Metallurgist

Mueller Water Products•St. Louis, MO

2d•$94,067 - $129,329•Onsite

About The Position

Mueller is seeking a highly skilled Metallurgist to join our team in Decatur, IL—a critical role at the intersection of metallurgy, manufacturing, and innovation. This position is ideal for a technically driven professional who thrives in a hands-on foundry environment and wants to directly influence material performance, process capability, and product quality at scale. At Mueller, you won’t just support production—you’ll drive metallurgical advancement across alloy development, process optimization, and defect reduction, helping us expand capabilities and unlock new market opportunities. As a key technical expert, you will partner closely with operations, engineering, and leadership to elevate metallurgical performance across our brass foundry and downstream processes.

Requirements

BS or MS in Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field
4+ years of progressive metallurgical experience in a manufacturing environment
Direct experience in brass foundry operations (required)
Strong background in heat treatment and phase transformation behavior
Working knowledge of machining impacts on metallurgical properties
Expertise in solidification, porosity control, and defect elimination
Experience with alloy development and materials selection
Strong analytical skills, including statistical process analysis
Proven ability to translate metallurgical theory into practical, shop-floor improvements
Hands-on, problem-solving mindset with strong ownership
Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive change
Passion for continuous improvement, materials science, and manufacturing excellence

Responsibilities

Lead metallurgical analysis and process improvements across melting, casting, heat treatment, and machining operations
Drive reduction of micro-porosity, inclusions, and other casting defects through advanced process control and root cause analysis
Develop and optimize brass alloys to enhance mechanical properties, manufacturability, and performance
Spearhead technical projects such as chip reconstitution and scrap utilization strategies
Improve yield, reduce scrap, and minimize non-conformances through data-driven methodologies
Apply statistical analysis to anticipate process variation and improve manufacturing consistency
Serve as a metallurgical authority supporting quality investigations, customer concerns, and internal troubleshooting
Collaborate cross-functionally to enhance manufacturing capabilities and enable product innovation
Train and mentor operations personnel on metallurgical principles, best practices, and process controls
Identify opportunities to expand Mueller’s material applications and support entry into new markets