Metal Foils Process Development Technician

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Job Description

Background

Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Charlotte, NC, is a leading global producer of lithium, bromine and catalyst solutions.

Are you inspired by “what’s next”? So are we. When you join the Albemarle team, you contribute to a better tomorrow. You will play a role in powering many of the world’s largest and most critical industries, from energy and communications to transportation and electronics. We are putting innovation to work to improve people’s lives and we want YOU to be a part of it.

As the world’s largest lithium producer, our products enable the rapid growth in lithium batteries that power everything from pacemakers to cell phones, to electric vehicles. Our unique lithium natural resource position, global derivatization capabilities and technology leadership allow Albemarle to execute an aggressive growth strategy for this business. Join us to help drive new technologies and materials to scale and accelerate the electrification revolution.

Join a growing global Process Development team to accelerate Albemarle’s Energy Storage GBU growth plans for new Lithium materials, resources and processes through rapid development and scaleup, using flexible resources & facilities, both internally and externally.

The team links research and commercialization, developing the manufacturing processes at an intermediate scale to enable commercialization of new materials, new resources and major process improvements.  The group’s portfolio comes from significant interaction with multiple stakeholders, including strategic business planning, R&D, hydrogeology, process technology, quality, manufacturing and project engineering.

Position Summary

This growing team is seeking a technician to help develop lithium metal anodes for current and future generations of high energy density batteries. The ideal candidate will have experience in cold rolling of metals to produce thin and ultra-thin foils. Experience in other metal working operations such as extrusion, metal film lamination, die or laser cutting, is also desirable.

If a candidate with these experiences cannot be found, a candidate with a demonstrated strong mechanical aptitude, a strong willingness to learn, and other converting and roll to roll processing techniques would also make a strong candidate.

Specific Roles And Responsibilities Include

Conduct all experiments and operate equipment in compliance with Corporate Health, Safety, and Environmental (HS&E) policies. Maintain a safe lab and production environment. Safely operate, diagnose problems, and perform preventative maintenance on laboratory and production equipment. Abide by all process procedures to ensure equipment is not damaged and the integrity of samples and dry room is maintained. Prepare lithium ingots, foil feedstocks, foils, and laminates for PD and customers. Conduct physical property testing of raw materials, and other products. Package, label, store, and ship samples to the customer. Results oriented. High quality results are the priority, not the completion of activities. Manage day to day activities effectively to utilize your time effectively to meet critical milestones. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with strong internal customer focus, including lab notebook, technical reports and group presentations. Document all experiments, data, and process learnings in the lab notebook. Proactively record and communicate observations and results with PD engineer. Prepare presentations and present work at team meetings. Actively participate in team meetings. Author and follow standard operating procedures. (SOPs) Author and follow Job Hazards Analysis (JHA) Assist with chemical inventory management. Assist with waste management.

The successful candidate can become a critical technical contributor on the development and commercialization of new products that will help enable the Electric Vehicle revolution that has started. Getting in at the ground level with this exciting opportunity will provide the chance to take a new technology from infancy to maturity and have a major positive impact on the future of transportation for decades to come.

Behaviors Required To Be Successful In This Role Include

Exceptional safety leadership and commitment to safety. Put Safety, and Care for employees first. Ability to think on your feet and deal with ambiguity. Ability to problem solve in a dynamic environment. Experimental data/record keeping excellence. Don’t blindly do what was requested. If it is not working communicate this with the PD engineer or R&D Scientists and be prepared to change course. Time management skills to maximize results. Attention to detail to prevent damage to equipment and achieve repeatable high-quality results. Results-driven, outcome-focused, action-oriented approach with a collaborative operating style. Able to work independently and in a team. Integrity – everybody makes mistakes. Own your mistakes and learn from them.

Required Qualifications

Associate degree in a relevant technical field (Science, mechanic, electrician, engineering). Excellent verbal and written communication skills with strong internal customer focus, including lab notebook, technical reports and group presentations.

Preferred Experience/Education

Experience, with metals handling, casting, extruding, or roll milling. Lithium metal process experience is a plus. Individual candidate experience and career development path will factor into specifics for roles, responsibilities, and salary levels.  Mechanical Engineering Degree

We are partners to one another in pioneering new ways to be better for ourselves, our teams, and our communities. When you join Albemarle, you become our most essential element and you can anticipate competitive compensation, a comprehensive benefits package, and resources that foster your well-being and fuel your personal growth. Help us shape the future, build with purpose and grow together.