Sr. Staff Materials Engineer - Kohler, Wisconsin

The Kohler Company is hiring for a Sr. Staff Materials Engineer in Kohler, WI. Relocation assistance is available. Seeking a candidate with a Bachelor’s/Master’s degree and 15+ years of experience including supervisor experience, laboratory equipment, instrumentation, analytical techniques, materials process, and process control tools. This position provides technical, analytical, and problem-solving support for ceramic, metallurgical, composites, and plastics materials through engineering consultation with Engineering and Manufacturing personnel. The position is primarily in the Chemical and Metallurgical lab, but will also support plants. Kohler offers state of the art facilities and equipment in a newly remolded lab, a diverse group, variety of tasks/submissions, stability, growth across the business.

As a Sr. Staff Materials Engineer, this is your unique opportunity to set your mark and live on the leading edge. This position provides materials engineering technical support and analytical services to assist Engineering and Manufacturing Departments in material and process selection, material and process substitution, and material drawing approval. This position also provides problem-solving support for ceramic, metallurgical, composites, and plastics materials through engineering consultation with Engineering and Manufacturing personnel. You will perform failure analyses and identify the causes of field, manufacturing, and process problems. Develop materials and process specifications. Investigate promising materials and process technologies, and assist in their transition to production. This role will assist manufacturing areas in the achievement and maintenance of appropriate process controls.

HOW YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE

A. Provide Materials Engineering and Materials Analysis Services to Engineering and Production Departments:

• Assist Engineering and Manufacturing Departments in material and process selection, material and process substitution, and material drawing approval.
• Provide ceramics, metallurgical, composites, and plastics consulting to Engineering and Manufacturing Department personnel as needed and requested.
• Assist Engineering and Manufacturing Departments with process development; conduct process capability studies and develop process controls as needed and requested.
• Interface with Engineering, Manufacturing, and Kohler Co. vendors to identify problem areas and to ensure that corrective actions are implemented.
• Assist Purchasing Departments in vendor qualification and product quality assurance.
• Assist Quality Assurance Departments in developing quality procedures and inspection protocols.
• Provide program management services as needed for large-scale materials or process improvement projects.

B. Investigate Alternative Materials and Process Technologies

• Manage contracts with universities and research institutions as required.
• Assist with the transition of technologies to production operations.
• Identify candidate technologies and develop proposals for presentations to manufacturing areas and upper management.

C. At the request of Corporate Legal and Risk Management Departments, evaluate field claim submissions for cause of failure and generate summary reports on results of investigations.

D. Write project reports, draw conclusions, and provide recommendations based on testing and analysis work.

E. Manage and maintain equipment capabilities for assigned sample prep and analytical instruments, including repair and preventative maintenance, service contracts, and upgrades as needed.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS - WHAT YOU NEED TO QUALIFY

• Must have Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Ceramic Engineering, or a combination of these at the BS and MS levels.
• 15+ years of experience, including 2-5 years as a supervisor. Must have broad-based experience with laboratory equipment, instrumentation, and analytical techniques, as well as broad-based experience with materials processing methods, and knowledge of process control tools and techniques.
• MUST HAVE experience with:
1. Macro and/or microstructural evaluation, including photography and quantitative (image analysis) techniques, using the stereomicroscope and/or compound microscope, including use of image archiving software.
2. Brinell, Rockwell, and microhardness (Vickers and Knoop) testing. Sample preparation for metallography and/or hardness testing.
3. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) examination and energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) analysis.
4. 3D Microscopy.
5. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) tools and their uses.
• Working knowledge of PCs and Microsoft windows-based software.
• Must be well organized, be attentive to details, and be able to work in a team environment and cooperate with others. Must be able to convey technical information in an easily understood format to non-technical business associates and provide technical guidance to less experienced engineers. Able to mentor and/or develop/train other C&M Lab associates as requested or assigned.
• Receives general direction; exercises considerable discretion as to personal work details as well as the work details of other technical personnel under their supervision.
• Uses effective speaking and writing skills to communicate opinions based on technical knowledge and facts.
• Is a reliable source of technical information to the manufacturing areas and is capable of searching for and locating answers in literature and on the internet.
• Willingness to learn and take on new duties and responsibilities as the opportunity or need arises.

Apply online here:
Sr. Staff Materials Engineer
Contact:
kimberly.hughes@rightthinginc.com