Material Development Support Engineer

1. To perform advanced or specialized engineering duties generally focused on new product design, application testing of new technology and improvement of performance deviation. Primarily convert new tire design to meet design target specification and ensure that plant production equipment & specifications.

2. Support R&D and plant by interfacing with plant manufacturing, engineering & other internal & external organizations. Ensure product & quality systems integrity. Ensure plant & corporate design manual requirements are being followed.

3. Implement new products & processes & resolve product performance issues.

4. Lead and manage the optimization of the manufacturing process for both legacy and next generation products. You will act as the design and process engineering expert for all the manufacturing site.

5. Initial training will include formal classes and on-the-job mentoring under an experienced engineer.

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Work with a “Safety Always” mindset through supporting and promoting continuous improvement of safety and health in the workplace.
• Maintain close and successful communication with related departments through a positive and creative attitude.
• Learn and contribute to small projects or processes of complex scope, with limited oversight from management.
• Assist in the development of operational plans and implement areas of assigned responsibilities.
• Support the application and benchmarking of potential new technologies, products, and test method development by developing and validating theories on the physical, chemical and/or mechanical properties of materials and ingredients under various conditions.
• Document and enforce technology and quality standards; develop and control quality management systems and technical specifications.
• Make recommendations concerning acquisition and use of new technologies and testing equipment to support business needs.
• Learn and evaluate internal and customer audits; publish the results; implement and follow up with corrective actions.
• Work with internal customers to understand their testing needs and collaborate to create new test methods.
• Systematically identify causes of problems and identify possible solutions in a Plan – Do – Check – Act methodology.
• Communicate regularly with the Manufacturing Units and R&D to ensure efficient information sharing.
• Act as a communication bridge between the plant and R&D for the application of new materials and technology.
• Understand the product development process and material specification design to ensure quality, and analyze processing evaluation results.
• Present project status and closures to internal customers and upper management.
• May participate in intellectual property evaluations and development of patent applications.
• Contribute to cross-functional teams in designated areas/processes on various improvements and projects.
• Perform other duties as assigned by new product development, feasibility review, and other activities as required.
• Evaluate raw materials for product use, including rubber compounds, reinforcing materials, and rubber chemicals, by analyzing laboratory and tire evaluations of materials.
• Coordinate programs to evaluate the mixing, extruding, calendaring, and curing characteristics of new materials in a manufacturing environment.
• Support manufacturing in resolving quality, processing, and performance issues related to raw materials used in regular production.
• Develop and manage the supplier base for current and new materials and interact with the company’s R&D center in Korea.
• Develop and apply knowledge and skills to interpret physical property testing of rubbers, including hysteresis, visco-elasticity, fatigue-failure, crack-growth, adhesion, tensile, tear, abrasion, etc.
• Develop and apply knowledge and skills to interpret standard analytical tests such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Thermo Gravimetric Analysis, Gas Chromatography, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance analysis.
• Effectively apply Design of Experiments principles and…