Melt Shop Area Manager

Orion Steel Group•Portland, OR

2d•$120,000 - $150,000•Onsite

About The Position

At CF&I Steel, L.P., our strength starts with our people! As a team we collaborate to solve problems, contribute ideas and challenge each other to ensure growth and ultimately success for the business and our employees. JOB SUMMARY Reporting directly to the Superintendent, Steelmaking, the Area Manager - Melt Shop at Rocky Mountain Steel Mills (RMSM) is responsible for leading the safe, efficient, and high-quality operation of melt shop activities, including Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steelmaking, Ladle Refining Furnace (LRF) and Vacuum Tank Degaser (VTD). This role ensures production targets, metallurgical quality standards, and cost objectives are consistently achieved while maintaining a strong commitment to safety and environmental compliance. The area manager provides direct leadership to melt shop supervisors and bargaining unit employees, administering the collective bargaining agreement, managing workforce performance, and fostering a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement. This position plays a critical role in troubleshooting operational issues, driving Lean/RMSM Business System initiatives, and collaborating with Maintenance, Reliability and Technical teams to improve equipment reliability and process performance. Rocky Mountain Steel Mills is committed to maintaining and promoting a safe, healthy and injury-free environment. It is required for all jobs.

Requirements

Associates degree required, bachelor's degree preferred in metallurgical engineering, materials sciences, mechanical engineering or related fields.
Minimum of 5 years of supervisory experience in heavy manufacturing, steel manufacturing preferred
Minimum 5 years of experience in melt shop operations preferred
Experience leading teams in a unionized environment preferred
In-depth understanding of EAF steelmaking, and secondary metallurgy.
Working knowledge of metallurgical principles, steel chemistry, and quality standards
Strong leadership, communication, and labor relations skills, including experience administering collective bargaining agreements
Ability to drive a safety-first culture and ensure regulatory compliance
Proficiency in production planning, cost control, and performance metrics management
All applicants must be eligible to work in the USA.

Nice To Haves

bachelor's degree preferred in metallurgical engineering, materials sciences, mechanical engineering or related fields.
steel manufacturing preferred
melt shop operations preferred
Experience leading teams in a unionized environment preferred

Responsibilities

Direct and coordinate daily melt shop operations (EAF, LRF, and VTD) to meet production schedules, tonnage targets, and product specifications.
Troubleshoot process and equipment issues, collaborate in root cause failure analysis of defects, delays, and drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize melt shop performance.
Promote and enforce RMSM’s safety-first culture by ensuring strict adherence to all safety policies, PPE requirements, job hazard analyses, and environmental regulations.
Lead by example in maintaining a safe work environment for all melt shop employees and contractors.
Ensure molten steel meets required chemical composition, temperature, and metallurgical standards through effective control of refining practices and process parameters.
Coordinate with internal lab teams to review test results, make process adjustments, and ensure compliance with customer and RMSM quality specifications.
Supervise and develop bargaining unit employees in alignment with the collective bargaining agreement.
Administer union agreements, manage grievances (Step 1 and 2), monitor attendance, assign work, and foster a high-performance, team-oriented culture focused on accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement.
Manage melt shop operating costs, including alloys, electrodes, refractories (EAF and Ladle), consumables, and utilities.
Identify cost-saving opportunities while maintaining safety, quality, and production requirements.
Partner with maintenance and reliability teams to troubleshoot equipment issues, schedule repairs, and improve reliability of EAF, LRF, VTD and supporting systems.
Focus on minimizing downtime and maximizing equipment uptime.
Support and lead capital projects (AFEs) related to melt shop, automation, and quality improvements.
Provide frontline input to ensure projects align with operational needs and drive measurable performance gains.