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Process Engineer - Entry Level
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Based on Oregon data
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What they do
A Process Engineer solves problems related to the manufacturing and use of products, including chemicals, fuel, food, and clothing. Designs new products, improves existing ones, or develops new processes for better use of existing materials. May specialize in a chemical engineering process, such as making plastics, or in an industry such as health care.
$119,356 / year median in Oregon
+8% projected growth
Job Description
- Monitor process data from pulp mill, paper machine, stock preparation, chemical recovery, utilities, wastewater, and finishing areas to identify trends, losses, and improvement opportunities.
- Troubleshoot production, quality, reliability, and environmental issues using engineering principles, data analysis, and structured problem solving.
- Support optimization of furnish quality, refining, drainage, basis weight, moisture, chemical usage, steam, water, energy, and machine efficiency.
- Participate in mill trials, audits, root cause investigations, and follow-up actions to improve safety, quality, productivity, cost, and reliability.
- Create and maintain process documentation, operating guidance, process flow diagrams, balances, dashboards, reports, and technical summaries.
- Partner with operators and supervisors to understand constraints, improve process control, and reinforce consistent operating practices.
- Support projects through scope development, data collection, cost justification, commissioning, and performance validation.
- Work in alignment with safety standards, environmental requirements, quality systems, and regulatory expectations. Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)
- Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Paper Science, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related technical field.
- Interest in manufacturing, process optimization, pulp and paper operations, and hands-on technical problem solving.
- Ability to analyze data, interpret trends, draw conclusions, and recommend practical actions.
- Basic understanding of process safety, environmental compliance, process control, statistics, heat and mass transfer, fluid mechanics, and unit operations.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office; willingness to learn mill information systems, data historians, control systems, and reporting tools.
- Ability to work in an industrial environment and build effective relationships with hourly and salaried team members. What Will Put You Ahead
- Internship, co-op, or project experience in pulp and paper, chemical processing, manufacturing, utilities, wastewater treatment, or heavy industry.
- Exposure to Lean, Six Sigma, Statistical Process Control tools, reliability improvement, root cause analysis, statistical process control, or structured problem-solving tools.
- Familiarity with Kraft pulping, chemical recovery, papermaking, linerboard grades, recycled fiber, wet end chemistry, or process control systems.