Manufacturing Engineer

Your Job

Georgia-Pacific's Dixie Operations is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer for its Fort Smith, Arkansas facility. Our Manufacturing Engineers are responsible for ensuring the performance and efficiency of production lines, assets, and processes across the plant. As an essential member of the plant engineering staff, this role involves monitoring product line and asset KPIs to assess their effectiveness, supporting the resolution of short‑term asset issues, and developing long‑term strategies for operational success.

The successful candidate should approach work with a business‑owner mindset, excel at problem‑solving, and be eager to collaborate with others to enhance manufacturing assets and streamline production processes. This position is part of the Engineering Team, reporting to the Reliability Leader, and will work closely with technical engineering, maintenance execution, and various corporate teams.

The Fort Smith Plant is part of the Dixie brand plates and bowls paper products manufacturing operation. We are proud to safely manufacture quality products that have a competitive advantage and solid growth within the marketplace. We create a work environment that attracts, engages, and retains the best people. Our employees help others and the business reach their full potential, promoting our Principle‑Based Management culture to the work they do every day.

Our technology is state of the art, and we will bring the best team together to deliver for our customers, Georgia‑Pacific, and the Fort Smith community.

• Develop and implement data‑driven, short and long‑term strategies for all assigned product lines and areas; to include operating envelope, operator basic care, parts strategy, optimization, condition based monitoring, and predictive & preventative maintenance activities.
• Lead efforts to improve product line, asset, and area performance and reliability with regards to safety, environmental compliance, quality, utilization / efficiency, and cost effectiveness.
• Work with operators and maintenance to identify critical equipment hazards and mitigate the impact of human error where the highest levels of risk exist.
• Communicate with and help employees connect to our vision, priorities, and business objectives.
• Support operations teams with coaching operators on safe equipment operation, operator basic care, operating parameters, equipment changes / upgrades, and best practices.
• Work closely with operators and business partners to troubleshoot process, quality and equipment issues and evaluate and implement improvement ideas.
• Work closely with shift supervision to identify knowledge / operator capability gaps and provide support in developing / updating operating procedures.
• Lead the Root Cause Analysis process and execute effective corrective actions.
• Evaluate, approve, prioritize, and plan work orders, equipment repairs, and scheduled shutdowns.
• Operate as key leader and point of contact for projects in assigned areas. This includes business‑facing conversations, local contractor management, plant communication, use‑case creation and analysis, and initiating capital projects when required.
• Responsible for sound economic plans and decisions around maintenance activities and project spend.
• Perform GEMBA walks in the areas to improve employee engagement and maintenance performance.

• Bachelor's degree in an Engineering or related technical disciplines, OR at least four (4) years in a manufacturing or industrial operations environment.
• Experience troubleshooting and improving manufacturing equipment and processes.
• Experience with manufacturing equipment set‑up, operation, or repair.
• Must be able and willing to work in a food‑grade manufacturing plant environment, including extended periods of time in areas that may be noisy, non‑air‑conditioned, or unheated.
• Experience with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and/or Project).

• Experience working with paper converting, packaging, or other industrial manufacturing equipment.
• Experience in the pulp and paper industry.
• Experience with automation, conveyor & vision systems, and/or…