Quality Lab Technician

Grede•Meadville, PA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

At Grede Meadville, we produce critical castings that support leading industries, including PACCAR, Caterpillar, John Deere, and Case New Holland. Our team plays a direct role in delivering high-quality products that our customers depend on every day. We are seeking a dependable, detail-oriented 3rd shift Quality Lab Technician to join our foundry lab team in Meadville, PA. This role is essential to maintaining product quality, metallurgical integrity, and customer certification requirements across melt lab and austemper operations. This position supports daily testing, process verification, lab documentation, and quality assurance for ductile iron production and austempered products. The ideal candidate is hands-on, safety-focused, mechanically inclined, and comfortable working in an industrial manufacturing environment.

Requirements

Strong attention to detail with the ability to follow precise testing procedures
Comfort working around molten metal, industrial equipment, and manufacturing processes
Basic computer skills for data entry, documentation, and reporting
Mechanical aptitude with a troubleshooting mindset
Ability to accurately read, record, and communicate test results
Strong attendance, reliability, and work ethic
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment
Must pass a color blindness test (required for role)

Nice To Haves

Foundry, metallurgy, manufacturing, laboratory, or quality control experience
Experience with tensile testing, hardness testing, or material analysis
Familiarity with spectrometers, microscopes, or industrial testing equipment
Exposure to unionized manufacturing environments (preferred)

Responsibilities

Operate and maintain a LECO spectrometer for chemical analysis of molten iron
Perform green sand testing, including sieve analysis and chemistry verification
Conduct tensile testing on test bars and austempered production samples
Evaluate metallographic samples for ductile iron and austemper processes
Test incoming materials and production samples to ensure quality standards are met
Complete customer certifications and production documentation accurately and on time
Verify austemper salt bath processes and production inventory tracking
Support lab quality systems during customer visits and external audits
Maintain a clean, organized, and safe laboratory environment
Identify and report equipment issues; support preventive maintenance activities
Follow all plant safety rules and laboratory operating procedures