Position Title:
Data Scientist Associate
Category/Shift:
Salaried Full-Time
Physical Location:
Atlanta, GA,
The Job You Will Perform:
The Data Scientist Associate an important member of the Manufacturing Cost Innovation Team – an integral part of the International Paper Containerboard Manufacturing. Cost Innovation is a strategic, innovative, and cross-functional team that is focused on manufacturing data analytics and improving the company’s cost-competiveness thru non-capital opportunities. The Data Scientist Associate designs, develops, and sustains medium-complexity analytics solutions, tools, and data products that turn business needs into accurate, timely, and actionable insight. This role partners across functions to define requirements, translate them into technical specifications, and deliver scalable analytics capabilities that support better decisions, operational efficiency, and cost savings.
The successful candidate will:
- Design, develop, test, deploy, and maintain medium-complexity analytics solutions, reusable tools, dashboards, and data platforms.
- Collaborate with cross-functional partners to gather data and business requirements, clarify success criteria, and translate needs into technical specifications.
- Lead data validation, reconciliation, and quality checks to ensure the accuracy, completeness, reliability, and traceability of analytics outputs.
- Create and maintain clear technical documentation, analytics solution guides, data definitions, and user instructions.
- Manage multiple priorities and small projects; communicate status, risks, dependencies, and tradeoffs while delivering on agreed timelines.
- Mentor and support junior team members through technical guidance, code and solution reviews, knowledge sharing, and development coaching.
- Continuously improve analytics methods, development standards, automation, and capabilities across the organization.
An ideal candidate will have mathematical and statistical expertise, but also a natural curiosity and creative mindset (thinking out-of-the-box). The successful candidate will work from International Paper’s Advanced Analytics Center (A2C), which is located in Atlanta’s Technology Square community. The candidate will research and devise innovative statistical models for data analysis (focus: time series data). Integrate manufacturing data from a variety of sources such as Aveva PI Data Archive Tools, GE Proficy (Plant Applications), SQL databases, and SAP. Continual learning on the technical and organizational aspects of the role are expected.
The Skills You Will Bring:
- Bachelor’s degree in statistics, applied mathematics, engineering, computer science, or other related quantitative fields. Master’s degree or Bachelor’s degree in data science (or analytics) is required.
- Prior working experience with industrial Pulp & Paper containerboard manufacturing data is required.
- Strong SQL skills, including the ability to write, troubleshoot, and optimize database queries.
- Programming experience in Python, R, or a comparable language used for data analysis and analytics solution development.
- Hands-on experience with data visualization and business intelligence tools such as Tableau or Power BI.
- Working knowledge of data management, data cleaning, validation, reconciliation, and data-quality best practices.
- Strong analytical thinking, structured problem-solving, communication, collaboration, organization, and time-management skills.
- Ability to document technical solutions clearly and explain analytical findings to both technical and business audiences.
- The candidate must demonstrate a passion for continual learning and acceptance of working within a highly innovative, less-structured, environment where self-directed research and prototyping may be required.
- Must be able to work independently with little supervision, perform in a team environment, as well as effectively communicate with others.
- Willingness to travel as required, up to twenty-five (25) percent.
Competencies:
· Action Oriented · Customer Focus · Creativity · Leading by Influence · Technical Learning · Organizational Agility · Perseverance · Presentation &Communication Skills
The Benefits You Will Enjoy:
International Paper offers a benefits package that includes health, welfare and retirement plans including Medical, Dental, Life insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Short-term and Long-term Disability, 401(k), Company-funded retirement contributions, Paid Time Off, Education & Development (including Tuition Reimbursement), Student Loan Repayment Assistance, and Voluntary Benefits including insurance for home, auto, vision and pets
The Career You Will Build:
Leadership training, promotional opportunities
The Impact You Will Make:
We continue to build a better future for people, the planet, and our company! IP has been a good steward of sustainable practices across communities around the world for more than 125 years. Join our team and you’ll see why our team members say they’re Proud to be IP.
The Culture You Will Experience:
International Paper promotes employee well-being by providing safe, caring and inclusive workplaces. We have team members all around the world with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. These are our strengths. We are committed to creating a culture where all individuals are respected, valued, engaged and have an opportunity to do their best work every day. We invite you to bring your uniqueness, creativity, talents, experiences, and safety mindset to be a part of our increasingly inclusive and diverse culture.
The Company You Will Join:
International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC) creates sustainable packaging solutions that enable our customers, teammates and shareowners to thrive in an ever-changing world. We are a leader in corrugated packaging, partnering with customers across industries to protect what matters most, strengthen supply chains and create lasting value. Learn more at internationalpaper.com.
International Paper is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. International Paper complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact reasonable.accommodations@ipaper.com or (877) 973-3919.
