Laboratory Engineer
Description
Job title: LABORATORY ENGINEER – ELECTROPLATING DEPARTMENT
Founded in 1976, Samtec is a privately held, $1 billion global manufacturer of a broad line of electronic interconnect solutions. What drives us at Samtec is the knowledge that our products enable engineers to create great things. When we innovate electronics capable of moving signals at faster speeds, smaller footprints, and higher densities, we know that we’re providing designers access to the technologies that they need to do the jobs that impact all our lives. Whether it’s advanced medical equipment with the ability to save lives, energy-efficient products that make our living spaces more comfortable, communication products that bring us together, or any number of other innovations, we feel good about our part in making those things possible. With 40 locations in 20 countries, Samtec’s global presence enables its unmatched customer service.
Summary/Objective
We’re looking for a practical, innovative, and extremely talented laboratory engineer to join our electroplating support team. This is a hands-on position, where the ideal candidate will enjoy testing new reel-to-reel and glass plating chemical processes to meet the toughest applications to support our future product needs. The lab engineer will assist the lab supervisor with the control of plating bath chemistry, projects, documentation, analysis, and troubleshooting. This includes refining and optimizing safety and analytical procedures, with the goal of increasing safety, quality, service, and reducing cost. The qualified candidate will work as part of the plating support team while interacting closely with our global plating lab personnel, management, customers, application engineers, tooling engineers, and plating production teams.
Essential Functions/ Responsibilities.
- Hold self to the highest standards on safety. Be committed to build a strong safety culture in the laboratory and on the production floor.
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Support Global Plating Operations and Engineering with a high level of integrity.
- Collaborate with Management, Quality, Process Engineering, Maintenance, and Tooling groups to troubleshoot and support the Electroplating and Glass Core Technology production teams.
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Provide ownership of analytical equipment and software systems.
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Maintain lab procedure documents, ensuring they are updated, meeting all requirements for safety and environmental standards.
- Manage, prioritize, and coordinate lab projects from process conception, design, detail, release, and order.
- Identify and analyze improvement opportunities in the plating department to push our limits and to meet the demands of our customers.
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Improve analysis techniques and track team performance using SPC and Six Sigma analytical tools on key chemical process variables.
- The responsibilities as defined are intended to serve as a general guideline for this position. Associates may be asked to perform additional tasks depending on strengths and capabilities.
Required Experience and Education
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Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a technical or science-related degree
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Essential functions of the job include the ability to stand, lift, and walk on a continual basis.
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Willing to work in a chemical environment, directly with electrolytic and electroless plating baths, performing regular bath analysis, bath changes, troubleshooting, and bath additions on a regular basis.
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Able to work with heavy drums of chemicals with a drum dolly
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A self-starter with strong teamwork skills
- Able to work independently and learn quickly
- Organized, self-motivated, and action-oriented, with the ability to adapt quickly to new challenges and opportunities.
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Strong verbal and written communication skills; able to convey technical information effectively and concisely to engineering, technicians, management, etc.
- Willing and able to travel.
Preferred Experience and Education
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Experience working in a chemical laboratory in a manufacturing facility.
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Skilled with electrolytic and/or electroless plating processes.
- Knowledge in the operation and maintenance of analytical equipment.
- Training in Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Statistical Process Control, and Six Sigma
