Plastics Engineer
Plastics Engineer Job Posting
Isovolta Inc., a world supplier of aircraft and rail interior materials, located just North of Eugene Oregon, with sister companies in Vienna Austria and Kassel Germany, is seeking a qualified Plastics Engineer to perform the following duties:
- Operate and maintain a Brabender extrusion lab including a torque rheometer, measuring mixer, twin co-rotating extruder with film and strand dies, 10-liter high intensity mixer, and etcetera.
- Optimize and maintain existing compound formulas, and develop new formulas with custom colors, enhanced properties, and new extruded products, and etcetera.
- Characterize materials and products using torque rheology, thermal analysis, mechanical, and etcetera testing.
- Oversee and support outside compounding and extrusion of materials, and inside production of products.
- Participate on a team of inside and outside engineers to design, build, and support in-house mixing, extrusion, lamination, and embossing processes
Title: R&D Plastics Engineer
Dept.: Technology and Development
Reports to: Principal T&D Scientist
This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the incumbent. At all times, employees will be required to follow any instructions and to perform any duties as seen necessary by the requesting supervisor or manager.
General Position Summary:
While working within office, laboratory, and production settings: this position is responsible for: operation of lab scale plastics mixing and extrusion equipment; plastic compound raw material evaluation; plastic compound formulation, development, specification, qualification, and implementation; plastic film, sheet, and laminate material development, specification, qualification, and implementation, sometimes within the ISO design and development process; datasheet preparation; product planning review; supporting Process Engineering, Operations, Production, Sales, Customers, Suppliers, QA, and Material Review Board product issues; and etcetera.
Essential Functions/Major Responsibilities:
- Attend work regularly
- Support the customer while working independently or on a team.
- Operate and maintain a Brabender extrusion lab including a torque rheometer, measuring mixer, twin co-rotating extruder with a film die, 10-liter high intensity mixer, etcetera.
- Optimize and maintain existing compound formulas, and develop new formulas with custom colors, enhanced properties, and new extruded products, and etcetera.
- Characterize materials and products using torque rheology, thermal analysis, mechanical, and etcetera testing.
- Oversee and support outside compounding, extrusion, and calendaring of materials, and inside production of products.
- Participate on a team of inside and outside engineers to design, build, and support in-house plastic mixing, extrusion, lamination and embossing processes.
- Timely development, specification, evaluation, qualification, implementation, and troubleshooting of polymers, pigments, flame retardants, additives, coatings, plastic compounds, plastic films, adhesive films, plastic sheets, and etcetera raw materials within the R&D process; and decorative laminates, composite laminates, thermoplastic sheets, and etcetera aircraft and rail interior products within the ISO Design and Development process.
- Procure materials, chemicals, equipment, testing, and etcetera, as required.
- Organize and maintain laboratory chemical and material inventories and Technical and Safety Data Sheets.
- Timely preparation of various product samples including thermoplastic film, sheet, laminate, composite, and etcetera products.
- Operate, oversee, or specify the operation of: mixers, extruders, torque rheometer, dryers, ovens, UV testers, chemical hoods, microscopes, spectrophotometers, thermometers, micrometers, calipers, light booths, paper cutters, respirators, thermal analysis equipment, mechanical test frames, adhesion testers, Taber Abrader, profilometers, conditioning chambers, flammability chambers, heat release chambers, smoke density chambers, laminators, embossers, winders, slitters, corona treater, presses, vacuum-applicators, thermo-formers, saws, drills, routers; and other equipment used for raw material, intermediate, and product testing.
- Account for hazardous waste generated in the R&D process as delegated.
- Prepare Product Technical and Safety Datasheets, and Application Guidelines as delegated.
- Review Planning for product construction, material, and process accuracy as delegated.
- Support the Material Review Board with raw material, intermediate, product, and process issues as delegated.
- Conduct product application training and troubleshooting as delegated.
- Document all work in a timely and thorough manner.
- Conduct all activities in a safe manner
- Evaluate safety aspects of all work areas and operations.
- Regular housekeeping
- Document material usage, contributing to accurate inventory management
- Support your customers (management, peers, Sales, Operations, Production, and Maintenance) in meeting their operating requirements
Secondary Functions:
- Maintain orderliness and cleanliness throughout the operation for contamination control and housekeeping
- Assist in other areas as required
- Inspect and maintain equipment in the area
- Maintain open lines of communication between company personnel with the intent to be proactive in addressing issues before they become problems.
Job Scope:
Perform duties with minimal supervision; operate from specific and definite directions and instructions. Decisions are of a routine nature made within prescribed operating guidelines, policies, and procedures. Mistakes/errors may result in work stoppage, loss of business, poor customer relations, and/or damage to product, all of which can have negative financial implications for the organization.
Interpersonal Contacts:
Have primarily internal contacts, and frequently external contacts. The most common internal contacts are with the Principal T&D Scientist, Process Engineers, Operations, Production, and Quality Assurance. Will also have contact with outside suppliers, customers, consultants and others.
Specific Job Skills:
- Good interpersonal communication, customer service, and time management skills are essential.
- Ability to read, write and understand English required.
- Must demonstrate advanced math, material, chemical, mechanical, analytical skills.
- Ability to operate a personal computer and various applications (MS Office) for word processing, spreadsheets, email, and etceteras.
- Physical ability to hear, to see, to engage in repetitive motion of hands and wrists, some lateral movement of body, some bending, twisting and climbing stairs, standing/walking 70% and sitting 30% of the working day.
- Occasionally lift up to 60 pounds independently.
Education and/or Experience:
- Plastics Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, or Polymer Engineering with instruction on plastic extrusion and related materials, processes, equipment, and testing; Plastic Compound Formulation, Plastic Processing Including Mixing, Extrusion, Calendaring and etcetera; and Plastic Product Development.
Working Conditions:
Work areas include an office, laboratory, and production facilities. Work includes light equipment operation, working in moderate temperature conditions, occasional interruptions and priority changing. The incumbent may be required to work in an environment where there are fumes, building temperature fluctuations, noise, chemicals, dirt and dust.