Foundry Process Engineer / Process Owner (DS/SX Casting)

Location: Eastern Alabama

Summary

The Foundry Process Engineer / Process Owner will serve as the technical authority for vacuum induction melting and directional solidification/single-crystal casting within an aerospace investment-casting operation. The position owns the casting process from mold preheat through solidification and partners closely with manufacturing, quality, shell, metallurgy, and NPI teams to deliver stable, repeatable production.

This is a hands-on, on-site role for an engineer who can translate physical metallurgy and solidification science into practical furnace controls, work instructions, defect reduction, and shop-floor problem solving.

Essential Functions

• Own and improve vacuum induction melting and DS/SX casting processes, including melt temperature, vacuum level, leak rate, coil power, cycle time, mold preheat, thermal gradients, and withdrawal rates.
• Establish and maintain thermal profiles and casting parameters that support crystallographic orientation, microstructure, dimensional stability, and repeatable product quality.
• Lead structured root-cause investigations for shrink porosity, stray grains, freckles, slivers, equiaxed grains, recrystallization, grain-boundary cracking, and other casting defects.
• Apply DMAIC, Six Sigma, SPC, capability analysis, designed experiments, and disciplined data review to reduce variation and improve yield.
• Partner with shell and melt teams to optimize facecoat-metal interactions, wrap configurations, mold conditions, and thermal gradients.
• Create and control fixed-process routers, operating procedures, visual standards, process specifications, and rework instructions.
• Develop production recipes and risk-mitigation plans for new-product introduction and manufacturing transitions.
• Review post-cast inspection and NDT results, including X-ray, fluorescent penetrant inspection, grain inspection, Laue orientation, and metallographic findings.
• Provide responsive technical support on the manufacturing floor, coach operators and technicians, and coordinate corrective actions across functions.
• Support equipment troubleshooting and process control for high-temperature vacuum systems, induction-heating equipment, PLC-controlled furnaces, and related foundry assets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• At least three years of direct engineering experience in a vacuum investment-casting foundry environment.
• Strong knowledge of physical metallurgy, solidification kinetics, nickel-base superalloys, phase diagrams, heat transfer, and casting-defect mechanisms.
• Hands-on experience with vacuum induction melting, high-temperature vacuum equipment, induction heating, and PLC-based furnace controls.
• Working knowledge of directional-solidification and single-crystal casting processes and the factors affecting grain structure and orientation.
• Ability to interpret X-ray, grain-inspection, Laue-orientation, fluorescent-penetrant, and microstructural results.
• Demonstrated success leading root-cause investigations and implementing sustainable process improvements in a production setting.
• Proficiency with Minitab, Microsoft Excel, statistical analysis, and process-control methods; experience with casting-simulation tools is preferred.
• Strong written, verbal, documentation, collaboration, and shop-floor problem-solving skills.
• Must qualify as a U.S. Person to support work governed by ITAR/EAR requirements.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary range: $100,000-$150,000. General benefits include health coverage, dental coverage, and paid time off.

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