Senior Materials Development Engineer - ELYSIS

Alcoa Australia; New Kensington (Westmoreland County); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Alcoa’s ELYSIS program is seeking a Senior Materials Development Engineer to lead ceramic materials research for revolutionary low-emission aluminum production. You will guide technical readiness, collaborate with electrode production and industrialization teams, and help scale ceramic processes from lab to pilot and commercial scales.

The role requires a graduate degree in materials/ceramics/chemical engineering, plus 5–10 years of relevant experience and strong data-analysis skills.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree required with strong experimental and data-analysis capabilities.
• Experience with ceramic materials, sintering processes and scaling up to pilot/industrial environments.
• Proven ability to manage projects, timelines and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Creates and executes technical programs to reduce industrialization scale-up risks.
• Leads projects, defines objectives, develops work plans and conducts R&D.
• Provides data-based guidance for equipment and process design to reduce risk.
• Supports development of technical specifications for materials and equipment sets.
• Applies fundamentals of engineering to lab, pilot and commercial scale environments.
• Uses root cause analysis for material/process issues.
• Identifies opportunities for improvements and implements solutions.
• Manages vendor relations, scopes, schedules and budgets; reports progress.

Skills

Communication

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Project management

Ceramics knowledge

Sintering processes

Process scale-up

Education

Graduate degree in Materials Science & Engineering, Ceramics Engineering, or Chemical Engineering

Job description

Senior Materials Development Engineer – ELYSIS

Shape Your World At Alcoa, you will become an essential part of our purpose: to turn raw potential into real progress. The way we see it, every Alcoan is a work-shaper, team-shaper, idea-shaper & world-shaper.

A New Era for the Aluminum Industry – ELYSIS Carbon Free Aluminum There is a new, revolutionary way to make aluminum. It eliminates all greenhouse gases. And it produces oxygen! The ELYSIS™ technology is the greatest breakthrough in the aluminum industry since its beginnings in 1886. It has the potential to drastically reduce the environmental footprint of the global aluminum industry. The ELYSIS™ technology effectively puts an end to the use of carbon anode in the aluminum smelting process. It features the newly developed breakthrough proprietary materials that are stable and do not react during the process. Thus, it eliminates all direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the aluminum smelting process and is the first technology ever that emits oxygen as its by-product. An unprecedented world-class partnership of two major aluminum industry pioneers - Alcoa and Rio Tinto - led to the formation of ELYSIS, announced in 2018. The Canadian Government and the Quebec Government, through participation of Investment Quebec, have decided to support and be part of this industry revolution. The world’s technology giant Apple has helped facilitate the collaboration between Alcoa and Rio Tinto on the carbon-free smelting process and has agreed to provide ELYSIS with technical support. ELYSIS is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada with Technology Research & Development locations in Alma, Quebec, Canada, in Jonquière, Quebec, Canada, in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, United States, and in France. ELYSIS provides a unique solution for drastic reductions in the carbon footprint of many products used in our daily lives, including transportation, construction, electrical and consumer goods industries. ELYSIS metal is now being used by Apple (MacBook Pro and iPhone 12 SE), Ab InBEV (cans), Audi (e-tron GT wheels), and Corona (cans).

About the Location The ELYSIS US Research & Development facility is in the Alcoa Technical Center (ATC) located in New Kensington, PA which is the birthplace of the aluminum industry. Near Pittsburgh, PA, the ATC is where the process being scaled-up by ELYSIS was first developed with a dedicated team who continues to reinvent the aluminum industry for a sustainable future. Majority of the work will be hands-on and onsite. Opportunities for remote reporting and documentation activities.

About the position: The Senior Materials Development Engineer will use their wide breadth of knowledge and expertise in ceramic materials and processes to lead research and development efforts associated with technical readiness level advancement of a ceramic process used to produce proprietary and novel ceramic electrodes for the Elysis smelting process. This role also serves to be the technical liaison, providing data-based decisions, guidance, and support to Elysis electrode production and industrialization teams. This role will report to Elysis R&D management.

