What are the responsibilities and job description for the Materials Engineer II - Metals & Plating position at Milwaukee Tool?
Job Description
Materials Engineer II – Metals & Plating
You’ll Be DISRUPTIVE Through These Responsibilities
Materials Engineer II – Metals & Plating
You’ll Be DISRUPTIVE Through These Responsibilities
- Perform metallurgical evaluations including sectioning, mounting, polishing, microstructural analysis, hardness testing, and failure analysis.
- Interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, and metallurgical specifications to assess conformance and material performance for production and prototype components. Guide design teams on drawing requirements and callouts to achieve product quality and control.
- Support design teams in the development of terminals, connectors, busbars, and other metallic interfaces, optimizing for conductivity, durability, formability, and manufacturability.
- Recommend plating systems (e.g., nickel, tin, silver, zinc) based on corrosion resistance, conductivity, wear, cost, and process capability.
- Investigate plating and surface‑finish issues—such as adhesion defects, porosity, corrosion, or wear failures—and drive root‑cause problem solving with suppliers and cross‑functional teams.
- Select and apply appropriate material test methods (ASTM, ISO, internal procedures) and guide engineering requesters on test planning.
- Prepare professional engineering reports with clear conclusions and actionable recommendations.
- Manage multiple materials investigations with minimal supervision in a dynamic, rapidly changing environment.
- Collaborate with design engineering, reliability, quality, and sourcing to resolve materials challenges during design, validation, and production.
- Drive continuous improvement by researching new materials, coatings, and emerging surface‑engineering technologies.
- Create and Review Milwaukee Tool plating standards and specifications.
- Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Metallurgical Engineering, or related field.
- 3 years of experience in metallurgical analysis, materials testing, or manufacturing support.
- Hands‑on proficiency with optical microscopy, microhardness testing, metallography, and standard failure analysis practices.
- Working knowledge of metal forming, machining, heat treatment, and plating processes.
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, and materials specifications.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present technical insights to cross‑functional teams.
- High personal drive, ownership mentality, and the ability to operate independently.
- Experience with SEM/EDS, XRF coating thickness measurement, or similar advanced characterization techniques.
- Background working with terminals, connectors, stamped metal components, or high‑current metallic interfaces.
- Familiarity with corrosion testing, surface treatments, and plating performance drivers.
- Experience supporting supplier development or resolving supplier‑related material issues.
- Experience with CQI-11.
- Ability for foreign and domestic travel up to 10% of the time.