Lead Materials Process Engineer

Job Title: Lead Materials Process Engineer
Location: Beaverton, OR
Duration: 07 months
Hybrid: Mon Thurs onsite, Fri remote

Job Description:

• On-site role at PHK; 4/1 hybrid schedule, typical work hours (evening calls may be required 2x/week for calls with other geos)
• International travel to Asia likely required, maximum 3 trips total
• Degree required for this role, minimum Bachelor s
• CNC/tooling certifications nice to have, not required
• 3-5 years experience minimum required in a similar role

Top must-have skills include the following:

• Experience with polymer materials
• Self starter
• Familiarity with JMP software
• Experience with data analysis

Skills that would make a candidate stand out:

• Lab testing experience, specifically with polyurethane
• Comfortable in manufacturing environments

Desired Skills

• Ability to work efficiently and refine communication on diverse teams
• Problem solver mindset
• Collaborative

Additional Information

• ETW will help support mat leave coverage for development processes; communicating the needs/supplies to factories, testing apparel materials in the lab to confirm reliability, and recommending improvements
• Will work with ~7 on direct team, ~12 on calls with other geos
• 1-2 rounds of interviews anticipated

Who We're Looking For

We are looking for a highly technical and collaborative engineer with deep expertise in materials processing, manufacturing systems, and process control. The ideal candidate combines strong analytical problem-solving skills with hands-on factory experience and a passion for turning innovation into scalable manufacturing solutions.

You have:

• Bachelor's degree in Polymer Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Experience developing and industrializing advanced material technologies and manufacturing processes.
• Strong knowledge of Statistical Process Control (SPC), process capability analysis, Design of Experiments (DOE), and manufacturing quality systems.
• Demonstrated success leading complex technical problem-solving in manufacturing environments.
• Deep understanding of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles and manufacturing readiness.
• Experience developing process specifications, engineering standards, control plans, validation protocols, and manufacturing documentation.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to influence internal and external partners.
• Experience working directly with global manufacturing partners and factory engineering organizations.

Who You Will Work With:

As a Lead Materials Process Engineer, you will work across Innovation, Materials, Product Creation, Quality, and Global Manufacturing teams to develop, industrialize, and scale advanced material technologies. You will partner closely with factory engineering teams, suppliers, and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure innovative materials and manufacturing processes are capable, repeatable, and ready for commercialization. You will serve as a key technical leader, helping bridge material science, process engineering, and factory execution.

What you will Work upon:
Process Development & Manufacturing Readiness:

• Lead development, optimization, and validation of advanced material manufacturing processes.
• Establish process capability targets, operating windows, and manufacturing controls required for scalable production.
• Drive manufacturing readiness and commercialization activities in collaboration with factory partners.
• Identify manufacturing risks and implement mitigation plans to improve process robustness and production confidence.

Statistical Process Control & Technical Problem Solving:

• Develop and implement SPC methodologies, process monitoring systems, and control plans.
• Analyze process capability, variation, yield, and quality data to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Lead structured root-cause investigations related to material performance, process variation, and manufacturing quality.
• Drive corrective actions and continuous improvement efforts across internal teams and manufacturing partners.

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) Leadership:

• A critical responsibility of this role is connecting material performance, process capability, and manufacturing execution.
• You will:
• Interpret material characterization data, laboratory testing results, process validation findings, and manufacturing performance metrics.
• Analyze SPC and process capability studies to identify critical-to-quality characteristics and sources of variation.
• Translate technical findings into Design for Manufacturing guidelines, engineering standards, process specifications, and control strategies.
• Define critical process parameters, operating windows, and manufacturing requirements necessary to achieve consistent product performance.
• Develop scalable manufacturing standards that enable repeatable execution across global factory networks.
• Create and maintain technical documentation that captures process knowledge, best practices, and commercialization requirements.

Factory & Cross-Functional Partnership:

• Serve as a primary technical liaison between Innovation teams and manufacturing partners.
• Provide technical leadership during factory trials, process validation, and commercialization efforts.
• Partner with Materials, Product Creation, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to drive technical decisions and manufacturing readiness.
• Support capability building within factory engineering organizations through coaching, training, and technical guidance.

WHAT SETS YOU APART:

• Expertise in polymer processing, materials engineering, and manufacturing process development.
• Ability to bridge material science, process engineering, and factory execution.
• Strong understanding of how material properties, process capability, and manufacturing variation influence product performance.
• Proven experience translating laboratory and factory data into actionable Design for Manufacturing standards.
• Experience scaling emerging technologies from development through commercial production.
• Demonstrated success influencing cross-functional teams and global manufacturing partners.