Key Activities / Responsibilities

• Creates and executes technical programs aimed at reducing industrialization scale-up risks for critical equipment and processes.
• Leads projects, defines objectives, develops work plans, and conducts research that builds off of past advances and scientific understanding of the breakthrough materials used in Elysis’s advanced smelting processes.
• Provides data-based guidance for equipment and process design that promotes an overall reduction in risk associated with industrialization of the processes associated with the Elysis technology.
• Supports the development of technical specifications for materials and key commercial scale equipment sets by executing continuous improvement initiatives, and/or creating technology development programs that identify and close specific knowledge gaps associated with existing processes or equipment sets.
• Uses a competent, hands‑on approach that applies fundamental engineering principles to practical solutions and applications in laboratory, pilot, and commercial scale environments.
• Uses root cause analysis tools to provide robust and sustainable solutions to new material, process, or production issues.
• Seeks out and identifies opportunities for improvements and implements innovative solutions required to advance materials development goals and/or production initiatives required for the success of the Elysis program.
• Meets relevant project objectives by developing internal or external relationships, managing scopes, schedules, and budgets of vendors, service providers or institutions.
• Organizes results in clear, traceable formats, communicates progress and results through written detailed technical reports, presentations, patents, and publications.

Mobility

ELYSIS is a global company with operations in Canada, France, and the United States. Business related travel and extended duration assignments or missions may be essential for the success of this role.

About You

• Graduate degree in Materials Science & Engineering, Ceramics Engineering, or Chemical Engineering.
• 5-10 years of relevant work experience related to the development of ceramic materials or processes preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge in ceramic sintering processes, processing equipment and process scale‑up experience.
• Proven project execution and management skills.
• Strong aptitude in physical, chemical, and thermal material property characterization methods and analysis.
• Experience working in collaborative, results driven, fast‑paced team environments.
• Strong communication, organizational and analytical skills for data management, analysis, and results presentation.

Diversity

Be Part of an Unprecedented Partnership At ELYSIS we are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable to be themselves. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard, all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome – they are essential to success of the unprecedented partnership that ELYSIS is. We treat each other respectfully, fairly, compassionately and with dignity regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or anything else that makes us different. At ELYSIS, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from women, the LGBTQIA2 community, mature workers, people with disabilities and people from different cultural backgrounds. ELYSIS is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

More About the Location

Every day is a new and exciting challenge at the Alcoa Technical Center in New Kensington, PA, just north of Pittsburgh. We develop new technologies with our Breakthrough Technologies team that has the potential to impact the life of millions of people and foster the sustainable footprint from Alcoa to the world. It was here where we developed the technology recently announced in partnership with Rio Tinto, called ELYSIS™, where we will produce aluminum with ZERO emission of greenhouse gases. In fact, we will actually be generating oxygen to our atmosphere during the aluminum production process– a revolution to the aluminum industry! We are values led, vision driven and united by our purpose of transforming raw potential into real progress. Our commitments to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity include providing trusting workplaces that are safe, respectful and inclusive of all individuals, free from discrimination, bullying and harassment and that our workplaces reflect the diversity of the communities in which we operate. As a proud equal opportunity workplace and affirmative action employer, Alcoa is dedicated to providing equal opportunities and equal access to all individuals regardless of a person’s gender, age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, nation of origin, disability, veteran status, language spoken or any other characteristic or status protected by the laws or regulations in the places where we operate. If you have visited our website in search of information on U.S. employment opportunities or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Alcoa Recruiting via email at [e-mail]. This is a place where you are empowered to do your best work, be your authentic self, and feel a true sense of belonging. Come join us and shape your career! Your work. Your world. Shape them for the better. Shape your Career at Alcoa! As an Alcoan you are part of a global team committed to advancing sustainability and delivering excellence and innovation. As a values-based company, we Act with Integrity, Operate with Excellence, Care for People, and Lead with Courage. Join us and become an essential part of our purpose: to turn raw potential into real progress. We treat all people with dignity and we believe in inclusion, diversity and enabling all employees to grow and develop their careers with us, where they can pursue their passions. Discover the possibilities a career with Alcoa can have for you. Come shape your career with us! Careers @ Alcoa Sustainability @ Alcoa

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