R&D Engineer

About Vibrantz Technologies

Vibrantz Technologies is a leading global provider of specialty chemicals and materials solutions whose purpose is to bring color, performance, and vibrancy to life. Every day, our employees, the products we make, and our valued customer partnerships are inspired by this purpose.  

 

Serving over 11,000 customers, Vibrantz’s technologies are trusted in a variety of advanced materials, color solutions and performance coatings applications and consumer products. We are experts in particle engineering, glass and ceramic science and color technology. Our technologies are used in small amounts to make big impacts on applications and consumer products, including durable vehicles and batteries, easier-to-clean appliances, energy efficient roof tiles and bricks, stronger and more decorative glass, and eco-friendly paints.  

 

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Vibrantz has over 50 manufacturing facilities and sales offices on six continents, and we employ 4,500 individuals. Our shared culture is rooted strongly in our six core values that focus on safety, our people, customers, excellence in all we do, environmental stewardship and integrity, ethics, and trust. And we are intent upon fostering a workplace that engages not only employees’ heads and hands and – uniquely – their hearts.  

 

Vibrantz is owned by American Securities, a leading U.S. private equity firm that invests in market-leading North American companies with annual revenue generally ranging from $200 million to $2 billion and/or $50 million to $200 million of EBITDA. American Securities and its affiliates have approximately $23 billion under management and are based in New York with an office in Shanghai.  

 

For more information, please visit www.vibrantz.com and www.american-securities.com. 

This position is part of the Research & Development (R&D) Department within the Advanced Materials business unit of Vibrantz Technologies, of which Vibrantz Surface Technology is a subsidiary.  The Department is charged with developing new products, providing technical service to our customers, qualifying alternate raw materials, and providing support to operations. This position specifically supports the development and troubleshooting of processes for new equipment. It also involves assisting scientists with new product development through sample production, testing, and analysis of results. Additionally, the role includes supporting pilot-scale development and the transfer of successful products to full-scale production.

Every employee at Vibrantz Surface Tech has an inherent responsibility for Safety, Quality, Environmental and Health concerns. Specific responsibilities may be identified through a variety of means such as, but not limited to, Standard Operating Procedures, Training Needs Assessment, regulatory compliance, etc. These responsibilities are most often integrated into the workflow and through specific education and training, as necessary.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Execute product development laboratory experiments, pilot scale process development and product transfer to production
• Conduct risk and hazard assessments and ensure the safe operation of the lab and pilot set-ups. Contribute to formulation design, lab experimental set-up and process development.
• Consult with engineers in other functional groups as well as R&D personnel to ensure best-possible design and scalability to the industrial level.
• Use the set-ups to conduct experiments to demonstrate new processes (i) for the use of alternate raw materials and (ii) for new products that address evolving market needs or that are more efficient to produce.
• Maintain records of the work conducted, provide regular (e.g. weekly) updates, and write timely reports upon completion.
• Support implementation of new processes and equipment
• Support production with root cause analysis of quality issues, process development and product transfer.
• Travel to demonstrate new products at third party lab or customer plant, as needed.
• Follow safety rules and practices. Participate in R&D, corporate, and plant safety activities.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree with demonstrated knowledge in equipment process development, polishing material formulation and testing methodology
• Work experience in lab or industrial process for semiconductor or surface finishing treatments is an advantage.
• Strong oral and written English communication skills are required.
• The ability to operate in a self-directed manner and make independent decisions is required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications is required.  Experience with DOE design statistic software is an advantage.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Lifting, carrying, pulling, manipulating, pushing regularly of max 50 lbs.
• Bending, balance, sitting, standing, walking, fine manipulation
• Hearing, seeing, smelling
• Temperature tolerance, variable work hours, respirator use tolerance, chemical resistant glove use tolerance
• Reading, writing, speaking, reasoning
• Number recognition, numeric reasoning

Location

Penn Yan, NY

Vibrantz is committed to protecting your privacy. We provide a Website Privacy Policy located on our Vibrantz.com site to explain the type of information we collect and to inform you of the specific practices and guidelines that protect the security and confidentiality of your personal data. Please read that policy carefully. If any term in the policy is unacceptable to you, please do not use the Website or provide any personal data. This policy may change from time to time (see Revisions to Our Privacy Policy on Vibrantz.com).

Vibrantz Technologies Inc. (“Vibrantz”) is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. Vibrantz strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex, gender, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.