• Job Description

  Req#: 492377

  Aspen Aerogels® is a rapidly growing aerogel technology company founded in 2001 to capitalize on patented advances in aerogel manufacturing. Aspen’s extensive portfolio of proprietary aerogel products are manufactured at scale and sold worldwide in the Electric Vehicle, Energy Infrastructure, Sustainable Building Materials, and Power Generation industries. Aspen is a Tier 1/2 Automotive supplier of PyroThin® thermal barriers, and our Pyrogel® and Cryogel® insulation products are used by virtually all leading petrochemical and refining company across more than 50 countries. We’re on a mission to build a world-class organization as we continue to grow our energy infrastructure business, and expand to meet demand for PyroThin thermal barriers in the rapidly growing Electric Vehicle sector over the next decade. We’re looking for great passionate, dynamic talent to join our team.

  The Sr. Process Development Engineer will report to the Senior Manager, Process Development. The Engineer will be responsible for driving functional excellence in the area of aerogel manufacturing by providing strategic, technical and new process design and development support for the R&D and manufacturing teams. Under the direction of the Senior Manager, the Engineer will lead the design of future aerogel manufacturing methods and process technologies. The Engineer will also assist with optimizing production of existing products, trialing and scaling up of new products.

  DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Lead technically transformational process change in manufacturing partnering with R&D to develop next generation manufacturing of aerogel composites.
  • Partner with R&D and Plant Engineering to identify, develop and execute new product and new process improvements in the areas of safety, production capacity, yield and cost reduction.
  • Partner with R&D to interpret product design requirements to determine feasibility, process steps required, and cost to manufacture.
  • Transfer new technologies, products, and manufacturing processes into the Company.
  • Establish project goals and priorities by collaborating with Marketing and Operations.
  • Support the successful introduction of new products and processes. Lead and/or execute the experimental work required to support scale up activities and develop a robust commercial scale aerogel manufacturing process from small-scale laboratory data.
  • Analyze process and quality data to improve/troubleshoot the aerogel manufacturing process
  • Partner with R&D, Plant Engineering and Manufacturing to support trial manufacturing runs.
  • Coordinate and/or lead troubleshooting of aerogel manufacturing processes to determine root cause of failure modes.
  • Develop and implement corrective actions to mitigate failure modes
  • Provide technical guidance, coaching and training to Plant Engineering and Manufacturing.
  • Lead or support project teams through developmental phases of engineering projects related to process equipment including conceptual design of both process and equipment. Transfer design requirements to Plant Engineering for detailed design, equipment procurement, construction, installation, start up, commissioning, validation, and qualification of facilities and/or equipment.
  • Build upon lab and trial generated best practices to establish and implement full scale standards, documentation and procedures for all new and existing products to ensure manufacturing capabilities.
  • Adopt and follow Aspen’s core values of Safety, Quality, Integrity, Teamwork, Customer and Innovation on both a personal and professional level.

  QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Minimum 5-10 years’ experience in process design and development (process engineering, technology evaluation and deployment, unit operation).
  • Master's degree in Chemistry or Engineering. Equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
  • Broad knowledge of chemical process development, preferably with a focus on silica synthesis and modification. Alternatively a board knowledge of coating and casting technologies.
  • Experience with pilot and manufacturing operations, and the process of transitioning new products/processes from lab to pilot and full commercial manufacturing.
  • Hands on experience with analytical method development.
  • Hands on lab or pilot plant experience running experiments
  • History of working in a manufacturing operations environment.
  • Experience with research and analytic techniques. Ability to apply statistical analysis and/or practical experience to make sound conclusions and use to optimize process development activities.
  • Ability and willingness to lead and do work.
  • Innate intellectual curiosity.
  • Predisposed to leverage analytic reason, creativity, and judgment.
  • Well-developed influencing skills – ability to inspire confidence and drive consensus.
  • Ability to handle complex matters across multiple initiatives.
  • Intellectual agility to deal effectively with strategic issues and operational details.
  • Ability to effectively influence and motivate external and internal stakeholders.

  PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

  • Frequently required to stand
  • Occasionally required to walk
  • Frequently required to sit
  • Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity
  • Occasionally required to climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel or crawl
  • Continually required to talk or hear
  • Frequently works near moving mechanical parts
  • Frequently works around fumes, airborne particles, or toxic chemicals
  • Occasionally exposed to extreme heat or cold (non-weather)
  • While performing the duties of this job, the noise level in the work environment is usually moderate
  • The Engineer must occasionally lift and/or move more than 10 pounds.
  • Specific vision abilities required by this job include: Close vision; Distance vision; Color vision; Peripheral vision; Depth perception and ability to adjust focus

  The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  Aspen Aerogels, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO is the Law poster is available here: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf.

  Aspen Aerogels, Inc. is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to abuttitta@aerogel.com or call (508) 466-3111 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

  For Our Rhode Island Applicants:
  Aspen Aerogels, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. The East Providence, RI facility of Aspen Aerogels is subject to Title 28, Chapter 29-6.2 of Rhode Island General Laws, which governs Worker’s Compensation.

• About the company

  Aspen Aerogels designs, develops & manufactures aerogel insulation. Our flexible industrial insulation gel offers the best in thermal performance.

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