professional development and personal growth. Our core values are accountability, a growth mindset, one team, care, and a fair and inclusive work environment for everyone, everywhere. The Production Engineer supports the Production Manager in the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the Fiber Department, working closely with operations, maintenance, environmental, and technical teams to optimize processes, improve performance, and drive continuous‑improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Production Manager in overseeing daily operation and performance of the Fiber Department.
• Promote a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with company safety policies and procedures.
• Monitor department performance indicators and identify opportunities for improvements in safety, quality, production, reliability, and cost.
• Assist in developing and implementing operating strategies to meet department and mill objectives.
• Analyze process data and operational trends to identify root causes of performance issues and implement corrective actions.
• Lead and support continuous‑improvement initiatives focused on productivity, efficiency, quality, and cost reduction.
• Work collaboratively with operators, supervisors, maintenance personnel, and technical resources to resolve operational challenges.
• Support outage planning, capital projects, and equipment reliability initiatives.
• Develop, maintain, and improve operating procedures, process documentation, and training materials.
• Assist with production planning, reporting, and departmental budgeting activities.
• Participate in incident investigations and root‑cause analyses.
• Support environmental compliance and sustainability initiatives within the department.
• Participate in the weekend duty rotation to provide support for facility operations during weekends and holidays.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to operating teams as needed.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Pulp & Paper Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, a related engineering discipline, or equivalent practical experience in the paper industry.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.
• Ability to work effectively in a team‑oriented manufacturing environment.
• Authorization to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship.

Preferred:

• Experience in pulp, paper, fiber processing, chemical manufacturing, or other industrial operations.
• Knowledge of fiber‑line operations, pulping processes, screening, washing, bleaching, or chemical recovery systems.
• Experience with process‑improvement methodologies such as Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma.
• Familiarity with JDE, PI System, DCS platforms, or other manufacturing systems.
• Previous engineering internship, co‑op, or manufacturing experience.

Working Conditions

• Combination of office and manufacturing environment.
• Frequent interaction with production operations and equipment in an industrial setting.
• Occasional after‑hours support during outages, startups, or operational events may be required.

About Ahlstrom

Ahlstrom is a global leader in combining fibers into sustainable specialty materials. Our purpose is to “Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World.” We aim to be the preferred sustainable specialty materials company for all our stakeholders. Our Filtration and Life Sciences, Food and Consumer Packaging, Protective Materials, and Performance Materials segments address global trends with safe and sustainable solutions. In 2025, net sales amounted to EUR 2.9 billion and we employ approximately 7,000 people worldwide.