Overview As Senior Paper Materials Engineer you own critical supplier readiness and qualification for paper-based platforms, spanning materials trials, plant support, and manufacturing readiness. You collaborate across Procurement, Quality, Manufacturing, Regulatory, Sustainability, and Product Development to qualify materials and resolve performance issues. You will lead trials, root-cause analyses, and supplier transitions, applying deep converting expertise to ensure materials meet production and product requirements. This role offers hands-on plant engagement and opportunities to influence material performance at scale.
Compensation / Benefits- medical, dental, vision
- life insurance
- 401(k) with company matching
- paid vacation
- paid holidays
- tuition assistance
Responsibilities- Lead paper material qualification projects from supplier evaluation through testing, production trials, approval, and implementation
- Partner with Procurement on supplier assessments, alternative sourcing, transitions, and cost-saving opportunities
- Review specifications, capabilities, coating technologies, and performance requirements for food packaging
- Provide technical plant support, troubleshooting quality and efficiency issues related to materials and converting
- Plan and execute production trials, analyze results, conduct root-cause investigations, and recommend corrective actions
- Apply expertise in paper converting processes (forming, die cutting, printing, coating, laminating, slitting, packaging)
- Support material selection and specification development to ensure process and customer compatibility
- Maintain qualification records, testing documentation, and regulatory or customer compliance
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive qualifications and continuous improvement
- Communicate findings, risks, and recommendations to stakeholders and keep projects on track from qualification to commercialization
Key requirements- Senior-level experience supporting paper materials, coated paper, paperboard, fiber-based packaging, or paper converting
- Direct experience with converting paper for cups, lids, plates, or similar food packaging
- Ability to support manufacturing trials, supplier qualifications, material testing, plant troubleshooting, and cross-functional decision-making
- Strong understanding of how paper properties affect converting performance and product quality
- Willingness to travel up to 50% to plants, suppliers, trials, and qualification activities
- Strong communication, influencing, documentation, organization, and follow-through
- Ability to work independently in plant environments and provide practical technical recommendations
- strong communication
- influence and collaboration
- documentation and organization
- paper converting processes
- material testing and qualification
- root cause analysis
