Casting Metallurgist & Process Optimization Engineer

voestalpine Railway Systems Nortrak LLC; Illinois; On-site; USD 70,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

voestalpine Railway Systems Nortrak LLC in Decatur, Illinois, is seeking a Foundry Metallurgist/Casting Engineer to ensure high-quality castings through process control, troubleshooting, and collaborative work with foremen and vendors. The role emphasizes safety, quality standards, and continuous improvement across the foundry operations.

The successful candidate will lead metallurgical analyses, oversee sand control, monitor heat-treatment parameters, and implement corrective actions to

Responsibilities

• Review and approve foundry work instructions and PPE requirements to ensure safe operation.
• Ensure that outside vendors adhere to plant safety regulations and that MSDS for new and existing materials are reviewed, approved and filed.
• Review foundry process control techniques to ensure measuring and recording techniques employed are accurate and that monitoring protocols are adequate to effectively control foundry processes and facilitate troubleshooting.
• Manage process control data within QCS and effect process changes to reduce scrap rates and improve product quality.
• Maintain an extensive knowledge of applicable quality standards and procedures. Establish/adhere, audit and enforce vendor quality procedures and specifications.
• Rig new manganese castings as well as improve rigging on current products. Provide input to the methods drawings in order to maintain legacy of successful rigging.
• Design and carry out test trials targeting product, process, and quality improvement.
• Maintain accurate records of materials, melt chemistry, and consumables for traceability and cost accuracy.
• Conduct root-cause investigations of casting defects using metallurgical analysis and process-troubleshooting methods.
• Train and assist foremen, supervisors, and operators in metal quality, sand control, and casting best practices.
• Monitor and adjust sand-system parameters to maintain consistent mold quality while reviewing system trends and implementing corrective actions to eliminate variation.
• Review welding-repair procedures for manganese castings, support welders with proper preheat, interpass-temperature control, and filler-metal selection, investigate weld-repair defects, and implement process-driven corrective actions to ensure all repairs meet metallurgical and customer specifications.
• Verify heat-treatment furnace-temperature uniformity, sensor calibration, and quench-system parameters while conducting hardness testing and microstructural evaluations to confirm heat-treat results.
• Troubleshoot heat-treatment issues such as overheating, soft spots, and distortion, and implement the necessary process improvements.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues with critical laboratory and process-control equipment - including the spectrometer, sand-lab testing instruments, and heat-treatment system components - to ensure accurate and reliable operation.
• Develop and implement plans to improve foundry productivity.
• Ensure timely development and verification of moulding and rigging.
• Manage relationships with internal/external customers and vendors to ensure appropriate communications to prevent delays due to sourcing or d

Job description

voestalpine Railway Systems Nortrak LLC in Decatur, Illinois, is seeking a Foundry Metallurgist/Casting Engineer to ensure high-quality castings through process control, troubleshooting, and collaborative work with foremen and vendors. The role emphasizes safety, quality standards, and continuous improvement across the foundry operations.

The successful candidate will lead metallurgical analyses, oversee sand control, monitor heat-treatment parameters, and implement corrective actions to