Senior Staff Mechanical Engineer

Packaging Corporation of America; Lake Forest (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Packaging Corporation of America is seeking a Senior Staff Mechanical Engineer to lead engineering projects for our manufacturing plants and papermills. This is a hands-on role working with leaders and skilled teams to bring innovative solutions to life, with a focus on delivering high-impact projects on time and within budget.

Location is Flexible across the Lower 48 states with 80% travel; relocation is not required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related field.
• 10+ years in industrial paper, corrugating, or design engineering.
• Strong communication and leadership skills with the ability to influence and collaborate.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and AutoCAD (or similar).
• Ability to travel extensively (80%).

Responsibilities

• Project Engineering: develop, evaluate, and propose solutions, create project scopes and budgets, write vendor/contractor scopes and specifications, evaluate proposals and make recommendations.
• Construction Management: create project schedule, coordinate with the plant or papermill personnel, and supervise contractors.
• Technical Support: troubleshoot and solve equipment downtime and production issues.
• Project Management: lead capital and maintenance projects from concept to completion-planning, design, budgeting, implementation, and troubleshooting.
• AutoCAD: creating drawings, general arrangements, concept layout, piping schematic/iso, basic civil/structural construction drawings.
• Develop actionable recommendations using sound engineering judgment.
• Coordinate and supervise contractors and engineering teams on diverse projects.
• Deliver projects on time and within budget while maintaining high-quality standards.
• Prepare reports and presentations based on data analysis and project outcomes.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Travel readiness

Independence

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Microsoft Office

Job description

Location: Flexible (Lower 48 States) | Travel: 80% | Relocation: Not Required

Are you ready to take your engineering expertise on the road and make a real difference? As a Senior Staff Mechanical Engineer at PCA, you'll play a critical role in driving projects that shape the future of our manufacturing plants and papermills. This is a hands-on position where you'll work side-by-side with leaders and skilled teams to bring innovative solutions to life.

If you thrive on solving complex challenges, collaborating with the best in the industry, and seeing your work make an immediate impact, this is the opportunity for you.

What You'll Do

• Project Engineering - develop, evaluate, and propose solutions, create project scopes and budgets, write vendor/contractor scopes and specifications, evaluate proposals and make recommendations.
• Construction Management - create project schedule, coordinate with the plant or papermill personnel, and supervise contractors.
• Technical Support - troubleshoot and solve equipment downtime and production issues.

• Project Management - lead capital and maintenance projects from concept to completion-planning, design, budgeting, implementation, and troubleshooting.
• AutoCAD - creating drawings, general arrangements, concept layout, piping schematic/iso, basic civil/structural construction drawings.
• Develop actionable recommendations using sound engineering judgment.
• Coordinate and supervise contractors and engineering teams on diverse projects.
• Deliver projects on time and within budget while maintaining high-quality standards.
• Prepare reports and presentations based on data analysis and project outcomes.

What We're Looking For

• Education: Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related.
• Experience: 10+ years in industrial paper, corrugating, or design engineering environments.
• Strong communication and leadership skills with the ability to influence and collaborate.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and AutoCAD (or similar).
• Ability to travel extensively (80%) - minimum 3 weeks per month.
• Organized, self-driven, and capable of working independently or as part of a team.

Why Join PCA?

• Work on high-impact projects that shape the future of our operations.
• Collaborate with industry leaders and skilled professionals.