Utility Operator - Corrugator

ND Paper•Middletown Township, PA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Utility Operator – Corrugator is a cross-trained, flexible production role that provides coverage across corrugator stations, including the splicer, bridge and preheaters, single facer, double backer, slitter/scorer, and knife/stacker. The operator fills in for breaks and absences, assists with roll changes and web threading, and identifies board quality issues before defective product reaches converting. The role is intended to provide the corrugator supervisor with a trained resource who can support production without leaving another station uncovered. The operator contributes to uptime, waste reduction, and quality by understanding the corrugator process and the causes of common board defects. This role also provides a development path toward full machine operator positions for employees who demonstrate mechanical aptitude and consistent performance. The position is based on the corrugator floor at a plant site. The work involves standing, walking, lifting, and bending throughout a full shift on a concrete production floor near continuously running machinery. The environment is hot and may include steam, heated rolls, noise, paper dust, and varying temperatures. Required PPE must be worn on the corrugator floor. Assigned shifts may include overtime and weekend coverage as production demands require.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent is preferred; equivalent manufacturing or production experience is considered.
Must be able to pass any pre-employment screening required by plant policy.
Ability to learn multiple positions on a high-speed corrugator and retain procedures across stations.
Mechanical aptitude and comfort working in a hot, fast-paced environment with large, moving machinery.
Basic math skills for counting, measuring, and reading order specifications.
Reliable attendance and willingness to rotate stations and shifts as production requires.
Ability to read and follow written work instructions in English.
Ability to ask for direction before improvising on unfamiliar tasks or adjustments.
Ability to stand, walk, lift, and bend throughout a full shift and regularly lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
Ability to work the assigned shift, including overtime and weekend coverage as production demands require.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in corrugated, paper, or heavy manufacturing.
Overhead crane or forklift certification; certification can be obtained on the job.
Bilingual English/Spanish communication.
Bilingual Mandarin/English/Spanish communication.
Ability to work independently across multiple corrugator stations after training.

Responsibilities

Demonstrate safety as a core value and actively lead the safe execution of work.
Rotate across corrugator stations as assigned and learn the correct operating procedures for each position.
Understand corrugator process flow and work across stations without disrupting production.
Assist with roll changes, including roll handling, paper webbing, and splice preparation.
Support preheater and wrap adjustments as directed by the machine operator or supervisor.
Progress through the training matrix toward independent qualification on multiple stations.
Refer adjustments outside the trained scope, including starch, heat, or pressure settings, to the operator or supervisor.
Provide break relief and absence coverage across assigned stations and respond promptly to coverage requests.
Assist with order changes by clearing the bridge, verifying roll setup, and checking slitter/scorer settings.
Support stacker and takeaway operations by removing and stacking finished sheets and clearing the runout table.
Stage paper rolls in the correct production sequence, report low-stock conditions, and move consumed cores.
Perform visual quality checks for warp, adhesion, caliper, and print or score placement where applicable.
Identify suspect board, communicate issues using the correct reason codes, and prevent defective board from passing to converting.
Complete required quality and production paperwork accurately, including downtime and waste reason coding.
Follow lockout/tagout, guarding, and PPE requirements; operate cranes or roll-handling equipment only when trained and certified.
Report near misses, unsafe conditions, equipment issues, and equipment anomalies promptly.
Maintain a clean corrugator floor by clearing trim scrap, managing paper dust, and keeping walkways clear.
Participate in scheduled safety training and toolbox talks.
Move paper rolls using carts, cranes, or forklifts when certified, in accordance with load limits and plant traffic rules.
Coordinate with warehouse staff or forklift operators when movement requires equipment beyond current certification.
Participate in shift handoffs, communicating machine issues, quality holds, and roll inventory concerns.
Meet role performance expectations for cross-training coverage, coverage response, waste contribution, attendance, quality catches, and safety compliance.