Ceramic Core Engineer
Location: Near Jacksonville, Alabama (on-site)
Salary: $150,000-$200,000 annually
Schedule: Full time
Summary
Lead the development and control of ceramic core materials and manufacturing processes used to create precision internal passages in aerospace investment castings. This hands-on engineering role will establish a new ceramic core operation and own material preparation, injection, thermal processing, dimensional control, defect reduction, and continuous improvement from development through stable production.
Essential Functions
- Develop and establish a greenfield ceramic core manufacturing operation from material preparation through forming, thermal processing, finishing, and strengthening.
- Monitor ceramic core yield, equipment capability, dimensional performance, and adherence to fixed manufacturing processes.
- Own compounding, homogenization, and rheological control of refractory powders and organic or polymeric binder systems.
- Troubleshoot ceramic injection processes and optimize pressure, temperature, tooling, and cycle parameters.
- Develop and validate debinding and high-temperature sintering cycles for density, dimensional stability, and mechanical strength.
- Lead root-cause investigations for breakage, incomplete fill, flow lines, distortion, dimensional variation, and other structural defects.
- Partner with suppliers and laboratories on microscopy, particle-size analysis, dilatometry, and related testing.
- Review new core geometries during product introduction and improve manufacturability and yield.
- Create and maintain SOPs, visual standards, work instructions, process-control plans, and approved rework methods.
- Use statistical process control and production data to improve yield, repeatability, throughput, quality, and capability.
- Communicate technical requirements and corrective actions to operators, engineers, suppliers, quality teams, and leadership.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in ceramic engineering, materials science, chemical engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
- At least five years of hands-on engineering experience in ceramic or materials processing, injection molding, or an investment casting foundry.
- Strong knowledge of refractory materials such as silica, alumina, or zircon and polymer binder formulations used in ceramic processing.
- Experience with ceramic injection, debinding, sintering, tooling, dimensional control, and defect reduction.
- Working knowledge of laboratory characterization methods and industrial testing protocols.
- Ability to use Minitab, Excel, or comparable tools for statistical process control and data analysis.
- Familiarity with dimensional inspection equipment, tooling design and operation, and GD&T.
- Demonstrated ability to lead structured root-cause analysis and translate findings into stable shop-floor controls.
- Must qualify as a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen or permanent resident) for ITAR-controlled work.
Benefits
General benefits include health and dental coverage and paid time off.
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