Technical Manager - OSB

West Fraser; Fairfax (SC); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

401K with company match

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Paid vacations and holidays

On-the-job training

Promotions from within

Job summary

West Fraser in the United States operates a large OSB mill and seeks a policy-focused lab lead to manage procedures and raw material planning. You will oversee lab policies, calibrations, audits, and data analysis to ensure product quality and efficiency.

The role requires a strong background in OSB manufacturing, statistics, and quality systems, with leadership to guide Lab Team Members and coordinate with mill leadership on trials and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 3+ years manufacturing experience OR 10 years of manufacturing management experience.
• Strong knowledge of OSB manufacturing steps: blending, forming, pressing, finishing and testing.
• Solid understanding of statistics and its application in quality control.
• Familiarity with quality systems and test methods.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate raw material deliveries to ensure availability within budget.
• Develop and maintain lab procedures and checklists.
• Verify and calibrate lab equipment.
• Analyze data using statistical techniques for process improvement.
• Maintain and optimize resin and wax handling and filtering processes.
• Lead audits for quality, safety, SOX, APA and materials inventory.
• Monitor moisture meters, thickness gauges, and blow detectors.
• Ensure resin and wax specs meet customer and company requirements; adjust as needed.
• Lead resin and wax trials and communicate results to mill leadership.
• Provide hands-on technical support for mill operations and processes.
• Monitor production data to optimize performance and costs.
• Identify hazards and ensure compliance with safety and environmental regulations.

Skills

OSB manufacturing

Statistics

Quality systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree + 3+ years manufacturing experience or 10 years in manufacturing management

Job description

Are you interested in working for a company that offers both a challenging work environment and a rewarding career path?

The primary responsibility of this position is formulating lab policies, managing daily procedures, planning the use of raw materials in the composition of Oriented Strand Board and managing Lab Team Members.

What Will You Do

• Coordinate raw material deliveries with suppliers ensuring raw material is available to operate the mill while meeting the mill’s financial budgets
• Develop and maintain lab procedures and checklists
• Verify and calibrate lab equipment
• Analyze data collected using statistical techniques
• Ensure blenders are clean and operate at optimal performance.
• Ensure resin and wax filters are clean
• Ensure APA standards are met.
• Lead both internal and external audits for areas including but not limited to corporate quality, SOX, APA, safety, and raw material inventory.
• Maintain moisture meter, thickness gauge and blow detector
• Ensure the accurate adjustment of moisture meters
• Ensure the formula of wax and resin meets the customers and West Fraser’s specifications and adjust as required.
• Must be the Liaison and leader on all resin and wax trials. Maintain a schedule and communicate trials to all Mill leadership in a timely manner.
• Provide hands-on and technical support for the mill and manufacturing processes
• Monitor manufacturing data to optimize performance, manage product cost models, and identify efficiency improvements.
• Identify hazards, ensure compliance with environmental and safety regulations, and train staff on standard operating procedures.
• Ensure the efficient scheduling of pMDI tank cars
• Ensure Resin and Wax inventories are accurate on a shift basis.
• Special projects and other duties assigned.

What You Will Need

• Bachelor’s Degree with 3+ years manufacturing experience OR 10 years of manufacturing management experience; or equivalent combination of training and experience
• Thorough knowledge of manufacturing OSB including blending, forming, pressing, finishing and testing
• Thorough knowledge of statistical concepts and application
• Thorough knowledge of quality systems and test methods
• Thorough knowledge of physical properties and applications
• Collaborate with teams’ company-wide to ensure target production numbers and sales align with company goals

What We Offer

• Benefits starting Day 1
• Competitive starting pay
• On-the-job training and
• A culture that strongly believes in promoting from within
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 401K with company match
• Life Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• Paid vacations and holidays

West Fraser is a diversified wood products company producing lumber, OSB, LVL, MDF, plywood, pulp, newsprint, wood chips, and energy with over 60 facilities in Canada, the United States, and Europe. We are the largest lumber producer in North America, a leading global manufacturer of wood-based panels, and the world’s largest producer of oriented strand board (OSB).

We are a growing company, believe strongly in promoting from within, and pride ourselves on providing a challenging environment with continuous development. The successful candidate should be interested in future growth opportunities within the company.

West Fraser is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V/D & Drug-Free Workplace (DFW)