2026 Georgia-Pacific Dixie Products Engineering Co-Op

Georgia-Pacific's Dixie products manufacturing facility located in Darlington, SC is seeking a Engineering Co-Op reporting to the Technical Leader of the Darlington facility.

Our Co-Op opportunities offer hands-on experience in a fast-paced, high-volume production environment. The successful candidate will support engineering projects that optimize manufacturing processes, improve product quality, and enhance operational efficiency.

The ideal candidate for this role will be a current engineering student interested in gaining experience within a manufacturing setting. We are seeking students with a strong sense of ownership, are motivated by solving problems, and have a passion for working with others. This position will work closely with engineering, maintenance, and operations team members and have a real impact on the success of the facility.

The Darlington Dixie plant has been in operation for nearly 85 years and is one of the largest employers in Darlington County. Owned by Georgia-Pacific, the site boasts more than 450 employees and produces plates, bowls, and other tableware products. Affectionately known as "Dixie Cup" by many in Darlington - the plant shifted its focus to exclusively making plates and bowls in 2020 as part of a major facility upgrade and expansion project. For nearly a century, we've created products that make lives easier. From the first disposable paper cup to our strong and stylish modern plates, the history of Dixie is one of bringing people together.

• Develop and implement comprehensive asset strategies for all assigned assets; to include operating envelope, operator basic care, parts strategy, optimization, condition based monitoring, and predictive & preventative maintenance activities.
• Lead efforts to improve asset 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 customers 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, and prioritize equipment repairs and scheduled shutdowns; initiating capital projects as needed.
• Perform GEMBA walks in the areas to improve employee engagement and maintenance performance.

• High School Diploma or GED and at least a 1-year of post-high school education towards a higher-level degree program in engineering or engineering technology.
• Must be able and willing to work in a food-grade manufacturing plant environment, including extended periods of time in areas which may be noisy, non-air conditioned, or unheated areas.
• Must be able to work onsite in either a part-time or full-time capacity depending on school schedule.