R&D Engineer

From a small family business to a multi-billion-dollar global company, Sonoco has been changing the face of products and packaging since 1899 — all while keeping the heart of “People Build Businesses” alive.

Our talented people are at the core of our growth, constantly reinventing the Sonoco wheel with brilliant solutions every year. Today we are a world leader in global packaging solutions with diversified operations in over 34 countries. We're extremely proud of our portfolio of brands, our achievements in sustainability and industrialization and the groundbreaking work accomplished by our people.

We are seeking a high-caliber R&D Engineer to bridge the gap between applied mechanics and real-world performance. In this role, you will serve as a technical lead in characterizing material behavior and product performance—specifically paper and paper products—using a sophisticated blend of experimentation and advanced Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Applied mechanics is a strategic technology platform at Sonoco. This platform has generated significant profit over the past 70 years. Many proprietary mechanics R&D findings have been incorporated into business IT systems that are routinely used globally.

Key Responsibilities

Advanced Simulation: Develop and execute complex linear and non-linear FEA models to predict structural behavior and optimize product performance.

Material Characterization: Lead paper mechanics analysis, utilizing first-principles and simulation tools to evaluate both legacy products and next-generation prototypes.

Experimental Synergy: Design experiments and perform rigorous statistical analysis on empirical data to validate and refine computational models.

Continuous Innovation: Proactively challenge legacy methodologies and workflows to drive efficiency, accuracy, and technical excellence.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with multi-disciplinary technical teams to translate simulation insights into actionable design improvements.

Identify Project Opportunities: Understand business needs and priorities. Using a fundamental knowledge of applied mechanics, collaborate with colleagues to propose, plan, develop and execute R&D projects to significantly improve profitability.

Core Qualifications

• Deep expertise in solid and experimental mechanics; a background in composite materials is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in commercial finite element environments (preferably Abaqus) and associated numerical analysis toolsets.
• Strong background in statistical data analysis with a detail-oriented approach to interpreting complex datasets.
• Strong command of Fortran for legacy code maintenance and Python for modern application development.
• Skilled in applying engineering intuition to solve complex problems where standard academic theory may fall short.
• Working with a high level of autonomy while maintaining a collaborative spirit, a proven ability to take full project ownership, including planning, budgeting, and execution.
• Skillful at articulating technical findings to both specialized and non-technical stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, Sonoco operations and marketing.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

MS in Mechanical Engineering, Applied Mechanics, Materials Science, related field.

A minimum of 5 years of proven expertise in mechanical and structural analysis, spanning both computational simulation and experimental validation.

Preferred Qualifications

PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Applied Mechanics, Materials Science, or related field.

3 years of proven industry track record in structural analysis and experimental validation.

Experience in linear and nonlinear Finite Element analysis.

Compensation

This is a progression position, and can be a Level I, II, III, or IV, depending on experience and business needs. The annual base salary range for this role is as follows:

• Research & Development Engineer I: $73,280 - $82,440.
• Research & Development Engineer II: $88,000 - $99,000.
• Research & Development Engineer III: $107,440 - $120,870, plus an annual target bonus of 7.5% of base salary
• Research & Development Engineer IV: $122,320 - $137,610, plus an annual target bonus of 7.5% of base salary
  
  

At Sonoco Products Company, we offer a comprehensive total rewards package, including competitive pay and benefits. *Benefits listed below are for employees located in the U.S. Specific benefits and wellbeing programs may vary depending on your location (within the U.S. or global), or if you are a union employee.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, including FSA and HSA options
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Wellbeing tools and resources to support holistic health, including an Employee Assistance Program with a variety of services
• Paid time off and holidays to recreate, rejuvenate and care for the health of yourself and family
• Variety of company paid and voluntary employee-paid insurance plans including life, personal accident, and disability insurance
• Tuition reimbursement
  
  

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.