Applications Testing Engineer

at  Natural Fiber Welding Inc

APPLICATIONS TESTING ENGINEER

We are seeking a results driven candidate who is a self-starter and a creative problem solver, with the ability to work closely with product development, business teams and NFW customers and help bring new products to the market across a wide set of markets and applications. This role will be key to develop our testing expertise across different applications and support the fast growth of our MIRUM™ (plant-based leather alternative) product line. The salary range for this position is 85-100K. This role is onsite and located in Peoria, IL.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Frequent talking, hearing, and seeing
• Frequent using of hands to grasp, handle, or feel
• Regular standing, walking, sitting, and reaching
• Occasional lifting of up to 35 pounds

Requirements:

• Required, bachelor’s degree (chemistry, engineering, material science), preferred Master’s or PhD degree.
• Preferred, previous product development / commercialization, application testing or quality lab experience and technical document creation experience
• Preferred experience in one of more of the following applications: leather and leather alternatives, coatings, footwear, upholstery, automotive, accessories.
• Outstanding communicator and presentation skills, excellent interpersonal and analytical skills
• A start-up mentality as well as the ability to wear multiple hats
• Fluency in office productivity tools and project management
• Attention to detail
• Works well with others
• Statistical experiment planning and data analysis experience is a plu

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and be a key player in new product development and launch activities and support the extension of the MIRUM product line in close collaboration with strategic customers.
• Design/develop and execute laboratory validation tests for NFW’s MIRUM product line
• Help develop NFW proprietary as well as adapt industry standard (ASTM, ISO, DIN, AATCC) tests to validate performance across a wide set of potential applications such as accessories, footwear, automotive, etc.
• Establish and document standard test procedures along with expected values and tolerances for production materials.
• Work with the product development team, the QC lab, the procurement team, and selected customers to identify appropriate tests for incoming materials, in-process products, and finished products.
• Specify, get quotes for, and be involved in purchase of new test equipment.
• Train/supervise interns and technicians as needed.
• Execute standard lab tests: document results and provide conclusions & recommendations
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements:

• Required, bachelor’s degree (chemistry, engineering, material science), preferred Master’s or PhD degree.
• Preferred, previous product development / commercialization, application testing or quality lab experience and technical document creation experience
• Preferred experience in one of more of the following applications: leather and leather alternatives, coatings, footwear, upholstery, automotive, accessories.
• Outstanding communicator and presentation skills, excellent interpersonal and analytical skills
• A start-up mentality as well as the ability to wear multiple hats
• Fluency in office productivity tools and project management
• Attention to detail
• Works well with others
• Statistical experiment planning and data analysis experience is a plus

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Frequent talking, hearing, and seeing
• Frequent using of hands to grasp, handle, or feel
• Regular standing, walking, sitting, and reaching
• Occasional lifting of up to 35 pound