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Industrial Electrician at WestRock

WestRock Northampton, MA $40+/hour

Job Description

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) is a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions. We are materials scientists, packaging designers, mechanical engineers and manufacturing experts with a shared purpose: Innovate Boldly. Package Sustainably. Guided by our values of integrity, respect, accountability and excellence, we use leading science and technology to move fiber-based packaging forward.

Springfield MA - Industrial Electrician

The Opportunity:

We are searching for a skilled Industrial Electrician to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair electrical and mechanical industrial equipment in our corrugated packaging plant in Springfield, MA. The successful candidate will be qualified to troubleshoot and repair both electrical and mechanical components on large scale production machinery, participate in PMs, support continuous improvement initiatives, and adhere to all safety regulations. You will provide resolutions to mechanical and electrical problems on a wide variety of paper and packaging machinery to keep our plant running at peak performance.

What We Offer:
  • A career with a Fortune 500 company where Sustainability, Safety and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of your daily work.
  • Opportunities to advance and learn alongside accomplished leaders in the Corrugated Packaging industry. If you live for machine up time, come join our best-in-class maintenance team!
  • Opportunities to advance and learn alongside accomplished leaders in the Corrugated Packaging industry.
  • An attractive rate of pay and top-tier benefits, reflecting skills, competencies and potential. The rate for this role is up to $40 an hour.
  • You will work in a collaborative work environment where safety is our priority.
How You Will Impact Smurfit Westrock:

Focus on maintaining equipment in working order through preventive maintenance and troubleshooting mechanical and electrical failures in a fast-paced environment.
  • Enforce plant safety regulations and encourage employees to become safety conscious.
  • Perform scheduled preventive maintenance on electrical equipment, including motors, motor control centers (MCCs), transformers, switches, and wiring.
  • Diagnose, troubleshoot, and repair electrical faults in complex machinery such as corrugators, printing presses, die cutters, and material handling systems.
  • Troubleshoot and maintain Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) (e.g., Allen-Bradley, Siemens) and Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs).
  • Install, maintain, and calibrate various sensors, transducers, and measuring instruments.
  • Ensure all electrical installations and repairs comply with the National Electrical Code (NEC), local codes, and company standards.
  • Strictly adhere to Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures and other plant safety policies.
  • Maintain and repair high-voltage equipment and control systems.
  • Keep accurate records of all maintenance work performed, parts used, and system documentation.
  • Assist with the installation and commissioning of new production equipment and control systems.
  • Collaborate with mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic technicians to resolve complex operational issues.
  • Participate in root cause analysis of failures to implement corrective actions and improve machine reliability.
  • Provide support for mechanical maintenance tasks as needed to ensure production uptime including predictive and preventative maintenance.
What You Need to Succeed:
  • Minimum of 3-5 years of experience as an Industrial Electrician, preferably in a manufacturing environment (corrugated, paper, or heavy industry experience is a significant plus).
  • Proven experience working with 480V three-phase systems and various control voltages.
  • Proficiency with electrical test equipment (e.g., multimeters, ammeters, megohmmeters).
  • Expert knowledge of electrical schematics, blueprints, and wiring diagrams.
  • Strong aptitude for troubleshooting and programming PLCs and Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs).
  • Massachusetts Electrical license or the equivalent certification
  • Willingness to work on both mechanical and electrical projects.
  • Excellent safety awareness and commitment to safe work practices.
  • Strong mechanical aptitude and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and handle emergency repairs under pressure.
  • Excellent communication skills
  • High School Diploma or equivalent required; college degree or technical certification is a plus.
Physical Requirements:
  • Ability to stand, walk, climb, and lift up to 50 lbs. regularly.
  • Ability to work in a loud, fast-paced industrial environment, which may include exposure to heat, dust, and chemicals.
  • This role is primarily the first shift; however, the successful candidate must be willing to work shifts, weekends, and on-call as required to support operations.
The starting rate is$34-40 per hour based on experience, depending on your role, level, and location. The benefits for this role may include short-term bonus incentive, health, dental and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts or health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and paid sick leave as required by applicable state/local law, 10 days of paid vacation will be granted, and 11 days of paid holidays, subject to annual change. Your actual pay will be based on your work location and other factors, such as your skills, experience, and education. To learn more about the specific salary range for your preferred location, please contact your recruiter during the hiring process. You may apply online at and the application window is expected to close by 2/15 /26.

Candidates are required to undergo a drug screening after receiving a conditional job offer, but before starting employment.

$83k beats the market for Electricians nationally

National salary averages
$83k
↑ 33% vs typical mid-level
Entry
Mid
Senior
This job
$39k Market range (10th-90th percentile) $106k

Senior roles pay 67% more than entry—experience is well rewarded.

This is a strong offer—weigh total comp and growth potential.

Strong candidate leverage

High demand and responsive wages. Negotiate confidently on all fronts.

Hiring leverage
Candidate-favored
Wage leverage
Moderate
Mobility
High mobility

Who this leverage applies to

Stronger for: All experience levels

Where to negotiate

Base salary
Sign-on bonus
Title / level
Remote flexibility
Scope & responsibility
Start date / PTO

Likely Possible Unlikely

Use competing offers and timing to your advantage.

Does this path compound?

Job Growth →
High churn
Growth, flat pay
🚀 Compound
Growth + pay upside
⚠️ Plateau
Limited growth
Specialize
Experts earn more
Pay Upside →
Growth + pay upside

Both the field and your earnings can grow significantly.

+10%
10yr growth
81,000 openings projected annually—mostly replacing retirees and turnover.
Typical: High school diploma or equivalent

Openings come from turnover, not new growth. Differentiate to advance.

Labor data: BLS 2024