Senior Ceramic Engineer - ELYSIS

Shape Your World

At Alcoa, you will become an essential part of our purpose: to turn raw potential into real progress. The way we see it, every Alcoan is a work-shaper, team-shaper, idea-shaper, world-shaper.

Senior Ceramic Engineer – ELYSIS 

A New Era for the Aluminum Industry

Carbon Free Aluminum   

The ELYSIS™ technology is the greatest breakthrough in the aluminum industry since its beginnings in 1886. Work is underway now to further develop this revolutionary new way to produce aluminum, eliminating carbon dioxide and all other greenhouse gas emissions from the traditional smelting process.

The ELYSIS process eliminates the use of carbon anodes, replacing those with proprietary materials. It is the first industrial process that emits oxygen as its by-product and has the potential to transform an entire industry.

In 2018, two international aluminum producers, Alcoa and Rio Tinto, came together to form the ELYSIS joint venture with the provincial government of Quebec. With support from the Canadian Government and Apple, the technology is progressing and is currently being designed to support the construction of new smelters or retrofits.

ELYSIS is headquartered in Montreal, with Technology Research & Development locations in Alma, Quebec, (Canada), in Jonquiere, Quebec, (Canada), in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, (United States), and in France.

Commercial quality metal produced by ELYSIS during the ongoing R&D process is already being used by Apple in a variety of products (The 16-inch MacBook Pro and the iPhone SE); Ab InBEV (cans); Audi (e-tron GT wheels produced by the RONAL Group), and Corona (cans).

Join the ELYSIS team in this exciting work!

About the location

The ELYSIS US Research & Development facility is located in the Alcoa Technical Center (ATC) in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. Located near Pittsburgh, the carbon-free smelting process was first developed at ATC, where a dedicated team is working to reinvent the aluminum industry for a sustainable future.

About the Role

ELYSIS is looking for a Senior Ceramics Engineer to join the R&D team located at ATC. Reporting the Senior manager, the Engineer will be responsible for leading R&D, engineering and technology commercialization efforts to further the company’s advanced smelting technology.

Key Activities / Responsibilities:

• Initiate and lead R&D projects, define objectives, work plans, and conduct research for the improvement of breakthrough materials in advanced smelting processes
• Apply detailed knowledge of materials chemistry, microstructures, and failure mechanisms to develop fundamental understanding of materials performance
• Conduct activities in materials processing such as blending, forming, compaction, densification, physical, chemical and thermal property analysis and characterization
• Responsible for solving problems to root cause, seek and identify opportunities for improvement and implement innovative solutions required to improve materials development and/or production activities
• Hands-on work requires the ability to apply material fundamentals and technology into practical solutions and applications in laboratory, pilot, and commercial scale environments
• Collaborate with work groups, including external work-groups and stakeholders
• Provide functional guidance and mentoring to technicians and less experienced engineers
• Interface with external stakeholders, including customers and suppliers in conjunction to develop scope, schedule, and cost to meet objectives of R&D projects
• Diligently communicate progress and results through written detailed technical reports, presentations, patents, and publications
• Ability to physically perform work in laboratory and industrial environments, with occasional demands for flexible hours and minimal travel (<15%).

Mobility

ELYSIS is a global company with operations in Canada, France, and the United States.

Business related travel and extended duration assignments or missions may be essential for the success of this role.

About You

To be considered for the role, the candidate should possess the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science & Engineering, Ceramics Engineering, or Chemical Engineering.
• Minimum 5 years of work experience in materials or ceramics processing, characterization, production, and related areas
• Prior experience in ceramic processing, including raw material selection, mixing, pressing and firing.
• Strong interpersonal and com