Process Engineer

Description & Requirements

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) is the go-to leader and partner of choice in sustainable packaging. We are dedicated to creating efficient and scalable paper and packaging solutions to help solve complex packaging challenges. Guided by our values of safety, loyalty, integrity and respect, we are committed to delivering meaningful value for shareholders, customers, employees and the communities where we operate.

The Opportunity

Process Engineers are responsible for understanding, optimizing and managing from the technical perspective a process operating area and its assets. This job opportunity involves all of the process engineer traditional bodies of work, including solving problems regarding process reliability, waste reduction, operating efficiency, product quality, effective use of raw materials, and equipment efficiency for the operating area. Process engineers provide technical assistance to the operating departments to help drive and achieve the mill's goals and objectives for production schedule adherence, cost, and product quality in safe, environmentally sound, and sustainable manner.

How You Will Impact Smurfit Westrock

• Use material balances to identify process problems with transmitters and other equipment
• Serve as the owner and subject matter expert for the process area historian; PI-AF and Vision, including monitoring views, operating graphics, and pertinent process efficiency calculations.
• Ensuring that all data and documentation is accurate and up to date.
• Update and develop as needed process models and forecasting tools. This includes modeling change to predict future outcomes.
• Perform daily checks of production output and contributing factors
• Determine and implement process changes and/or trials to improve operating efficiency and performance and minimize variation
• Partner with operations, E&I, and Process Control Engineers to understand all processes and how teams and individuals are involved and impacted at each step
• Provide operators, other managers, and salaried employees with analytical support and problem-solving related to operating processes
• Drive continuous process improvement within an operating area through the coordination and management of raw material and other process trials (e.g., using an ingredient or process aid/chemical)
• Develop Process Book pages to capture insight into processes and equipment, including the creation of new PI tags (e.g., flow, pressure, temperature, and mode on the equipment)
• Troubleshoot unit operations, including pumps, control valves, heat exchangers, and reactor performance.
• Track and analyze data related to any trials, changes and continual production information to inform recommendations and decisions
• Gather and cleanse production and process data and perform statistical/analytical tests to uncover important variables and their impacts
• Generate production reporting, create process monitoring reports, and perform daily troubleshooting of the process
  
  

What You Need

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, or related engineering degree required.
• Experience in process and continuous engineering in a paper mill or related manufacturing environment determines the level we bring you in.
• VBA training preferred
• Work experience in the paper industry or similar industry through an internship or co-op preferred
• Proficient computer skills including experience Microsoft Office – Excel (including script and VBA macros), Outlook, PowerPoint, Word.
• Excellent problem-solving ability.
• Ability to communicate effectively across all departments.
• Regularly communicate process-related data to operations and management in an easily consumable manner.
• Deliver presentations to operations team and leadership providing an executive-level summary of Process Excellence projects.
  
  

Compensation Offered

• Pay (or pay range): $75,225 – $152,375 DOE (Junior, Intermediate, Senior levels)
• Bonus/Commission Eligible: Yearly Short-Term Incentive Program (STIP) Bonus based off metrics
  
  

Benefits Offered

Smurfit Westrock offers a variety of benefits and group health insurance options, the premium costs of which are currently shared by employees and WestRock (e.g., health, dental, vision, disability, flexible spending account, HSA, life insurance, paid time off, employee assistance program, matching 401K).

What We Offer

• Corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability, and excellence.
• Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities
• An attractive salary reflecting skills, competencies, and potential.
• A career with a global packaging company where Sustainability, Safety and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work.
  
  

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by state or federal law.

The salary range for this position is $69,375.00 - $115,625.00, depending on your role, level, and location. The range listed is also the expected pay for roles in Illinois and Colorado. The benefits for this role include short-term bonus incentive, health, dental and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts or health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and paid sick leave as required by applicable state/local law, 15 days of paid vacation, and 11 days of paid holidays, subject to annual change. Your pay will be based on factors such as your skills, experience, and education. To learn more about this posting, please contact your recruiter during the hiring process. You may apply online at Smurfit Westrock External Careers and the application window is expected to close by 30-Jun-2026.