People • Customers • Trust

At Packaging Corporation of America (PCA), we think of ourselves as more than a box manufacturer. We are an ideas and solutions company. We seek to be the leader in helping our customers — large and small — package, transport and display products of all kinds. It just happens to be that corrugated products are our area of expertise.

At PCA, you’ll find the best people in the industry operating in a “golden rule” culture. We actively promote mutually rewarding relationships with each other and our customers by advocating respect for every individual, ethical and fair practices, and the highest standards in what we say and do. PCA is proud to have a highly skilled and experienced team leading the way.

As one of the largest producers of containerboard and corrugated packaging products in the U.S., PCA offers customers broad expertise and economies of scale, while our multiple plant locations let us rapidly meet the local needs of our customers.

Co-op Mechanical Engineer 3 Openings

This position is 3 rotating terms and the understanding that you sign up in the co-op program at your school.

1 Project Mechanical Engineering co-op starting their rotation in Fall 2026.

1 Project Mechanical Engineering co-op starting their rotation in Spring 2027.

1 Reliability Mechanical Engineering co-op starting their rotation in Fall 2026.

You will work in Project Engineering (Capital Projects) or Reliability (Maintenance). We need 1 of each.

Project Engineer Co-Ops:
You will be immersed in a high-energy, innovative culture – doing meaningful work, managing projects, and making decisions from the moment you walk into the Mill. Your daily interactions with PCA personnel in Engineering and Operations will sharpen your communication skills and strengthen your leadership qualities.

You will work on various Capital projects throughout the mill. Each semester will be different due to mill outages timeframes and the different projects. You will learn the project process starting from the funding request through completion of the job. Skills learned or improved will be planning/estimating, introduction to engineering design, contractor field oversight, AutoCAD, PCA’s CMMS program called TRIDENT, Microsoft Office, working with multi-discipline teams, etc.

Reliability Co-Ops:
You will be immersed in a high-energy, innovative culture – doing meaningful work, managing projects, and making decisions from the moment you walk into the Mill. Your daily interactions with PCA personnel in Maintenance and Operations will sharpen your communication skills and strengthen your leadership qualities.

As a reliability co-op you will be mentored by Area Reliability Engineers as a resource on daily troubleshooting issues. Work on special project assignments with Reliability Engineers. This will teach you responsibility and develop communication skills.

You will Focus on predictive and preventive maintenance techniques to improve equipment reliability. Examples are lubrication techniques, optical alignment and vibration analysis. You will learn best practice maintenance and assist in root cause failure analysis process to resolve equipment failures.

You will have the opportunity to work a variety of equipment and have the to explore a wide range of working environments.

Second and third term students will be assigned additional job duties to further their development.

Basic Qualifications:

Must be currently enrolled at Mississippi State University, The University of Mississippi, Auburn University, University of Alabama, University of Maine, University of Cincinnati, University of North Carolina State, Texas A&M University, University of Miami Ohio, Tennessee Technology University, or any University of TN and majoring in Mechanical Engineering or a related field and have completed the freshman year. A minimum grade point average of 3.0/4.0 is required and must be a permanent U.S. resident.

Preferred: Students that sign up for interviews through University during the Career Fairs and On-Campus Interview days will be given first consideration.

• Starting salary for position: $26-$30 per hour

• Paid Holidays.
Within the first 30 days of employment, an employee (and their dependents) is eligible to enroll in certain benefit coverages
• - medical, dental, and vision – and are automatically enrolled in life, AD&D, and disability coverages.
• Upon hire, an employee is automatically enrolled in the 401k plan. The plan offers both pre-tax and Roth contribution options along with employer provided matching contributions.
• Disclaimer: The Compensation and Benefits information in this posting represents PCA’s good faith and reasonable estimate of what it may pay for this position. The Company reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

PCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer