WestRock Company · 6 hours ago
Engineering Spring Intern/Co-op (2027), Mills
Florence County, SC
Internship
Onsite
Intern
Start in 2027 WinterWestRock Company is a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions. The Manufacturing Engineering Intern/Co-op will support operational, reliability, and process improvement initiatives in a paper mill manufacturing environment, gaining hands-on experience in engineering fundamentals and collaborating with various teams.
CommercialManufacturingPackaging ServicesPaper ManufacturingSustainability
Responsibilities
Apply engineering fundamentals to real-world manufacturing challenges
Analyze operational data and present findings to engineering and plant leadership
Participate in continuous improvement and cost-reduction initiatives
Follow and promote all plant safety rules and best practices
Collaborate with operations, maintenance, EHS, and engineering teams
Manage day-to-day activities of assigned roles, complete project tasks, and implement new processes
Analyze pulping and bleaching processes to improve yield, kappa control, and energy efficiency
Support optimization of chemical usage and recovery systems
Monitor and analyze process data to reduce variability and improve fiber quality
Assist with environmental compliance related to water, effluent, and emissions
Support paper machine performance optimization (throughput, quality, runnability)
Analyze process variability and conduct root cause analysis of breaks or defects
Support trials related to fiber blends, additives, and operating conditions
Evaluate energy usage in dryer sections and recommend efficiency improvements
Support boiler, turbine, and steam distribution system optimization
Analyze energy usage and support energy reduction initiatives
Assist with water balance studies and process water optimization
Support reliability improvements for critical utility assets
Perform root cause failure analysis (RCFA) on equipment issues
Support preventive and predictive maintenance programs
Analyze maintenance and downtime data to improve asset reliability
Assist with outage planning and execution
Support PLC, DCS, and SCADA systems
Assist with troubleshooting instrumentation and control loops
Analyze process control data to improve stability and throughput
Support automation, digitalization, and control modernization projects
Qualification
Required
Candidates must be actively enrolled in an accredited engineering college/university program pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Paper Science/Engineering, or a related discipline
Ability to work effectively in an industrial manufacturing environment
Be able to Maintain strict adherence to safety rules and regulations
Ability to commit to a full-time work schedule for the duration of the co-op
Demonstrate an interest, willingness, and drive to learn new things; seek to understand concepts, processes, and ideas within area of functional expertise
Excellent verbal and written communication skills: Clearly exchanges thoughts, ideas, and messages through written, verbal, and non-verbal methods that promote an understanding with the target audience; listens carefully and attentively
Strong attention to detail and Problem-Solving: Identifies and analyzes problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes recommendations; demonstrates tackling a problem by using a logical, systematic, or sequential approach
Ability to organize and prioritize workload: Plans, arranges and/or monitors work to ensure achievement of desired results; establishes a systematic course of action to accomplish objectives
Demonstrates agility, flexibility, and a willingness to modify one's approach to achieve desired results; responds quickly to changing demands, processes, and updated information
Collaboration: Works effectively with others to complete a task or achieve a common objective; ability to cooperate in both interpersonal and team relationships to foster enthusiasm and maintain mutual trust, candor, and respect for others
Benefits
A culture based on safety, loyalty, integrity, and respect.
Hands-on engineering experience in large-scale industrial operations
Mentorship from experienced manufacturing engineers
Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities
Exposure to a global organization where Safety, Sustainability, and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work.
Company
WestRock Company
Smurfit Westrock is the global leader of paper-based packaging solutions.
Founded in 1953
10001+ employees
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 CompanyTotal Funding
unknown2023-09-12Acquired
2015-07-02IPO
Leadership Team
S
Samuel Shoemaker
President, Consumer Packaging
Recent News
2026-01-09
Company data provided by crunchbase