We're looking for Production Operatives to join our Packaging division, producing corrugated packaging solutions for customers across the FMCG, Pharmaceutical, Electronics and Industrial sectors.
As a Production Operative, you'll play a key role in ensuring our production lines operate safely, efficiently and to the highest quality standards.
What You'll Be Doing
- Safely operating production machinery in line with company procedures and Safe Systems of Work (SSOW)
- Maximising efficiency and minimising downtime
- Achieving productivity, performance and quality targets
- Completing cleaning and routine maintenance tasks as scheduled
- Reporting faults, hazards and safety concerns
- Supporting continuous improvement initiatives across the site
Safety First
Health and Safety is our number one priority. You'll be expected to follow safe working practices, report hazards and incidents, and actively contribute to creating a safe working environment for everyone.
What We're Looking For
- A strong commitment to safety
- Positive, self-motivated and enthusiastic attitude
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- A reliable team player
- Quality-focused with attention to detail
- Flexible approach to multi-skilled working
- Open-minded, adaptable and willing to challenge and be challenged
- Proactive mindset with a focus on continuous improvement
About us
We’re DS Smith, a company who are redefining packaging for a changing world. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. Today, we operate in more than 30 different countries, proudly employing over 30,000 people, and supporting customers across sectors like FMCG, industrial, and e-commerce. We deliver on quality, service, innovation, and added value to deliver market-leading sustainable packaging solutions our customers need. Our industry needs to transform, and we’re building the team to drive change across Europe and North America.
As a Safety‑first employer, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards across our operations. Our approach to safety means going beyond minimum legal requirements and focuses on continuously elevating how we work safely—every day, at every level. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a brief safety questionnaire as part of the selection process. This helps us ensure that everyone who joins our team shares our focus and commitment to design, operate and maintain injury-free workplaces for our employees and everyone who enters our facilities.
Skills Required
- Commitment to health and safety and following safe working practices (SSOW)
- Ability to operate production machinery safely and efficiently
- Ability to achieve productivity, performance and quality targets
- Ability to perform cleaning and routine maintenance tasks as scheduled
- Report faults, hazards and safety concerns promptly
- Positive, self-motivated and enthusiastic attitude
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Reliable team player
- Quality-focused with attention to detail
- Flexible approach to multi-skilled working and openness to continuous improvement
DS Smith Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about DS Smith and has not been reviewed or approved by DS Smith.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered okay to good across many roles, with some plants indicating competitive or above‑market hourly rates for operators and similar positions. This supports a broadly fair perception of base pay even as experiences vary by site.
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Healthcare Strength — U.S. offerings include day‑one medical/vision and dental, employer HSA contributions, and 100% company‑paid life and short/long‑term disability, alongside an EAP. Some role descriptions also highlight mental‑health and fertility options.
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Retirement Support — Packages commonly reference a 401(k) with company match and, in some locations, pension eligibility or company‑funded retirement contributions. This positions retirement benefits as a meaningful component of total rewards.
DS Smith Insights
What We Do
DS Smith provides innovative packaging solutions, paper products and recycling services with a commitment to sustainability and a circular economy. Our core purpose is to Redefine Packaging for a Changing World, and our expert teams work closely with like-minded partners to incorporate renewable resources for products that minimize our environmental impact, reduce complexity and increase profitability through supply chain optimization
