Graduate Trainee - Compounds Specialist

VAT Group AG; Batu Kawan; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

VAT Group AG seeks a skilled Materials Engineer in Malaysia (Penang) to perform supplier qualifications for metallic and elastomer materials, evaluate material properties, and support QA across VAT’s global supply chain. You will interpret vulcanization and crosslinking mechanisms, work with international and customer standards, and drive process improvements for capability, efficiency and cost reductions.

This role involves collaboration with suppliers and internal teams, and supporting

Qualifications

• Understanding vulcanization, crosslinking mechanisms, and structure-property relationships.
• Familiar with compound formulation, physical testing, chemical resistance, and vacuum compatibility.
• Ability to interpret international, semiconductor, VAT-specific, and customer standards for materials and processes.
• Experience identifying process improvements to enhance capability, efficiency, and cost.
• Capability to perform DoE and analyze test results to back up projects.

Responsibilities

• Perform engineering evaluations and supplier qualifications for metallic materials and elastomer polymers.
• Explain vulcanization mechanisms and material behavior to internal teams and customers.
• Review standards and ensure compliance for materials and processes across VAT projects.
• Analyze existing/new materials to identify improvement potentials for capability and cost reductions.
• Develop testing methods and perform experimental design to generate reliable data.
• Coordinate with suppliers, product groups and other functions on new projects and quality issues.
• Support sourcing and development of new supply chain concepts and supplier relationships.
• Assist in customer certifications and audits and document outcomes.
• Review literature relevant to materials science and elastomer chemistry for process innovations.
• Assist in setup and testing of VAT's internal Hard Anodizing, RGA, and compound testing facilities.

Skills

Materials science understanding

Elastomer polymer chemistry

Design of Experiments

Quality improvement

Cross-functional collaboration

Supplier qualification

Environmental/quality compliance

Job description

At VAT, we change the world with vacuum solutions. As the world’s leading supplier of high-performance vacuum valves, we have been driving innovation for more than 60 years. With over 3,200 employees worldwide, we operate from our headquarters in Haag, Switzerland, with manufacturing sites in Switzerland, Malaysia and Romania, as well as sales and service hubs around the world. We are guided by our passions integrity, teamwork, customer centricity, and innovation – always working together as #oneVAT.

Joining us means becoming part of a passionate, international team where your voice is heard, your ideas matter, and your career growth is supported.

• Perform professional engineering evaluations and qualifications of VAT suppliers for metallic materials production, surface treatment processes, elastomer polymer materials and vulcanized elastomers
• Ability to understand and explain vulcanization / crosslinking mechanisms, structure-property relationships, compound formulation, physical property testing, chemical resistance behaviour, outgassing behaviour and vacuum compatibility
• Ability to understand and explain international standards, semiconductor standards, VAT-specific standards and customer standards related to material composition, mechanical properties, surface treatment processes, critical process requirements and high purity cleanliness
• Perform analysis of existing/new materials and processes, and identifies improvement potentials for improved process capability, process efficiency, and cost reductions
• Develop product testing methods and perform Design of Experiments and provide accurate, reliable test results or data analysis to strengthen the statistical back-up in all relevant projects and department activities.
• Initiate and recommend corrective and preventive actions from failure analysis investigations of quality issues
• Introduces and trains suppliers and internal team on VAT-specific processes, VAT standards, international standards and customer requirements
• Coordinate and collaborate with suppliers, product groups and other functions regarding new projects and quality issues
• Support the Purchasing department in sourcing and developing new supply chain concepts
• Provide internal support during customer certifications and audits
• Ability to review journal articles related to materials science and elastomer polymer chemistry for process innovations and technology developments
• Support set up, implementation and testing in the internal Hard Anodizing, RGA and Compound testing facility
• To ensure all practices adhere to the company environmental, quality and health & safety policy at all times.

Our commitment to inclusion, fairness and equal opportunities

We believe in meaningful careers, continuous learning, and equal opportunities for everyone to drive our innovation and success. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace. If you have concerns, our compliance channel is available at our website. All reports are handled with strict confidentiality and in accordance with our Code of Conduct.