Sr Process Engineer, Finishing

Howmet Aerospace is searching for a Sr Process Engineer, Finishing to join our Howmet Wheel Systems (HWS) business unit in Barberton, OH.

Howmet Aerospace (NYSE: HWM) creates breakthrough products that shape industries. Working in close partnership with our customers, we solve complex engineering challenges to transform the way we fly, drive, and power. Through the ingenuity of our people and cutting-edge advanced manufacturing techniques, we deliver these products at a quality and efficiency that ensure customer success and shareholder value. 

Howmet Wheel Systems (HWS) is a business unit with a rich tradition and a bright future. We invented the forged wheel in 1948 and have remained the global leader in providing safe, strong, lightweight, and innovative aluminum transportation products ever since. ALCOA® Wheels are highly engineered products operating in challenging environments with significant product liability risk and wide diversity of end use applications ranging from passenger cars to heavy-duty trucks to commercial and military vehicles. HWS employs 1,700 people at 14 locations worldwide and produces over 4 million aluminum wheels globally with annual sales more than $800 million.

Our customers trust us to deliver a wide range of great looking and dependable products that improve fuel economy and increase payload to address their customer’s business needs. Our Commercial Vehicle Wheel products lead the world in market innovation and truck, trailer, and bus customers recognize our LvL ONE®, Dura-Bright® and Ultra ONE® wheels as the current innovative products in this market. 

Job Dimensions:

The Process Engineering Manager is accountable for:

• Develop finishing process improvements including:
  • YoY improvements in
    • Productivity
    • Throughput
    • Quality rate
    • Machine reliability
    • Cost
• Support operations to achieve production targets
• Developing technical engineering solutions to improve current manufacturing processes and developing new processes and product enhancements for Howmet Wheel Systems.
• Providing leadership to drive continuous process improvements through the application of continuous improvement tools and lean methodologies.
• Providing project management to implement new processes within HWS and with outside sources.
• This position will have direct reports, providing direction and leadership to the department.

Major Activities & Key Challenges: 

The principal challenge of this position is to develop manufacturing friendly technical engineering solutions to improve HWS’s current products and processes as well as identify new product enhancements and develop their accompanying new processes. The incumbent’s efforts will focus on developing and implementing new technologies as well as creatively adapting existing technologies and processes to create value for the business. 

The incumbent’s challenges specifically include:

• Developing manufacturing-friendly process improvements and new processes.  Test to prove the concept, develop supporting a business case, resolve technical issues, prove process robustness, startup manufacturing processes, transfer technology and prepare process documentation.
• Developing product enhancements and new products. Provide product samples, conduct necessary tests to prove the concept, develop supporting business case and prepare process documentation.
• Work with global locations to generate innovative ideas that will provide opportunities to either reduce manufacturing costs or enhance our products functionality. 
• Develop implementation plans including cost justifications and capital generation.  Ensure that capital projects are managed within the corporate budget guidelines.
• Ensure that new processes are installed to meet all Howmet and regulatory standards for both operation and product reliability.

The Process Engineering Manager is expected to develop his/her own projects plans and execute them after review with plant leadership.

Environment, Health & Safety Requirements:

• This position reports directly to the Engineering Manager.
• This position provides technical support to the global HWS organization for the development of new technology, processes and products, and continuous improvement to reduce manufacturing costs and improve the marketability of the product. 
• This position requires hands on assistance in a finishing/coating environment. Including problem solving, troubleshooting and occasional off shift and weekend support.
• Internal contacts include the technical department staff, production, process engineering, quality assurance, sales and marketing personnel.  External contacts are with other Howmet Aerospace locations, outside university contacts and technical consultants, Barberton vendors, machining sources, polishing sources, destructive testing sources and customers.
• The incumbent communicates continually with the technical department staff, and the production, process engineering, quality assurance personnel in all global manufacturing sites.

Basic Qualifications:

• Due to the highly technical nature of this position, a degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Chemical, or Electrical Engineering, or other suitable technical education, is required. 
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a manufacturing environment is required. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• An emphasis in the areas of finishing, coating Product Inspection, CMM (Zeiss preferred), AutoCAD, Automation and Smart Manufacturing is preferred.
• Strong technical background in chemistry, chemical and coating engineering disciplines.
• Incumbent must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, managerial skills and the ability to work independently. 
• The incumbent must also possess a high degree of people skills as he/she must motivate and influence others. 
• In addition to knowledge of conventional aluminum processing, incumbent must develop a thorough understanding of the Howmet Aerospace Business System and methods for assessing process capability and driving continuous improvements. 
• The incumbent must also have demonstrated the ability to deal effectively with people under varying circumstances.