Senior Coating Specialist
About The Position
ZwitterCo is searching for a Senior Coating Specialist responsible for operating, controlling, and optimizing membrane coating processes in a production environment. The ideal candidate is a manufacturing expert that ensures safe, consistent, and high‑yield coating operations while meeting quality, throughput, and cost targets. This position requires deep technical experience with coating equipment, strong discipline in standard work and Statistical Process Control (SPC), and the ability to troubleshoot issues quickly on the production floor. This role serves as a technical leader within manufacturing and a key link between operations, quality, and process engineering. About ZwitterCo ZwitterCo has developed a breakthrough in materials science - a new class of zwitterionic membranes with unprecedented fouling resistance. Our membrane solutions perform beyond the limits of traditional filtration, making it practical to treat complex wastewater, purify water for reuse, and maximize efficiency in food processing applications. ZwitterCo serves customers in more than 20 countries across food and beverage, agricultural, and industrial sectors. We are rapidly investing in our technology, equipment, and global services platform to help our industrial customers achieve their most ambitious sustainability and growth targets. We are grateful to have been named as Fast Company’s Top Innovators of 2024 and featured on the 2025 & 2026 Global Cleantech 100.
Requirements
- High school diploma or associate degree required with Equivalent manufacturing experience
- 7+ years of hands‑on experience operating coating or thin‑film manufacturing processes
- Experience in a high‑volume or high‑reliability manufacturing environment
- Strong understanding of coating fundamentals, web handling, and film formation
- Experience with roll‑to‑roll coating or similar continuous processes
- Familiarity with SPC, control charts, and manufacturing KPIs
- Ability to read and follow technical work instructions and specifications
- Highly detail‑oriented with strong troubleshooting skills
- Comfortable working on the production floor and leading by example
- Safety‑first mindset with strong accountability
- Clear communicator across operations, quality, and engineering teams
Nice To Haves
- Direct experience in membrane manufacturing (RO, NF, UF, MF, or specialty membranes) strongly preferred
- Experience supporting scale‑up or process transfers into manufacturing
- Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement experience
- Experience working in regulated or highly controlled manufacturing environments
- Leadership experience as a senior operator or lead technician
Responsibilities
- Operate membrane coating lines in a manufacturing environment, including start‑up, steady‑state production, changeovers, and shutdowns
- Execute daily production schedules while meeting safety, quality, throughput, and scrap targets
- Monitor and control critical process parameters such as coat weight, thickness, viscosity, web tension, line speed, temperature, and drying conditions
- Perform in‑process inspections and adjustments to maintain product specifications
- Maintain strict adherence to SOPs, standard work, and control plans
- Use SPC and production data to monitor process capability and stability
- Lead first‑level troubleshooting of coating defects (e.g., streaks, pinholes, delamination, non‑uniformity)
- Drive yield improvement, scrap reduction, and downtime reduction initiatives
- Escalate chronic issues and support root cause analysis and corrective actions
- Perform equipment setup, calibration, cleaning, and preventive maintenance tasks
- Support mechanical adjustments, web handling alignment, and coating head setup
- Work closely with maintenance and engineering teams on equipment reliability and upgrades
- Identify early warning signs of equipment or process drift
- Prepare, handle, and manage coating solutions according to approved formulations
- Ensure proper chemical handling, labeling, storage, and waste disposal
- Maintain raw material traceability and usage records
- Travel to external manufacturing partners to support technology knowledge transfer, process scale-up, and troubleshooting
- Collaborate with partner teams to diagnose process issues and optimize coating performance
- Ensure successful implementation and consistency of ZwitterCo coating processes across partner sites
- Ensure that all production output meets quality specifications and release requirements
- Support internal and external audits by providing process knowledge and documentation
- Participate in deviation investigations, nonconformance reviews, and CAPAs
- Maintain a strong 5S, safety, and compliance culture within the coating area
- Act as a lead operator and subject matter expert for membrane coating operations
- Train and mentor operators and technicians on coating equipment and processes
- Support onboarding and certification of new operators
- Communicate effectively across shifts to ensure continuity and consistent performance
Benefits
- Compensation will be commensurate with experience and include equity and benefits.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
High school or GED
Number of Employees
11-50 employees
