Research & Development Technician

Vitro Flat Glass/Architectural; Cheswick (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Vitro Architectural Glass in Cheswick, PA seeks a Laboratory Technician for its Vacuum Coatings Product Development Group to support R&D activities. You will execute experiments, process samples, and record results in electronic notebooks and reports in a fast‑paced, team environment.

Occasional travel to manufacturing facilities in the USA and Mexico is required; training on deposition of thin film coatings and vacuum coating equipment will be provided.

Qualifications

• HS/GED with 5 years relevant laboratory experience or AS with 1 year lab experience or BS in a science field.
• Adherence to safe work practices and compliance with EH&S and site procedures
• Hands-on lab work including cutting/processing/measuring samples and plotting data
• Ability to work both independently and in a team in a fast-paced environment
• Strong organizational and communication skills and willingness to learn new techniques
• Proficiency with MS Windows, MS Excel, and MS Word; accurate data entry and plotting

Responsibilities

• Processing (cutting, labeling, heating) of coated glass samples
• Measuring physical properties (mechanical/scratch, temperature, spectral/color, ellipsometric, sheet resistance)
• Chemical/environmental durability testing of coated glass samples
• Data entry into spreadsheets, plotting charts, data interpretation
• Documentation of procedures and results in electronic lab notebooks
• Deposition of thin film coatings using vacuum coating equipment
• Maintenance/repair of vacuum coating equipment with training
• Assisting with sample handling and photography for testing
• Other duties in a laboratory technician role

Skills

Laboratory experience

Safety compliance

Team player

Detail oriented

Organized

Multi-tasking

Communication skills

MS Excel/Word

Reliability

Color vision

Education

HS/GED + 5 years lab exp

AS degree in related field +1 year lab exp

BS degree in science field

Tools

Vacuum coating equipment

Spectrophotometers

Ellipsometer

Four-point resistance probe

Kelvin probe

Job description

Vitro is the largest glass manufacturer in the Western Hemisphere and the largest glass producer in North America. Vitro's glass products can be found in some of the most iconic vehicles on the road, in countless buildings and homes around the world, and in billions of glass containers produced every year. With more than 14,000 employees worldwide, we have expanded our global footprint and cemented our leadership role in the industries in which we operate.

At Vitro, we redefine the power of partnership to create value and innovative glass solutions for our customers and communities. Together, we will realize the full potential of glass to shape how we move, build, and live in the future. Vitro takes active steps to protect the environment and supports several initiatives that promote protection of the environment and reduction of energy consumption in the glass manufacturing process. Our products and technologies reduce energy consumption and emissions in buildings and vehicles, and we minimize the use of natural resources in manufacturing. Together, we have the power to make more than glass. We can make the future a brighter place for years to come.

Vitro Architectural Glass manufactures a broad range of industry-leading, energy-efficient products such as Solarban,SungateandStarphire Ultra-Clearglasses. Throughout our storied history, collaboration and innovation have been central to our advancements. Today, the key to our success continues to lie in the strength of our partnerships. With a foundation formed on trust, teamwork and shared excitement, the possibilities for impactful innovations in glass are truly endless.

With manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S. and Mexico, Vitro Architectural Glass is committed to sustainable manufacturing processes and products. Vitro also operates one of the world's largest glass research and development facilities in Pittsburgh, PA and has four residential glass fabrication plants in Canada.

To find out more, please visit our website: Vitro Architectural Glass | Vitro Architectural Glass vitroglazings.com

Research & Development Technician - Position Overview

The Vacuum Coatings Product Development Group at Vitro Architectural Glass' Glass Technology Center is seeking a Laboratory Technician to support its research and development activities. The primary purpose of the Technician role is to execute experiments in support of R&D or non-R&D customers.

The working environment is an industrial research and development laboratory setting in Cheswick(Pittsburgh metropolitan area), PA, but occasional work in manufacturing facilities (in USA, Mexico,and possibly elsewhere) will be required (travel usually occurring over multiple weekdays at a time, but some weekend travel may occasionally be required).

Job responsibilities

• Processing (e.g., cutting, labeling, heating) of coated glass samples
• Making measurements of various physical properties (e.g. mechanical/scratch resistance properties, temperature measurements using thermocouples, spectral/color properties using spectrophotometers,ellipsometric properties using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometers, electrical properties such assheet resistance using four-point resistance probe, carrier density/carrier mobility using Hall Effect probe, work function using Kelvin probe), and other evaluations (e.g. visual quality) of such samples
• Chemical/environmental durability testing of coated glass samples and interpreting results
• Entry of data into electronic spreadsheets, plotting/charting of such data, and interpreting results
• Documentation of procedures, results, and data in electronic laboratory notebook
• Writing test reports
• Deposition of thin film coatings using vacuum coating equipment (after training from experienced personnel)
• Adjustments, maintenance, and repair of vacuum coating equipment and/or other electrical/mechanicalequipment (after training, and with assistance/coaching where needed)
• Occasionally assisting other personnel with work related to diagnoses of samples returned fromcustomers or manufacturing facilities (including opening wooden crates, boxes, pallets, helping tomove/lift/disassemble/cut-down insulated glass window units for examination and testing, assistingwith photography of large and small glass samples, etc.)
• Other duties as appropriate for a laboratory technician position

Required Characteristics/Skills/Experience

• HS/GED plus 5 years relevant laboratory experience OR
• A.S. degree in closely related field (physics, engineering, material science, chemistry, electronics, mechatronics, etc) plus 1-year relevant laboratory experience OR
• B.S. degree in science field (physics, engineering, material science, chemistry, electronics, mechatronics, etc)
• Adherence to safe work practices and compliance with all environmental, health, safety, and securityprotocols as verbally specified by Vitro personnel and/or in written procedures
• Aptitude and motivation to do hands-on laboratory work (cut/process/measure samples, testchemical/mechanical durability of coated glass samples, prepare thermocouples and make temperaturemeasurements, make observations/draw conclusions, plot data in appropriate types of charts, andaccurately organize/document results in spreadsheets/reports and electronic laboratory notebook)
• Team player: ability to work in a fast-paced, team-based environment with a variety of science andtechnology professionals (technicians, engineering specialists, scientists, engineers)
• Organized
• Good balance between being attentive to details while completing tasks/jobs in a timely fashion
• Aptitude and willingness to continue to learn and expand upon skill set
• Flexibility to participate in other duties, as assigned
• Initiative and resourcefulness; solicits advice/expertise/experience of other personnelwhen necessary.
• looks for, and tackles, the next job that needs to be done without necessarily being told,and asks supervisor regarding prioritization of current/upcoming job(s), as appropriate
• Ability to work independently without frequent/close supervision, as appropriate, and also in team settings
• Ability to multi-task without compromising safety or quality of work
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Updates supervisor, at appropriate times and frequencies, regarding status of work
• Shares ideas (interpretation of experimental results, suggests next experiment(s) and/or newexperimental approaches as appropriate, suggests opportunities to improve work practices, etc.)
• Adequate proficiency with Microsoft Windows, MS Excel, and MS Word software; ability toaccurately organize, enter, and plot data in MS Excel spreadsheets
• Aptitude and willingness to continually learn from other personnel/resources and expand skill set
• Reliability and punctuality
• Honesty and ethical behavior (e.g., keeps accurate timesheets, expense reports, etc.)
• Acceptable color vision
• Ability to occasionally lift/move samples or other objects up to about 45 pounds in weight, withassistance from one or more other persons and/or using assistive devices (e.g., pallet jack, vacuum liftassist)