Product Development Metallurgist

Position Summary

The Product Development Metallurgist leads and coordinates the development, evaluation, and continuous improvement of specialty steel products. Serving as the primary liaison for product development initiatives, this role manages development activities from concept through implementation, ensuring effective collaboration across operations, quality, technical, and commercial functions. The position provides metallurgical expertise, process control guidance, and data-driven analysis to optimize product performance, manufacturing efficiency, quality, and cost.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee product development activities, including trial planning, execution, performance evaluation, and implementation of follow-up actions.
• Act as the central point of contact for product development initiatives by organizing and facilitating meetings, documenting outcomes, communicating action items, and coordinating onsite development efforts.
• Develop, maintain, and manage trial documentation, including trial plans, operating parameters, process conditions, and performance results to support accurate analysis and decision-making.
• Analyze product cost, quality, and performance metrics to evaluate effectiveness, identify improvement opportunities, and drive product and process optimization initiatives.
• Collaborate with operations, quality, engineering, technical, and commercial teams to support development trials, troubleshoot metallurgical and process-related issues, and improve product consistency and performance.
• Provide metallurgical expertise and technical guidance to support process control, product quality, operational effectiveness, and long-term product reliability.
• Deliver training and technical support on metallurgy, steelmaking processes, and process control methodologies to enhance workforce knowledge and operational performance.
• Identify, recommend, and lead continuous improvement initiatives that improve product capability, manufacturing efficiency, quality performance, and customer value.
• Support organizational objectives by adhering to all company, departmental, safety, quality, environmental, and ethical standards, policies, and procedures.

Success Factors

• Strong knowledge of metallurgy, specialty steel products, and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to lead cross-functional projects and drive product development initiatives from concept through commercialization.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and data interpretation skills.
• Effective communication and collaboration skills with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Commitment to continuous improvement, operational excellence, and customer-focused product development.