Chemical/Paper Engineer - All Mills

Packaging-Corporation-of-America; Jackson (AL); On-site; USD 86,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Three weeks vacation

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

401k with employer match

Life, AD&D, and disability insurance

Job summary

Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) is seeking a full-time Chemical Engineer in the Jackson, AL area. The role may be titled Process Engineer or Process Controls Engineer based on mill needs.

Responsibilities include improving safety, efficiency, and process performance across assigned areas, with opportunities to lead corrective projects and collaborate with cross-functional teams. The ideal candidate holds a Bachelor's in chemical or paper engineering, has 0–4 years of relevant experience,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical, paper engineering, or related field.
• 0-4 years of experience in process engineering or paper industry
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• Must have valid driver’s license
• Experience using AutoCAD, Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, and Project

Responsibilities

• Support mill safety, environmental, quality, and product safety in assigned process areas.
• Develop and maintain methods to track performance and identify savings opportunities.
• Optimize mill processes through studies, troubleshooting, lean projects, and continuous improvement.
• Analyze production, process, quality, and cost data to identify trends and support decisions.
• Coordinate with operations, maintenance, engineering, and outside resources for process modifications and capital projects.
• Additional duties as assigned by management.
• Process Control Engineer responsibilities: Provide control system direction and troubleshooting support.
• Plan, program, maintain, and improve PLC/DSC/HMI systems.
• Analyze control system performance to reduce costs and increase reliability.
• Support process improvement and capital projects through system design and installation.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Time management

Problem solving

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor’s degree in chemical or paper engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Microsoft Excel

Outlook

PowerPoint

Word

Project

Job description

Posted Monday, August 24, 2026 at 5:00 AM

As a Fortune 500 company, Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) is an ideas and solutions company. Our corrugated packaging business seeks to be the leader in helping our customers — large and small — package, transport and display products of all kinds. Our white paper business delivers Paper With Purpose by providing the highest level of customer service and operational excellence. We have approximately 15,000 team members in more than 100 locations in the United States that strive to meet the local needs of our customers. Our mission is to serve the needs of our customers, today and tomorrow, with products and services that exceed expectations for performance and environmental responsibility.

Chemical Engineer

We are seeking resumes for a full-time Chemical Engineer. This application may lead to two potential job titles depending on mill needs: a Process Engineer and a Process Controls Engineer. The primary responsibilities of both are detailed below.

Process Engineer

• Work safely and support mill safety, environmental, quality, and product safety expectations across assigned process areas.
• Reduce operational costs by developing and maintaining methods to track performance, identify savings opportunities, and improve planning effectiveness.
• Optimize mill processes through technical studies, troubleshooting processes, lean projects, technology implementation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Analyze production, process, quality, and cost data to identify trends, support business decisions, and improve operating performance.
• Coordinate with operations, maintenance, engineering, contractors, and outside resources to support process modifications, capital projects, and mill improvement efforts.
• Additional duties as assigned by management.

Process Control Engineer

• Work safely and support mill safety, environmental, quality, productivity, and control system reliability expectations across assigned process control areas.
• Provide technical direction, troubleshooting support, programming assistance, and control system solutions for operations, maintenance, engineering, and hourly electrical personnel.
• Coordinate the planning, programming, maintenance, and improvement of mill PLC, distributed control, quality control, HMI, and related process control systems.
• Analyze process and control system performance to reduce costs, improve quality, minimize process variation, increase production, and improve equipment reliability.
• Support process improvement and capital projects through system design, installation, startup, technology implementation, control tuning, and collaboration with operations, maintenance, and engineering teams.
• Additional duties as assigned by management.

Basic Qualifications:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical, paper engineering, or related field
• 0-4 years of experience in process engineering or paper industry
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• Must have valid driver’s license
• Experience using Auto Cad, Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, and Project

Preferred

• Familiarity with instrumentation and controls systems
• Experience in related fields or co-op/internships in paper industry
• Students that sign up for interviews during the Career Fairs and On-Campus Interview days at the schools listed below will be given first consideration.

Knowledge-Skills-Abilities

• Ability to work well under pressure and within time constraints, multi-task, and build sound relationships with both internal and external customers.
• Ability to exhibit excellent communication, analytical, organizational, and computer skills.
• Capable of independently making sound decisions through creative problem-solving, ambiguity, and change.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple requests simultaneously.
• Ability to read and understand technical correspondence, memos, instructions, and reports.
• Ability to apply skills to continuous process improvement while maintaining maximum levels of safety.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and abilities.
• Strong planning and follow up skills.
• Excellent people and process management skills.

* Currently a member of the paper foundation at the following schools: Auburn University, Georgia Tech University, University of Maine, Miami University (Ohio), University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, NC State University, SUNY ESF, University of Washington – Seattle, Western Michigan University, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, or currently enrolled at any State University or Technological University in the following states: AL, FL, GA, IL, ID, LA, MI, MN, MS, NC, ND, OH, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI.

Completing this application makes you eligible for consideration at any of PCA’s 10 mill locations as follows:

• Counce, TN
• International Falls, MN
• Jackson, AL
• Massillon, OH
• Tomahawk, WI

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Starting salary range for position: $86,000 - $90,000
• Paid Vacation: Three (3) weeks per calendar year. Pro-rata Vacation during the initial year of hire based upon start date within the calendar year.
• Paid Holidays.
• Within the first 30 days of employment, an employee (and their dependents) is eligible to enroll in certain benefit coverages -- medical, dental, and vision – and are automatically enrolled in life, AD&D, and disability coverages.
• Upon hire, an employee is automatically enrolled in the 401k plan. The plan offers both pre-tax and Roth contribution options along with employer provided matching contributions.
• Disclaimer: The Compensation and Benefits information in this posting represents PCA’s good faith and reasonable estimate of what it may pay for this position. The Company reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

PCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer