Product Line Engineer

Global Advanced Metals

is one of the world's leading suppliers of tantalum products. We are committed to the responsible supply of tantalum in all its forms and operate to high standards of sustainable development. We also trade tantalum on international markets, and manufacture niobium metal products. We are a world leader in the production, development and sustainable supply of tantalum for a range of industries. Our tantalum operations are vertically integrated from the mining and processing of ore into concentrates, through to the manufacture of capacitor powders and metallurgical products. Tantalum is a strategically important mineral with about half the world's supply used in electronic products such as tablets, smart phones, digital cameras and electronic systems for vehicles. Tantalum is also an additive in nickel-based super-alloys used to make turbine blades for the aerospace industry and land-based gas turbines. Other uses for tantalum include sputtering targets, mill products, cutting tools, surgical implants and specialty chemicals and coatings.

Position Description:

Supports the production of key Global Advanced Metals product lines by providing the technical expertise to control the quality, yield, and manufacturability of the assigned products. Leads the development and implementation of key manufacturing improvement initiatives.

Essential Functions

• Owner and responsible for the accuracy and efficacy of the Production Control Plans, Recipes, Raw Material Specifications, and Standard Operating Procedures for assigned product lines.

• Responsible for the evaluation and mitigation of risk via Failure Mode and Effect Analysis of assigned product lines and production units.

• Provides technical leadership to the facility for problem solving and troubleshooting

• Ensures appropriate systems are in place to initiate, modify, review and communicate manufacturing specifications in line with customer requirements and machine capability.

• Serves as lead developer of implementation plans to achieve plant objectives, transfer of technology, best practices, quality improvements, and other improvement efforts

• Ensure that appropriate procedures are in place to maintain the integrity of the manufacturing and management of change processes, including formulation changes, change of technical specification, new products/materials in production, and engineering changes.

• Supports product line capital investment projects linked to capability/capacity up to completion

• Reviews processes and procedures on units looking for product uniformity and reduced off quality generation opportunities.

Key Areas of Responsibility - Safety, Health and Environment (SHE):

• Directly accountable for SHE performance and capability within their organization.

• Ensures effective incident/injury/illness reporting, classification, investigation, and management within their organization.

• Ensures effective self-audits and investigations for learning, prevention, and improvement within their organization.

• Responsible for ensuring cross functional/department SHE communications to ensure relevant knowledge is shared to prevent repeat events and incidents.

• Areas of focus include: proactive SHE risk management, creating a safe working environment that improves injury and illness performance and prevention, process safety management performance, compliance with operating permits and other regulatory requirements, implementation of policies and standards, and contractor safety.

• Sets and enforces high standards of performance and provides SHE leadership that is seen, felt, and understood across the entire organization. In any business or market environment: demonstrates strong constancy of purpose around SHE in the form of business context, communications, tone, and priority.

• Adopts consistent leader behavior and actions that ensure incident prevention and employee connection to our safety culture.

• Assesses and develops organizational capability to deliver excellent SHE performance including developing SHE leadership skills in leaders within their organization.

• Sets the right tone and priority for SHE within their organization – has high expectations, gives abundant praise and recognition, engages in solution focused dialog when performance gaps exist, demonstrates clear personal ownership and accountability for outcomes.

• Establishes and ensures or works with those who establish and ensure SHE objectives and priorities are clear and that people and financial resources needed for execution are in place. Regularly creates individual safety objectives for their employees that considers personal strengths and opportunities. Consistently holds themselves and others accountable for performance outcomes.

• Actively supports employees in their organization with time, attention and resources when SHE interventions and adjustments are needed to keep or get performance on track.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

• Technical knowledge of process and product technology

• Familiarity with Recipe Management

• Familiarity with various analytical techniques and data interpretation, i.e. ICP, SEM, powder particle size, flow, and density testing methods, powder surface area and porosity, XRF, and other powder quality analytical methods.

• Knowledge of the control and monitoring of diverse chemical and powder Plant operations including metal digestion, liquid/liquid extraction, crystallization including product property measurement.

• Knowledge of the control and monitoring of powder handling processes, such as blending, sieving, transport and packaging including product property measurement.

• Ability to apply statistical analysis in a manufacturing environment.

• Knowledge and understanding of statistical process control.

• Ability to apply Lean Six Sigma analytical methods.

• Planning, organization and problem-solving skills

• Good oral and written communication skills

• Bachelors or master’s degree in Metallurgy, Chemical, Materials or Mechanical Engineering,

• Minimum three to 5 years (3-5) years’ experience in chemical manufacturing or powder processing.

• Adheres to all intellectual property standards; safety, health and environmental guidelines, policies and procedures and encourages/requires other personnel to do the same as appropriate.

• Lives the GAM Values (Integrity, Respect, Innovation, and Responsibility)

Benefits:

• 401(k)

• 401(k) matching

• Dental insurance

• Employee assistance program

• Flexible spending account

• Health insurance

• Health savings account

• Life insurance

• Paid time off

• Referral program

• Tuition reimbursement

• Vision insurance