Machine Room Assistant Superintendent

Job Description & Duties:

Lead Master Paper-Maker and supervisors for daily task completion. Monitor run condition, maintenance needs, and daily issues with paper machines. Help Lead trouble-shooting efforts in the paper mill, starch supply system, steam and condensate systems. Lead with product quality; provide input on process development & optimization. Plan and direct shutdowns, coordinate trials with quality, and communicate with vendors to improve chemical as well as mechanical paper machine functioning. This list is not all inclusive, and additional job duties may be assigned as needed.

• Safety & Compliance:

• Monitor compliance for Safety, Quality, Efficiency, Cost, and Productivity; create and execute action plans to correct items falling outside expected norms.

• Ensure compliance with mill safety and environmental requirements, including supporting department safety and production goals and resolving safety, environmental, quality, or operational issues.

• Assistance with special projects and emergent action teams.

• Quality Control & Record-Keeping:

• Oversee operator learning and decisions that deliver measurable and sustainable improvements in manufacturing efficiency, internal/external quality performance, and speed.

• Lead input for department goals and objectives and provide supervisor coverage as needed.

• Equipment Operation & Process Control:

• Develop/implement initiatives to improve availability by optimizing additives, delivery systems, best practices, fiber sources, refining, and all measured executables.

• Day-to-day process monitoring and process troubleshooting.

• Periodic weekend duty coverage.

• Assist in training operators for the future success of the mill.

• Maintenance & Troubleshooting:

• Help/support planning and execution of longer-term process system outages and generate equipment outage reports.

• Plan, coordinate, and execute daily equipment maintenance activities, such as work order generation.

• Manage Machine Room Capex planning.

Qualifications and Competencies:

• Bachelors degree in Paper Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field; equivalent combination of education and hands-on mill experience will be considered.
• 2+ years of experience in a pulp and paper, or similar heavy-manufacturing/process industry, preferred.
• Working knowledge of papermaking processes, wet-end chemistry, refining, and machine room equipment.
• Experience with maintenance planning systems (CMMS/work order systems) and basic capex/budget processes.
• Familiarity with mill safety and environmental compliance requirements (OSHA, EPA, or equivalent).
• Proficiency with standard office and data/reporting software (Excel, mill process control systems, etc.).
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills; able to diagnose process and equipment issues quickly and drive corrective action.
• Effective leadership and coaching ability - comfortable directing and developing operators.
• Clear written and verbal communication for shift handoffs, outage reports, and cross-department coordination.
• Sound judgment and decision-making under time pressure, especially during outages or safety events.
• Organized and detail-oriented, able to manage multiple concurrent priorities (daily troubleshooting, planning, reporting).
• Collaborative team player who can also work independently with minimal supervision.
• Continuous-improvement mindset - actively looks for efficiency, quality, and cost opportunities.

Work Environment:

• Primarily a manufacturing mill floor environment with exposure to noise, heat, humidity, moving machinery, and chemicals typical of a paper mill.
• Required use of PPE (hearing protection, safety glasses, steel-toe boots, etc.) per mill safety standards.
• Some time spent in an office/control room setting for planning, reporting, and data review.
• Must be able to walk, stand, climb stairs/ladders, and work at heights or in confined areas as needed to access equipment.
• Schedule includes periodic weekend duty coverage and availability to respond to off-hours equipment or process issues.
• Fast-paced, deadline-driven environment during outages and emergent situations.