Coatings Process Chemistry Technician

Job Title

Simpson Strong-Tie is seeking a dedicated professional for the Gallatin E-Coat operation.

You will serve as the primary process chemistry resource for the Gallatin E-Coat operation. This role is responsible for chemical testing, process control, approved chemical additions, inventory management, and maintaining the health of the pretreatment and E-Coat systems. You will be expected to identify chemical trends, troubleshoot out-of-control conditions, and work with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, and Quality to maintain stable process performance and prevent coating-related defects.

You will work a 2nd shift Monday through Friday schedule 2pm-10:30pm.

• Conduct daily chemical testing and process control for pretreatment and E-Coat systems. Perform titrations, pH checks, conductivity testing, and other solution control tests per SOP. Verify results, review operating limits, identify abnormal trends, and maintain complete testing logs and process control records (30%)
• Perform approved chemical additions to E-Coat, pretreatment, zirconium, and supporting process tanks when results are out of specification or trending out of control. Safely handle, transfer, mix, pump, and add process chemicals from 55-gallon drums, totes, pails, bulk containers, and approved chemical feed systems while following all SDS, PPE, labeling, storage, and EHS requirements. Document all chemical additions, verify addition amounts, and communicate adjustments to appropriate stakeholders.
  
  (30%)
• Provide day-to-day oversight of E-Coat line chemistry by monitoring bath condition, chemical consumption, inventory levels, reagent availability, sample collection practices, and testing repeatability. Escalate out-of-specification results, questionable data, unusual chemical usage, equipment issues, or process conditions that may affect coating quality, corrosion performance, adhesion, or line stability. (15%)
• Maintain and improve lab and chemical-control documentation, including testing records, chemical addition logs, inventory records, spreadsheets, electronic quality records, work instructions, visual standards, and training material. Support training and verification of approved personnel who perform E-Coat chemistry testing or chemical handling activities. (15%)
• Participate in various improvements projects related to process chemistry, product quality and lab efficiency. (5%)
• Report non-conformances using TQC system and follow through to execution of disposition. (5%)

If you can do everything listed above, you've got what it takes. Perhaps some of the following would be helpful too:

• Bachelor's degree in chemistry preferred or equivalent hands-on experience in industrial process chemistry, coatings, pretreatment, plating, wastewater treatment, surface finishing, or chemical process control will also be considered.
• 3+ years of experience in Laboratory chemical testing, wet chemistry, manufacturing quality, coatings, pretreatment, plating, surface finishing, or closely related process control work.
• Hands on experience with titrations, pH meters, conductivity meters, sample dilution, concentration calculations, reagent handling, endpoint recognition, and chemical bath control.
• Strong preference for experience with E-Coat, pretreatment, conversion coatings, zirconium or phosphate chemistry, corrosion testing, paint/coating quality, or metal finishing processes
• Experience calculating chemical additions, dilution rates, replenishment requirements, and process adjustments based on laboratory results
• Maintain chemical inventories and coordinate replenishment requirements to ensure uninterrupted operation of the E-Coat process
• Familiarity with chemical handling safety procedures, including SDS interpretation, PPE usage and chemical storage/labeling standards
• Ability to work in a Microsoft software environment including Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Ability to have attention to detail and ensure accuracy of information. Ability to identify options for solving a problem.
• Ability to meet productivity standards, deadlines and work schedules. Ability to…