Materials Testing Engineer - Polymers/Plastics

Job Summary:

The Materials Testing Engineer is responsible for developing, validating, and maintaining testing capabilities for incoming raw materials, in-process materials, and finished plastic compounds. This position manages the company’s current testing program, develops and validate new test-method, ensures quality lab compliance with IATF 16949 quality-system and ISO 17025 requirements, training test personnel, and supports material release, nonconformance investigations, and customer concerns.

Job Skills & Requirements:

• Strong knowledge of polymer and plastics testing methods, specimen preparation, conditioning, and test-data interpretation.
• Ability to interpret supplier COAs, material specifications, customer requirements, control plans, and ASTM/ISO test standards.
• Working knowledge of method validation or verification, MSA/Gauge R&R, calibration, measurement traceability, and data integrity.
• Hands-on knowledge of applicable polymer testing such as moisture, melt flow rate, density, ash or filler content, color, tensile, flexural, impact, HDT/Vicat, FTIR, DSC, or TGA.
• Familiarity with IATF 16949 laboratory requirements and ISO/IEC 17025 principles.
• Ability to independently prepare test methods, SOPs, work instructions, validation reports, technical reports, and training materials.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel; experience with Minitab or laboratory data systems is preferred.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, organization, technical-writing, training, and cross-functional communication skills.

Educational Qualification:

• Bachelor’s degree in Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a closely related technical field is preferred. Relevant industry experience may substitute for the degree requirement.
• Three or more years of hands-on materials-testing experience in manufacturing, polymer, plastics, chemical is preferred.