Senior Research Technician R&D

Senior Research Technician (R&D) – Deringer‑Ney Inc. Senior Research Technician.

Assist the Research Metallurgist in activities related to developing, manufacturing, and testing of new and established alloys, technology development, production support, and customer support.

• Development of new alloys.
• Assist Research Metallurgist in new alloy development programs and preparing customer samples.
• Measure elements for casting and cast alloys from compositions received from Research Metallurgist. Keep a database of alloy identification and composition.
• Create trial routes for processing cast alloys to final size and condition for use in general research, specific mechanical property determination, or customer trials.
• Use R&D and production equipment and follow routes to bring alloys to final size(s) and condition(s). Equipment used: scales, induction melter / spin caster, rod / wire mills, bull block, draw bench, multidraw, strand annealer, rolling mills, heat treat and annealing furnaces.
• Perform R&D testing on alloys to determine properties. Testing includes, but is not limited to: mount preparation / polishing / etching, microhardness, photomicrography, differential thermal analysis, tensile, minimum bend ratio, contact resistance, corrosion testing, electrical resistivity, elevated temperature stress relaxation, and SEM / EDS analysis.
• Tabulate data for use in reports and databases, using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.
• Maintain detailed records of weights of elements and alloys to track process losses.

• When requested, work with all relevant personnel to solve problems arising in the manufacture and use of Deringer‑Ney products.
• Have a working knowledge of materials and parts manufactured by the company as a basis for determining where problems may originate.
• Analyze material or parts for failure modes or defects, frequently requiring use of stereo microscope, scanning electron microscope, and EDS analysis.
• Perform testing / trials as needed to determine root causes and solve problems.
• Perform material certification inspections requiring specific R&D equipment.
• Maintain and order office and laboratory supplies.
• Calibrate, maintain, and repair equipment not requiring ASTM certification.
• Create data sheets to streamline data acquisition, spreadsheets to analyze data, and databases to catalog data for future reference. Use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.

• Ability to multitask.
• Good motor skills.
• Good organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team as the need arises.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in oral and written form.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with personnel from different departments and backgrounds.
• Computer literate.

• Associate’s Degree or equivalent in technical, chemical, or scientific field.
• Minimum of 5 years lab or metallurgy experience.

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times.
• Must be able to access and navigate each department at the organization’s facilities.