Research, Innovation & Design Co-op Summer 2026 jobs in United States
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WestRock Company · 4 months ago

Research, Innovation & Design Co-op Summer 2026

WestRock is a company focused on sustainable packaging innovation for the beverage industry, and they are seeking a Research, Innovation & Design Co-op for Summer 2026. This role offers a collaborative work environment where the intern will support the Design team while gaining real-world experience in the packaging industry.

CommercialManufacturingPackaging ServicesPaper ManufacturingSustainability
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H1B Sponsor Likelynote

Responsibilities

Gaining proficiency in Artios CAD, SolidWorks 3D and Adobe Suite preferred
Professional proficiency of Microsoft Office products – Power Point, Word, Excel required
Advanced ability to understand 3D concepts
Proficiency in operation of equipment including CAD Tables and 3D printers
Ability to support the execution of graphic visuals, packaging layouts, mockups and marketing collateral with direction from teammates and Design Manager
Understands basic print processes and mock-up production work flow, including preparing files for Roland printing
Interest in carton manufacturing processes, Consumer Packaged Goods production processes, supply chains, automation and/or fit-for-use testing
Creative design generation: active participation in design ideation to support customer or platform innovation projects
Robust execution: maintains highest levels of customer satisfaction in managing design related responsibilities for key accounts and projects through timely and independent execution of deliverables including prototypes, white samples and graphic mock-ups
Effective and clear communication, including clear expectation-setting with stakeholders and articulation of design intent

Qualification

Artios CADSolidWorks 3DAdobe SuiteMicrosoft Office3D concepts understandingCAD Tables operation3D printers operationGraphic visuals executionPackaging layouts supportEffective communicationTime managementTeam collaborationProblem solving

Required

Professional proficiency of Microsoft Office products – Power Point, Word, Excel required
Advanced ability to understand 3D concepts
Proficiency in operation of equipment including CAD Tables and 3D printers
Ability to support the execution of graphic visuals, packaging layouts, mockups and marketing collateral with direction from teammates and Design Manager
Understands basic print processes and mock-up production work flow, including preparing files for Roland printing
Interest in carton manufacturing processes, Consumer Packaged Goods production processes, supply chains, automation and/or fit-for-use testing
Creative design generation: active participation in design ideation to support customer or platform innovation projects
Robust execution: maintains highest levels of customer satisfaction in managing design related responsibilities for key accounts and projects through timely and independent execution of deliverables including prototypes, white samples and graphic mock-ups
Effective and clear communication, including clear expectation-setting with stakeholders and articulation of design intent
You promote and uphold a safe, inclusive, customer-obsessed, collaborative, and high-performance team culture
You have a learning mindset and are eager to tackle complex tasks independently after initial introduction
You are accountable to the business stakeholders not only for excellent outcomes
You work well independently and within team environments
You have excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing
You're a planner. You are extremely organized, diligent and have a positive attitude to take on and execute projects and requests accurately and in a timely manner
You can manage a dynamic workload, prioritize and delegate to excel in a fast-paced environment

Preferred

Gaining proficiency in Artios CAD, SolidWorks 3D and Adobe Suite preferred
Completing or recently completed a bachelor's degree in industrial design, Packaging Design, Graphic Design, Design Engineering or specialized Engineering Degree based in mechanical engineering disciplines from an accredited institution is preferred

Benefits

Corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability and excellence
Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities

Company

WestRock Company

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Smurfit Westrock is the global leader of paper-based packaging solutions.

H1B Sponsorship

WestRock Company has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (7)
2024 (14)
2023 (25)
2022 (8)
2021 (24)
2020 (21)

Funding

Current Stage
Public Company
Total Funding
unknown
2023-09-12Acquired
2015-07-02IPO

Leadership Team

S
Samuel Shoemaker
President, Consumer Packaging
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Company data provided by crunchbase