Engineering Technician & Project Coordinator - Materials & Production

Advanced Ceramic Fibers LLC•Idaho Falls, ID

17d•$52,000 - $62,000•Onsite

About The Position

Advanced Ceramic Fibers, LLC (ACF) is hiring a hands-on Engineering Technician & Project Coordinator to support its advanced materials production, research and development, and customer projects in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The role combines project coordination—tracking scope, schedules, budgets, milestones, deliverables, and risks—with hands-on work producing Fi-Bar™ on Direct Conversion Process (DCP) furnace lines and supporting research and development. The employee will work alongside engineers and scientists at a small, fast-moving company and may take on increased responsibility as the company grows. The position is full-time, on-site, and scheduled for four 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday, with Fridays off. Pay is $52,000–$62,000 per year. ACF is unable to provide relocation. The expected start is as soon as practical. ACF develops high-performance ceramic fibers and composites for extreme environments. Its patented DCP transforms commercial carbon fiber into Fi-Bar™, a metal carbide/carbon core fiber. The company’s work supports applications in hypersonics, space, defense, nuclear, and power generation, and development programs are supported by the U.S. Navy and DARPA. Applicants must be U.S. persons as defined by ITAR because the position involves access to ITAR/EAR-controlled technical data and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Employment is contingent on verification of U.S.-person status and successful completion of a background check and drug test.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering technology, materials science, chemical engineering, or a physical science, or equivalent experience, including military technical training.
At least two years of experience in a lab, manufacturing, production, or equipment maintenance setting; experience with carbon/carbon-fiber-based materials is described as ideal.
Experience supporting projects by building schedules, tracking tasks and budgets, following up on open items, and keeping work on track.
Mechanical aptitude to assemble, troubleshoot, maintain, and repair equipment; read basic drawings and schematics; and work with low-voltage wiring and instrumentation such as sensors, thermocouples, and controllers.
Strong Excel skills and careful, consistent record keeping.
Clear written and verbal communication with customers and the team.
Organized and detail-oriented, able to follow procedures and raise problems early.
High personal integrity and accurate, honest data handling in a regulated environment.
Respect for lab and shop safety.
Ability to lift 50 pounds and stand for long periods.
U.S.-person status as defined by ITAR; employment is contingent on verification.
Successful completion of a background check and drug test before employment.

Nice To Haves

Experience with government contracts, such as SBIR/STTR or other DoD programs, including reporting and deliverables.
Experience with high-temperature furnaces, vacuum systems, inert gas handling, or thermal processing.
Experience handling carbon fiber, composites, textiles, or ceramics.
Project management training or certification, such as CAPM or PMP, and experience with scheduling tools such as Microsoft Project or Smartsheet.
Production experience under a quality system such as ISO 9001 or AS9100, including work instructions and traceability.

Responsibilities

Operate and monitor DCP furnace lines to produce Fi-Bar™, follow run procedures, and record process data for each run.
Prepare carbon fiber materials and process consumables; load, unload, inspect, measure, label, and package finished product.
Perform preventive maintenance on furnaces, vacuum and gas systems, pumps, and spooling equipment; troubleshoot and repair problems.
Build and modify test fixtures, rigs, and prototype setups for R&D projects, including mechanical assembly, gas and vacuum plumbing, and low-voltage wiring.
Prepare samples and support testing and characterization, including mechanical testing, microscopy, and other analytical measurements.
Maintain complete, traceable process and test data; write and update work instructions, run logs, procedures, and quality records.
Handle shipping and receiving of materials, samples, and product; track inventory and order supplies in accordance with export-control procedures for controlled items.
Keep the lab and shop clean, organized, and safe, including managing process gas cylinders, chemical inventory, and Safety Data Sheets.
Help plan projects by breaking scope into tasks, building and maintaining schedules, and tracking milestones and deliverables.
Support the project lead in managing budgets and spending against plan, including labor hours, materials, and purchases, and flag variances early.
Identify, log, and follow up on project risks and issues, and help the team carry out mitigation plans.
Coordinate work across engineering and production teams, vendors, and customers so materials, equipment, and people are ready when needed.
Help prepare customer and government sponsor status updates, reports, and deliverables, and organize project records, including ITAR/CUI documents.