At RYAM’s Jesup, Georgia facility, automation and reliability are critical to maintaining consistent, high-performance operations. For Iniubong Unah, a senior Electrical Engineering student at Georgia Southern University (Class of 2026), this environment provided the opportunity to move beyond theory and contribute to real-world operational improvements.
Delivering Measurable Improvements
During the summer of 2025, Iniubong joined RYAM as a Process Control & Electrical Maintenance Intern, where he focused on strengthening system reliability and improving how data is used to support decision-making. His contributions included:
- Standardizing Network Performance: Led efforts to standardize PLC Ethernet module configurations using Smart Asset, helping reduce inconsistencies across the control system and supporting more stable network performance.
- Enabling Data-Driven Maintenance: Built reliability dashboards that highlighted equipment failure trends, allowing teams to identify issues earlier and prioritize root cause analysis.
- Improving Maintenance Efficiency: Streamlined preventive maintenance workflows and inventory tracking in SAP, improving asset visibility and supporting more proactive planning.
These initiatives contributed to more consistent operations, faster troubleshooting, and improved coordination between maintenance and engineering teams.
Iniubong credits mentors Artie Nolan and Joseph Mignogna for providing guidance and opportunities to work on projects with direct operational impact.
A Shift from Theory to Application
Working in a complex manufacturing environment reinforced Iniubong’s interest in automation as a driver of efficiency. In addition to gaining hands-on experience with Allen-Bradley PLCs and Studio 5000, he developed a deeper understanding of how cross-functional collaboration supports reliability in a continuous operation.
“As I prepare to begin my full-time career in Electrical Engineering this May, my goal is to continue growing in the fields of control systems and industrial automation. I am eager to apply the ‘reliability-first’ mindset I developed at RYAM to help design the next generation of automated solutions.”
Building the Next Generation of Talent
As he prepares to begin his full-time career, Iniubong plans to continue developing his expertise in control systems and industrial automation. His experience at RYAM provided not only technical growth, but also a practical understanding of how engineering decisions influence safety, efficiency, and long-term operational success.
