Principal Engineer

Clearwater Paper; Lewiston (ID); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive total rewards

Job summary

Clearwater Paper seeks a Principal Engineer to act as the main subject matter expert for paperboard production across multiple machines, driving reliability, lean improvements, and capital projects. You will lead with plant managers and machine teams to deploy productivity initiatives and safety programs while collaborating with engineering, operations, and procurement.

The role emphasizes cross-functional leadership, strategic planning for 5+-year horizons, and strong data-driven decision

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.
• 10+ years in paper machine production and process engineering.
• 5+ years budgetary responsibilities.
• Experience in the paper industry is required.
• Experience across manufacturing, commercial (sales) or vendor management.
• PM/TPM or Six Sigma certifications are desirable.
• Willing to travel 10–20% of the time.

Responsibilities

• Lead with plant managers to deploy production asset reliability strategy.
• Identify lean opportunities and apply root cause analysis.
• Manage capital projects from machine management to safety programs.
• Collaborate with procurement and manufacturing on vendor agreements.
• Coach and develop engineering and operations capability.

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering

10+ years in paper machine production

5+ years budgetary responsibilities

Experience in paper industry

Experience in manufacturing, sales or vendor management

PMP/ TPM / Six Sigma desired

Travel 10-20%

Tools

MS Office Suite

BI databases

Job description

Overview

Where you will work

What you will do

The Principal Engineer serves as the primary subject matter expert in paperboard production across a diverse portfolio of paperboard production machinery capable of producing the full spectrum of products. This role is responsible for leading in collaboration with the plant managers and paper machine teams, the development and deployment of production asset reliability strategy integrating technical support, product development, quality systems and predictive maintenance programs with a focus on improving productivity and operating efficiencies. As one of the technical leaders, the Principal Engineer will be called upon to lead short & long-term process improvement and capital projects ranging from machine management to environmental and safety programs. This role is also responsible for collaborating with the plants to assist with operations, outages, maintenance, technical analysis, safety, and engineering & operations capability development.

Technical and Operational Consultation

• Serves as principal internal subject matter expert to support in identifying and resolving paper machine operations and process related opportunities, leveraging lean manufacturing tools, root cause analysis, and other troubleshooting methodologies
• Research, identify and develop projects and process improvement areas to support improvement in paper board production & product development
• Collaborate across the company to gain alignment as a subject matter expert
• Develop & execution project plans supporting the 5+ year strategy for paper machines
• Serve as principal contact to outside contractors and service providers, providing leadership and direction delivering projects and services within budget and time constraints

Continuous Improvement

• Champion a culture of continuous improvement
• Identify opportunities to improve overall performance through development and deployment of maintenance standards; process engineering, machine design/layout
• Support product quality systems and process documentation throughout manufacturing footprint delivering consistent products with a commitment to meeting and exceeding customer expectations as a preferred SBS board supplier
• Leverage engineering technical expertise through collaboration with sales & marketing to identify market opportunities by providing technical insights into asset capabilities
• Communicate identified best practices and ensure long term application across the network
• Organizes and manages chemical and clothing vendor agreements in conjunction with procurement and manufacturing

Engineering and Production Capability Building

• Foster an operating environment that encourages employee engagement through demonstration and modelling of Clearwater Paper's Core Values
• Drive a culture of technical collaboration throughout Paper Machine Superintendents, Supervisors, & Process Engineers
• Enable technical and quality sustainment plan by promoting developing and transferring knowledge across departments

Key Competencies & Attributes

• Strong capability in capital project planning and management with strong analytical skill to leverage data to drive quantitative and analytically based business decisions and take smart risks
• Demonstrated leadership courage to identify and communicate project risks; develop, align resources and communicate countermeasures to mitigate risks
• Able to think strategically and act tactically, hands on
• Demonstrated ability to lead in a matrixed and highly collaborative environment to influence change and core processes
• Confidence in dealing with ambiguity; bringing different perspectives to light and rallying others to aligned goals and objectives
• High degree of business curiosity; quick learner with a proactive and agile mindset
• Optimistically looks toward future for opportunities to innovate and improve
• Exceptional communication skills (written and verbal); leading and presenting complex materials for various audiences
• Demonstrated experience in influencing across diverse team- creating a vision, strategy, gaining alignment, developing plans and tactics to ensure delivery
• Demonstrated strong change management skills; aligning and bringing others along- act to improve culture, process, products
• Demonstrated ability to understand the organizational impact in decision making; see the big picture and put it into action plans
• Ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy while ensuring alignment across multiple stakeholders, self-starter with ability and desire to collaborate with teams

What you will need

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, or related field
• 10+ years of progressive responsibility in paper machine production - process engineering and manufacturing
• 5+ years budgetary responsibilities (Project or Operating Budget)
• Experience in paper industry required
• Experience in both manufacturing, commercial (sales) or vendor management required
• Certifications in Project Management, TPM or Continuous Improvement (Six Sigma Green Belt/Blackbelt) desired but not required
• Certified Project Management (PMP) and change management methodologies preferred
• Demonstrated commitment to ongoing personal development through continuing education, coaching, and developing others
• Highly adept performing at a fast pace communicating and collaborating across multiple stakeholders
• Confident and proficient in navigating in an automated environment with proficiency in MS Office Suite, multiple business intelligence databases
• High speed manufacturing environment, sustained exposure to high frequency noises, multiple hours standing, walking on concrete surfaces
• Personal Protective Equipment required in mill environment
• Dirt, noise, odor, & temperature extremes
• Climbing stairs, ladders, and scaffolding
• Exposure to hazardous chemicals used in manufacturing process
• Travel approximately 10-20% of the time

Total Rewards Details

We prioritize an exceptional workplace experience, offering a comprehensive total reward package. This position is eligible for our Incentive Plan. Compensation ranges are estimates based on market data. Actual offers account for internal equity and candidate's job-related knowledge, skills, education, experience, and geographic location. Benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and more, generally begin after 30 days. Our paid time off will include vacation days, personal days, and company holidays. For more on our compensation philosophy, please reach out to our Talent Acquisition Team at [e-mail].

Equal Employment Opportunity

Clearwater Paper will not offer sponsorship for employment-based visa status for this position. All applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis and must not require Clearwater Paper's sponsorship to continue to work legally in the United States.

#ClearwaterPaper #Lewiston

This role will be open for a minimum of 2 weeks or at the point a successful candidate is selected.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities – This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.