Metallurgical Supervisor

Beehive Industries•Knoxville, TN

About The Position

The Metallurgical Supervisor leads day-to-day laboratory operations supporting materials development, Additive Manufacturing (AM) process development, and production operations. The role oversees metallurgical testing, material characterization, metallographic sample preparation, laboratory equipment, and technical documentation to ensure accurate, reliable, and timely results. The Supervisor provides technical guidance to laboratory personnel, sets priorities and testing schedules, and ensures compliance with test methods, quality requirements, and laboratory safety standards. The position works with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and other cross-functional teams to support material qualification, process development, root cause investigations, and continuous improvement while maintaining technical rigor, operational efficiency, and laboratory readiness.

Requirements

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy, Materials Science and Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline preferred.
3–5 years of progressive experience in metallurgical testing, materials characterization, materials engineering, or a related laboratory environment, with demonstrated expertise in metallography and material evaluation.
At least 2–3 years of experience leading, supervising, or coordinating laboratory personnel, technical teams, or complex laboratory operations.
Experience overseeing laboratory testing, reviewing technical data, and ensuring compliance with procedures, testing standards, and quality requirements.
Experience with multiple characterization and mechanical testing methods, including metallographic sample preparation, optical microscopy, hardness testing, tensile testing, and microstructural evaluation.
Experience managing laboratory priorities, equipment availability, testing schedules, and competing stakeholder requests.
Ability to troubleshoot technical issues, evaluate anomalous results, and support material investigations and root cause analysis.
Experience developing or improving laboratory procedures, work instructions, testing protocols, and documentation practices.
Strong technical understanding of metallurgy, materials science, microstructures, material properties, and metallographic principles.
Advanced working knowledge of metallographic sample preparation, optical microscopy, microstructural evaluation, and material defect identification.
Working knowledge of mechanical testing methods, including tensile and hardness testing, and other material characterization techniques.
Familiarity with advanced characterization equipment and techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), chemical analysis systems, and other relevant analytical technologies.
Understanding of metal additive manufacturing processes, including Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and Metal Binder Jetting (MBJ), and their effects on material properties, microstructure, and process performance.
Working knowledge of metal powder characterization, powder handling, and associated material and safety considerations.
Ability to interpret technical data, identify trends and anomalies, assess test validity, and communicate conclusions to technical and nontechnical stakeholders.
Leadership ability to establish expectations, delegate work, develop employee capabilities, and hold team members accountable for safety, quality, and performance.
Strong organizational and planning skills, including the ability to prioritize competing demands and manage laboratory capacity, resources, and turnaround times.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills, including the ability to lead technical troubleshooting and structured investigations.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel and Word, and ability to use data analysis tools to evaluate and communicate laboratory results.
Effective written and verbal communication skills, including preparing technical reports, communicating test findings, and collaborating across functions.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound technical judgment, and make decisions within established quality and operational requirements.
Demonstrated commitment to laboratory safety, technical integrity, continuous improvement, and developing a high-performing laboratory team.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government-issued security clearance; U.S. citizenship is required because only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Experience in additive manufacturing, aerospace, defense, propulsion, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.
Experience supporting metal additive manufacturing technologies, particularly LPBF and MBJ, including process development, material qualification, and production readiness.
Experience with advanced material characterization techniques and equipment, including SEM, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS/EDX), and other microscopy or chemical analysis systems.
Experience with metal powder characterization, including particle size distribution, particle morphology, flowability, apparent density, and tap density.
Experience evaluating heat-treatment processes and their effects on material properties, microstructure, and mechanical performance.
Experience establishing or managing laboratory quality systems, equipment calibration programs, measurement traceability, and testing method validation.
Experience with ERP, QMS, LIMS, or other systems for laboratory tracking, nonconformance reporting, document control, calibration management, and technical data retention.
Experience leading root cause investigations, material failure analysis, nonconformance investigations, and corrective action implementation.
Experience introducing laboratory equipment, developing test methods, qualifying laboratory capabilities, or scaling laboratory operations to support increased production demand.
Experience with industry standards and specifications for metallurgical testing, such as ASTM, ISO, or relevant aerospace material and testing standards.
Experience developing technician training programs, competency assessments, standardized work instructions, and laboratory performance metrics.

Responsibilities

Supervise daily laboratory operations, including work assignments, testing priorities, resource allocation, and workload management.
Provide technical leadership and oversight for metallographic sample preparation, microscopy, material characterization, mechanical testing, and other laboratory procedures.
Train and develop laboratory personnel through technical coaching, performance feedback, and consistent work practices and testing standards.
Oversee material testing and characterization in accordance with applicable standards, approved procedures, customer requirements, and internal quality processes.
Review and validate laboratory data, test reports, and technical documentation for accuracy, completeness, traceability, and conformance.
Oversee powder characterization, tensile testing, hardness testing, heat-treatment evaluations, metallographic analysis, and other material testing activities as needed.
Establish and maintain laboratory procedures, work instructions, testing protocols, equipment records, calibration requirements, and sample traceability practices.
Monitor testing turnaround times, workload, equipment utilization, data quality, and procedural adherence; identify and implement improvements.
Coordinate laboratory equipment maintenance, calibration, troubleshooting, and qualification activities.
Lead or support material evaluations, root cause investigations, nonconformance investigations, and corrective actions with cross-functional stakeholders.
Ensure compliance with laboratory safety requirements, PPE standards, chemical and metal powder handling protocols, housekeeping expectations, and applicable EHS requirements.
Partner with stakeholders to define testing requirements, resolve technical issues, communicate findings, and align laboratory resources with production and development priorities.
Identify opportunities to improve laboratory methods, workflows, equipment capabilities, data management, and operational effectiveness.
Support development of laboratory capabilities, including testing methods, characterization technologies, equipment implementation, and personnel competency.
Perform other duties as assigned.