Principal Heat Treat Process Engineer

At Beehive Industries, we believe there is a better way to meet our customer’s needs. Through Additive Manufacturing, Beehive Industries helps develop and produce solutions for our customers at unprecedented speeds, while never compromising the aerospace level quality that they need for their critical work. This role will be located at our Loveland, Ohio or Knoxville, Tennessee facility.

Overview:

We are seeking an accomplished Principal Heat Treatment Process Engineer with expertise in additive manufacturing to lead the development, optimization, and execution of advanced heat treatment processes for metal components. The ideal candidate will possess extensive knowledge of heat treatment techniques, metallurgy, and additive manufacturing processes, driving technical excellence and innovation in a dynamic, cross-functional environment.  This role offers a unique opportunity to merge traditional heat treatment expertise with cutting-edge additive manufacturing, driving advancements in material science and production efficiency.

Key Responsibilities: 

Heat Treatment Process Development and Optimization:  

1. • Design, implement, and refine heat treatment processes (e.g., annealing, quenching, solutioning) tailored to additive manufacturing (AM) components and traditional manufacturing methods.
   • Develop heat treatment profiles and specifications to achieve desired properties for complex geometries and AM-produced metal alloys.

Production Leadership:

1. • Direct and manage heat treatment technicians across production sites to ensure accurate execution of processes in a high volume production environment
   • Establish and enforce adherence to safety, quality, and operational standards across all heat treatment operations

Additive Manufacturing Integration:

·        Leverage experience in additive manufacturing to address challenges in post-processing, including residual stress management, porosity reduction, and microstructural enhancement.

·        Collaborate with AM engineers to optimize build strategies for improved heat treatment performance.

Technical Leadership:

·        Provide metallurgical expertise in developing solutions for heat treatment and material behavior challenges in AM and conventional processes.

·        Lead investigations into process deviations, material failures, and quality issues, implementing corrective actions.

Continuous Improvement and Innovation:

·        Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance quality in heat treatment processes for AM and traditional components.

·        Explore and implement advanced technologies, including data-driven controls and automation, to modernize heat treatment processes.

Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing:

·        Partner with cross-functional teams (design engineering, manufacturing, quality assurance) to support the integration of heat treatment into product development and production.

·        Train and mentor junior engineers and technicians in heat treatment and additive manufacturing best practices.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in heat treatment process engineering (eg. Level 3, Certified Agent), including at least 3 years working with additive manufacturing technologies.
• Strong knowledge of metallurgy, phase transformations, and material behavior under thermal processing.
• Proficiency in process simulation tools (e.g., Thermo-Calc, DEFORM, or similar) and familiarity with AM-specific software (e.g., ANSYS Additive Suite, Materialise).
• Demonstrated success in troubleshooting and resolving complex heat treatment and material-related challenges.

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