Lead - SME Plating Engineer

Eaton Corporation•Arecibo, PR

18h•Hybrid

About The Position

Eaton's ES AMER PCS division is seeking a Lead - SME Plating Engineer. This role is responsible for technical ownership, optimization, and regulatory compliance of plating processes and facilities. It provides full oversight of the chemical laboratory supporting plating operations, ensuring bath integrity, analytical accuracy, and adherence to environmental, health and safety (EHS), and quality standards. The position drives process stability, cost efficiency, and continuous improvement across all plating and chemical control systems. This role has direct supervisory responsibility for the Laboratory Supervisor, Lab Technicians, Plating Technicians (as applicable), and any additional resources supporting plating processes or wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) continuous improvement initiatives. The Lead - SME Plating Engineer is also accountable for ensuring full compliance with all applicable environmental regulations and internal Eaton standards, including wastewater discharge, hazardous waste management, air emissions, and chemical handling. The role partners closely with EHS to proactively manage environmental risks, sustain zero violations, and drive initiatives focused on waste reduction, water conservation, and overall sustainability performance. Additionally, the Lead - SME Plating Engineer is accountable for advancing key operational and business performance metrics, including improving safety performance, reducing customer defects (PPM), increasing On-Time Performance (OTP), strengthening qualification and validation processes, expanding capacity, and improving Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). The role also leads to the implementation of Continuous Improvement Framework (CIF) modules and the deployment of Operational Excellence (OpEx) tools. The Lead - SME Plating Engineer defines and leads cross-functional process improvement initiatives to drive measurable improvements in critical plant KPIs, including PPM, warranty claims, fill rate, on-time delivery, yield, and scrap reduction.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or Mechanical Engineering
5 –7+ years in electroplating or surface finishing
5 years Supervisory experience.
Experience with plating chemistry, bath control, and analytical methods
Knowledge of electrochemistry and plating processes
Experience with lab testing techniques (titration, spectroscopy atomic absorption, Hull cell)
Process control and statistical analysis
Familiarity ISO standards
Problem-solving and root cause analysis/ 8D / 5 Why’s
Data-driven decision making
Leadership and team development
Continuous improvement mindset
Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration
PC Proficiency including knowledge of MS windows operating systems, MS Office, and Minitab.
Bilingual – English\Spanish with good oral and written communication skills

Nice To Haves

Experience managing lab operations

Responsibilities

Develop, optimize, and control electroplating processes (e.g., zinc, nickel, tin, etc.)
Maintain process capability (Cp/Cpk), yield, and throughput targets
Troubleshoot plating defects (e.g., adhesion, thickness variation, corrosion failures)
Define and continuously optimize the manning strategy for plating, laboratory, and WWTP operations, including headcount planning, role definition, skill matrix development, and shift alignment.
Discuss Key metrics on Tier 2, Use electronic boards/Power Bi/Ignition information to define fast response actions. Follow actions with the team. Support Usage of IIOT system through the plant. Thru IIOT Dashboard, Visual Display, Tier 2 Board
Implement Lean Tools (5S, VSM, SW, MF, BPI’s, TPM, Error Proofing ), PFMA’s , operating windows, control plans,
Lead process improvements to reduce scrap, rework, and chemical consumption
Ensure plating lines are operating effectively (automation as chemical feeds and plating controls, rectifiers, filtration, agitation)
Coordinate preventive maintenance strategies for chemicals, tanks, pumps, and auxiliary equipment
Drive uptime improvements and preventive/predictive maintenance initiatives
Support capital projects (new lines, optimization, upgrades, expansions)
Oversee laboratory operations supporting plating bath control
Define and standardize analytical methods (titrations, spectroscopy, Hull cell testing, etc.)
Ensure accurate and timely chemical analysis for all plating baths
Maintain calibration and validation of lab equipment
Manage chemical additions, replenishment strategies, and bath life cycles
Ensure compliance with customer specs (ISO, EQMS, MESH, Eaton Standard, etc.)
Support audits (internal, customer, regulatory)
Maintain documentation (PFMEA, control plans, SOPs, WRA’s and MIL’s)
Ensure traceability and data integrity of bath analysis and plating performance
Answer LPA’s, Benchmark, CAPA's actions in a timely manner (Take Containment, Corrective & Preventive actions, Root cause, actions plan, etc..)
Ensure compliance with environmental regulations (air emissions, wastewater, hazardous waste)
Partner with EHS to maintain chemical handling safety and SDS compliance
Drive initiatives for waste reduction and sustainability
Lead Lean, Six Sigma, and cost-out projects in plating and lab areas
Reduce chemical consumption, improve efficiency, and extend bath life
Implement automation and digitalization (Industry 4.0) in monitoring and controls
Work closely with Quality, Production, Maintenance, and Supply Chain
Support new product introduction (NPI and STP) and qualification of new plating processes
Provide technical training for operators and lab personnel
Define process parameters and chemical limits
Approve chemical additions and bath corrections
Stop production if process integrity or quality is compromised
Recommend and Implement capital investments and process changes