Materials Development Engineer – Wet Friction // 0055

The Materials Development Engineer is responsible for developing new wet friction products and processes and evaluating current products or processes to meet customer requirements. Responsibilities include assisting manufacturing facilities with implementing new products or processes and providing technical assistance to sales and product management. The individual will also work with customer engineering departments on technical data and applying new or revised products.

Responsibilities

• Develop paper-based wet friction materials in transmission and brakes for off-highway (mining, construction, agriculture) and industrial applications.  This will include supervising and some pilot/fabricating of test materials manufactured in plant environments.
• Have the ability to use concepts and tools of Six Sigma as a means to develop materials to meet customer requirements. These can include Design of Experiments (DOE), DFMEA, and understanding a QFD (Quality Functional Deployment) to establish critical customer requirements.
• Interfaces with sales personnel in customer visits when necessary. Object is to understand the conditions under which the manufactured parts must operate in the longer term.
  Interfaces with production engineering to introduce and further develop new materials.
• Assist production when difficulties occur in manufacturing parts in the engineer’s product area.
  Interfaces with test engineers to develop new test methods and procedures as well as communicate how test data is analyzed and presented.
• Assist quality control when necessary.
• Assist with creating and maintaining ISO/QS documentation and control systems.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years experience in paper manufacturing, process development, and formulation.
• Position requires a strong theoretical knowledge of paper science, and background in analytical techniques relating to the use of such materials in friction material composites.
• Experience with the use of these materials in friction applications such as clutches and drive trains is a plus.
• Some experience with resins, organic fibers/pulps, solid lubricants, and adhesives and other material systems is helpful.
• Familiarity with paper and elastomeric material processing and fabrication is preferred.
• Practical experience with the use of Six Sigma techniques is desirable but not essential as formal on-site training is available and encouraged.
• A history of successful commercialization of wet friction materials is preferred.