Production Engineer, Utilities

Ahlstrom-5; Kaukauna (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Ahlstrom is seeking a Production Engineer for our Utilities area to provide technical and operational support for mill utility systems, focusing on safe, reliable, and efficient operation of power boilers, steam headers, steam turbine generators, feedwater, air compressors, and effluent treatment.

You will work with operations and maintenance teams to troubleshoot problems and deliver sustainable improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical, Electrical, or related discipline or equivalent work experience.
• Experience in power generation, pulp and paper, chemical processing, or other heavy industrial environment.
• Strong technical knowledge or hands-on experience with industrial power boilers, steam systems, steam turbines and power generation, boiler feedwater systems, industrial water treatment, effluent or wastewater treatment systems.
• Demonstrated troubleshooting, data analysis, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively with operators, maintenance personnel, engineers, and leadership.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel.

Responsibilities

• Support the Production Manager and operating team in the daily performance of the Utilities Department.
• Monitor process performance and identify opportunities to improve safety, reliability, efficiency, capacity, and operating cost.
• Troubleshoot process and equipment issues and work with Operations and Maintenance to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
• Analyze operating data, process trends, equipment performance, and utility consumption to identify improvement opportunities.
• Support initiatives to optimize boiler efficiency, steam balance, turbine performance, water usage, chemical usage, energy efficiency, and effluent treatment performance.
• Develop and implement process improvements, operating strategies, and engineering solutions that improve overall Utilities performance.
• Provide technical support during equipment failures, process upsets, start-ups, shutdowns, and planned outages.
• Participate in root cause analyses and reliability improvement efforts involving critical utility equipment and systems.
• Partner closely with operations, maintenance, reliability, engineering, environmental, and safety teams.
• Support capital projects and equipment upgrades from development and design through installation, commissioning, and start-up.
• Assist with the development and improvement of operating procedures, process documentation, training materials, and standard work.
• Support environmental and regulatory compliance associated with boiler, water, wastewater, and utility operations.
• Build strong working relationships with hourly employees and leadership within a unionized manufacturing environment.
• Champion safe work practices and ensure engineering solutions support site safety standards and operational requirements.
• Participate in weekend duty or after-hours support as required for outages, startups, and significant operational events.

Skills

Troubleshooting

Data analysis

Problem solving

Communication

Organizational skills

Prioritization

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering or related discipline

Tools

PI System

DCS platforms

JDE

Process historians

Excel

Job description

Requisition ID5888-Posted11/10/2026-Protective Materials-Technical Materials BU-Thilmany Plant-Kaukauna- Posting Country (1)

You have a choice of where you want to work! We invite you along on our journey to Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World. We aim to attract, retain, and energize passionate people,like you, by investing in your professional development and providing opportunities for personal growth. Do your values align with ours? Accountability, Growth mindset, One team, Care and a fair and inclusive work environment for everyone, everywhere! We strive to meet the highest standards of corporate citizenship by protecting the health and safety of our team, safeguarding the environment, and creating a long-lasting, positive impact on the communities where we do business. Are you with us?!?

We are seeking a Production Engineer for our Utilities area to provide technical and operational support for our mill utility systems. This position will focus on the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the mill’s power boilers, steam headers, steam turbine generators, feedwater plant, air compressors, and effluent treatment plant.

The ideal candidate combines strong engineering fundamentals with hands-on knowledge of industrial utility operations and enjoys working directly with operations and maintenance teams to troubleshoot problems, improve reliability, optimize processes, and deliver sustainable improvements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the Production Manager and operating team in the daily performance of the Utilities Department.
• Monitor process performance and identify opportunities to improve safety, reliability, efficiency, capacity, and operating cost.
• Troubleshoot process and equipment issues and work with Operations and Maintenance to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
• Analyze operating data, process trends, equipment performance, and utility consumption to identify improvement opportunities.
• Support initiatives to optimize boiler efficiency, steam balance, turbine performance, water usage, chemical usage, energy efficiency, and effluent treatment performance.
• Develop and implement process improvements, operating strategies, and engineering solutions that improve overall Utilities performance.
• Provide technical support during equipment failures, process upsets, start-ups, shutdowns, and planned outages.
• Participate in root cause analyses and reliability improvement efforts involving critical utility equipment and systems.
• Partner closely with operations, maintenance, reliability, engineering, environmental, and safety teams.
• Support capital projects and equipment upgrades from development and design through installation, commissioning, and start-up.
• Assist with the development and improvement of operating procedures, process documentation, training materials, and standard work.
• Support environmental and regulatory compliance associated with boiler, water, wastewater, and utility operations.
• Build strong working relationships with hourly employees and leadership within a unionized manufacturing environment.
• Champion safe work practices and ensure engineering solutions support site safety standards and operational requirements.
• Participate in weekend duty or after-hours support as required for outages, startups, and significant operational events.

Qualifications Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineer, or a related engineering discipline or equivalent work experience supporting industrial Utilities or Powerhouse operations.
• Experience in power generation, pulp and paper, chemical processing, or other heavy industrial environment.
• Strong technical knowledge or hands-on experience with one or more of the following:
  • Industrial power boilers
  • Steam systems
  • Steam turbines and power generation
  • Boiler feedwater systems
  • Industrial water treatment
  • Effluent or wastewater treatment systems
• Demonstrated troubleshooting, data analysis, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively with operators, maintenance personnel, engineers, and leadership.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.
• Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and will not require current or future sponsorship for employment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Pulp and paper industry experience.
• Direct experience with high-pressure boilers, steam turbines, condensate and feedwater systems, water treatment, and industrial wastewater treatment.
• Experience with distributed control systems (DCS), process historians, and process data analysis.
• Experience with root cause analysis and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience supporting capital projects, commissioning, and equipment start-ups.
• Experience working in a unionized manufacturing facility.
• Familiarity with process control and manufacturing systems such as PI System, DCS platforms, and JDE.
• Experience supporting maintenance outages, equipment reliability, or capital projects.

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.

Ahlstrom is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal opportunity is a sound and just concept to which we are firmly bound. Ahlstrom will not engage in discrimination against, or harassment of, any person employed or seeking employment with our company based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, non-disqualifying disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law.
About Us.
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, and Protective Materials segments, along with the Performance Materials Cluster, address global trends with safe and sustainable solutions. Our net sales in 2025 amounted to EUR 2.9 billion and we employ some 7,000 people.