Materials Development Engineer

Ultra-Poly Corporation•Portland, PA

About The Position

Ultra-Poly Corporation is hiring! About us: Ultra-Poly Corporation is a pioneer in recycling plastics through innovative manufacturing processes. We are a family owned and operated regional business with our corporate headquarters located in Portland PA. Our work culture is supportive and provides opportunities to grow in an environmentally responsible business. We strive to be and employer that you can be proud to be a part of the team. We have an immediate need for a full time Materials Development Engineer to join our Research & Development team in Portland. Position Summary This position applies fundamental knowledge of basic principles, theories and concepts of industry standards and practices to support activities within both Material Development and Quality Departments. Occasionally assist plant trials for process development work is also required. As the position is part of our innovation group, it requires candidate has a diverse background in the plastic industry with practical mindset and sense of urgency. The position will work with Sales team and owns the customer sampling request process. Customer interaction will be required during material developing phases, matching properties to customer's specification, before handing over to Commercial Department. The candidate will expect to have a "can-do" mindset and able to carry projects independently in an industrial working environment. The role will also support Quality Department to implement changes to testing protocols and new testing procedures.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a related field with 4+ years of experience in quality, development, and/or engineering roles of plastic manufacturing environment
Experience and knowledge of the use of laboratory equipment
Experience in operating both injection molding machine and extruder
Ability to develop test reports based on findings
Basic knowledge of ISO quality standard and ASTM standard
Basic knowledge of statistical analysis
Ability to interpret product specifications, blueprints, and perform testing procedures
Timely and accurate completion of projects and assignments
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Attention to detail and strong organizational skills (documentation, etc.)
Ability to work in a dynamic, team-oriented environment
Able to manage multiple projects/tasks simultaneously
Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Power Point, Word, etc.)

Responsibilities

Develop material (compound) that matches to customer's specification
Work and collaborate with Sales and Production during the material development phase
Own the sampling request process (monitoring, follow-up, testing, report, logistic, etc.) and drive the performance (development cycle)
Perform material evaluations following proper procedures and protocol
Operate all instrument and process equipment in the QC office / Lab area
Analyze and report results / findings to the stakeholders
Conduct and participate internal and external trials. Report the finding and follow-up action plan as needed
Support raw material - additives cost reduction works
Develop new QC processes and write detailed procedures based on best practices and train QC employees
Support and troubleshoot any QC / Lab equipment (instrument and processing equipment) issue
Assemble data from manufacturing test results to assist with the detection of significant trends affecting product quality and/or cost
Coordinates problem-solving activities within manufacturing regarding customer complaint
Assist with troubleshooting of manufacturing problems and recommend corrective action
Support both ISO9001 and ISO17025 activities
Supports site safety initiatives
Attend tradeshows and/or conferences
Stay updated on existing and new material & additive technologies
Other projects/duties as assigned