Lab Technician

Glen-Gery; Summerville (PA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life and disability insurance

401(k) plan

Job summary

A leading brick manufacturing company in Summerville, PA, is seeking a Ceramic Engineer to develop and enhance ceramic bodies and coatings. Responsibilities include testing production processes, performing quality analysis, and implementing improvements in manufacturing. Candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree in Ceramic Engineering or a related field, with experience in a quality assurance or manufacturing setting. The position requires strong analytical skills and a safety-conscious mindset. Competitive salary and benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• Fundamental knowledge of ceramics and ceramic processing.
• Ability to perform statistical analysis for quality control.
• Proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Technical experience with production or laboratory kilns.
• Strong analytical and effective communication skills.
• Safety-conscious work approach across manufacturing operations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and test ceramic bodies and coatings.
• Coordinate lab and plant trials for performance evaluation.
• Perform industry standard and proprietary testing methods.
• Implement statistical process controls in QA practices.
• Support teams with data-based analysis.
• Assist in improving lab and product development procedures.

Skills

Knowledge of ceramics

Statistical analysis

Office software proficiency

Experience with kilns

Strong analytical skills

Safety consciousness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Ceramic Engineering

Operational or internship/co-op experience

Tools

Dilatometer

Particle size analyzer

TGA/DTA

XRF/XRD

SEM

Job description

Glen-Gery, one of the nation’s leading brick manufacturers, is searching for a Ceramic Engineer who has a passion for innovation and staying abreast of the latest trends and styles. As the Ceramic Engineer, you will have an opportunity to be involved in the development and enhancement of new and existing products, such as those found within our glazed brick product line.

Glen-Gery Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brickworks Limited. Brickworks Limited ("The Group") is a large Australian-listed group of companies. The Group has been in operation since the early 1900s, has a market capitalization exceeding $2.5 billion, and operates across 3 core business segments: Building Products, Land & Development, and Investments. The Group employs more than 2,000 FTE employees and operates nationally across Australia, recently acquiring Glen-Gery Corporation to add operations in the USA.

Founded in 1890, Glen-Gery Corporation is one of the nation’s largest brick manufacturers and operates eight brick manufacturing facilities. Glen-Gery products are sold nationally through a network of over 500 distributors as well as in Canada. Since entering the USA in 2018, Brickworks have acquired Sioux City Brick, Redland Brick and the distribution business of Southfield Corporation in Illinois and Indiana (Illinois Brick, Indiana Brick). The combined North American business now has more than 900 employees, operates across 40 locations, including 8 brick plants, 26 masonry supply/retail locations and 3 design studios.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Glen-Gery has an opening for a Ceramic Engineer at its Hanley Plant in Summerville, PA. The person filling this role will be responsible for new product development, and other projects aimed at improving manufacturing and/or testing processes and ensuring the efficient production of high quality masonry materials. This opportunity will involve developing ceramic bodies and coatings, identifying quality trends within the manufacturing process, and implementing statistical analysis and best practices to ensure manufacturing consistency.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and test ceramic bodies and coatings, including engobes and glazes.
• Develop and test production line processes for imparting desired coatings and textures to products.
• Coordinate and run lab and plant trials to evaluate raw material and process performance.
• Perform industry standard tests, as well as proprietary methods of testing the integrity and consistency of raw materials and finished goods. May also develop and perform new test methods.
• Use equipment and utilize testing data from equipment such as dilatometer, particle size analyzer, TGA/DTA, XRF/XRD, SEM, etc. Troubleshoot and maintain such equipment.
• Develop and implement statistical process controls in plant QA practices.
• Support manufacturing and quality teams with data-based analysis and conclusions.
• Maintain databases and spreadsheets used for compiling raw material and finished good characteristics.
• Assist with the development and documentation of improved procedures for laboratory and product development processes.

REQUIRED SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Fundamental knowledge of ceramics and the processing, testing, and characterization of ceramic materials and products.
• Ability to perform statistical analysis in relation to quality control processes.
• Proficiency in standard office computing software, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Technical experience with production or laboratory kilns. Experience in the heavy clay industries is preferred.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to apply and communicate results effectively.
• Ability to work within all areas of the brick manufacturing operation including quarries, grinding operation, laboratory, production line, packaging, shipping, etc. and be highly safety-conscious.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Ceramic Engineering or closely-related engineering discipline.
• Operational or internship/co‑op experience in a Quality Assurance or manufacturing environment;
• 2 + years of experience preferred.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive and as such, the employee will also be required to perform other reasonably‑related business duties as required and as may be assigned by the immediate supervisor and/or other management personnel.

Glen-Gery offers a competitive salary and benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, as well as a 401(k) plan.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER