DS Smith
Process Development Engineer
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Location: Europe (regular travel across our Paper Mills, ~40%)
About The Role
Make a Real-World Impact
At DS Smith, we’re redefining what’s possible in paper and packaging by designing for circularity, accelerating innovation, and partnering with customers to eliminate waste and reduce carbon across value chains. As a Process Development Engineer, you’ll help us push boundaries in process chemistry, enabling smarter, cleaner, and more efficient papermaking across our mill network.
Key Responsibilities
- Optimise process chemistry at scale — lead audits, process mapping, data analysis, and trials (lab and mill) to enhance charge balance, drainage/retention, zeta potential control, and water system performance.
- Model to improve — build or adapt process models, interpret results, and translate insights into on-site changes and measured benefits.
- Run the Process Chemistry Working Group — schedule and facilitate sessions, document actions, track benefits, and share best practices across mills.
- Partner with suppliers — benchmark chemistries, evaluate samples, define test methods, and co-develop world-class applications with Procurement and R&D colleagues.
- Enable capability — deliver training and hands-on coaching for mill teams on process understanding, modeling, and best available practices.
- Drive change — help shape the strategy for process chemistry within Group R&D alongside the Materials Performance Lead.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
About You
Education:
- Degree in Chemistry, Papermaking, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
Experience:
- Previous experience in technical applications within the paper industry or a paper chemicals supplier.
- Experience in a paper mill production environment.
- Technical depth: Hands-on know-how in charge balance, drainage & retention, zeta potential, fibre/water measurements, and lab-to-mill method transfer.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Ways of working:
- Data-driven problem solving
- Structured experimentation
- Clear communication
- Strong stakeholder management
- A practical “get it done” mindset
To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.
Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas, and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location