R&D Product Development Co-Op

R&D Product Development Co-Op

Are you an Engineering or Sciences student looking for a new challenge in a Research & Development and Manufacturing environment? Do you have a desire to work on projects that impact company performance and improve the consumer experience? Do you want to work for a company that is innovative and driven by sustainability? If so, TC Transcontinental has an exciting Research & Product Development opportunity for you! Position starts in January 2026 with the potential to go 9 months to 1 year. Rate of pay is $25.00/hour. We offer relocation assistance & housing stipend.

About Us
TC Transcontinental has more than 7,000 employees in Canada, the United States, and Latin America. Headquartered in Montreal Canada, our total revenues are in excess C$2.0 billion in 2022. With our 3 business segments in Print, Media and Packaging we continue to optimize, transform, and grow while making impressions that count!

The Opportunity
Transcontinental Packaging designs and manufactures a wide variety of functional multi-layer packaging films used in food, medical and consumer markets. TC is known for pushing the boundaries on sustainable packaging. The R&D team seeks to fill a Co-op position for up to 12 months starting in January 2026. The ASTRA (Art Science Technology Research and Application) Center is located at the corporate R&D facilities in Menasha, WI. The ASTRA group provides physical and analytical testing along with pilot plant development trials to the corporate R&D team. The co-op will learn characterization techniques used to support product development and manufacturing and assist in operation of the pilot plant equipment. The position involves working alongside engineers, lab scientists, and experts in the field of flexible packaging. The position participates in the daily operation of the laboratory and pilot plant equipment, including maintaining a safe working environment.

Preferred Requirements

• Work experience in laboratory testing of packaging and related materials.
• Experience with the following manufacturing processes: blown and cast polymer film, extrusion or adhesive lamination, printing, heat sealing of flexible packaging, paper and board manufacturing.
• Experience with and/or working knowledge of the physical strength and analytical testing, failure analysis or related characterizations of packaging materials and structures.
• Experience with the following analytical instrumentation: molecular spectroscopy, thermal analysis, barrier testing, optical and electron microscopy, image analysis and processing, chemical extraction and various gas and liquid chromatography techniques.

• Communicates with Product Development Engineers to understand testing objectives and explanation of results.
• Conduct multiple chemical, structural and physical strength tests to investigate and predict performance attributes with the willingness to question data and unexpected outcomes.
• Assist pilot plant staff with the operation of state-of-the-art equipment.
• Participate on the safety committee and conduct all work in a safe manner.

• Effective verbal communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to read, interpret and implement complex instructions with minimal assistance.

• Basis understanding of statistics and data analysis.

• Ability to lift 50 lbs occasionally and up to 40 lbs routinely