R&D Technologist - 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.

R&D Technologist (Cathode) - ELYSIS

A New Era for the Aluminum Industry - ELYSIS

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 emitsoxygen 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 Job

The R&D Technologist will lead projects from design through implementation by organizing, planning, delegating, coordinating, and directing activities within the scope of functional specialization. This role will support the management of R&D experiments and pilot plant activities for the breakthrough smelting project management, resource planning, program execution and delivery through various economies of scale.

Responsibilities:

• Gain knowledge of Alcoa's EHS standards, protocols, and tools to ensure that safety protocols are being followed accordingly.
• Efficiently and methodically execute designed experiments to correctly answer and verify as many questions as quickly as possible
• Provide technical direction to technicians and support personnel in ceramic processing, including powder mixing, milling, spray drying, pressing, machining, sintering and quality control.

• Maintain detailed daily logs during operations to refer to for future planning and/or troubleshooting
• Responsible for the quality of work performed by others. Assignments involve initiating, designing, developing, testing, and installing equipment for projects or programs.

• Track current production performance before and after improvement to determine effectiveness
• Keep equipment and general work area clean and free of clutter
• Frequently operate various powder processing equipment including, but not limited to: fork lifts, overhead cranes, dry mixers, high-temperature vacuum furnaces, mills, and spray dryers.
• Provide operational direction to technicians, managers, engineers, and other personnel on topics pertaining to ceramic processing
• Provide operational troubleshooting and problem solving
• Provide Solidworks/CAD Drawings as required
• Produce reports and presentations to present to Engineering/Management
• Track performance before and after improvement to determine effectiveness
• Provide operational troubleshooting and problem solving
• Produces reports and presentations
• Participate in weekly technical exchanges with groups at various levels of the organization

Mobility

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

The position is based at the Alcoa Technical Center and requires an on-site presence.

About you

• Associate of Science with 5 years of work experience in ceramics, chemical or material processing
• In lieu of a degree 5-10 years of experience in a manufacturing/process environment
• Computer and design skills as well as experience with Allen Bradley PLC/HMI Software (RS Logics, etc.) as well as CAD/CAM software (SolidWorks or AutoCAD).
• Experience with managing projects (equipment installation, upgrades, etc.)
• Effective written and verbal communication skills and the ability to interact with individuals at all levels of the organization
• Experienced in ceramic operations
• Independently conducts and directs processes
• Demonstrated ability to physically perform work in laboratory and industrial environments
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills are required
• Ability to work with resources within and outside the program team to accomplish the work required

Be Part of an Unprecedented Partnership

At ELYSIS we are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable to be themselves. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard, all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome - they are essential to success of the unprecedented partnership that ELYSIS is. We treat each other respectfully, fairly, compassionately and with dignity regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or anything else that makes us different.

At ELYSIS, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from women, the LGBTQIA2 community, mature workers, people with disabilities and people from different cultural backgrounds.

ELYSIS is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

About the Location

Every day is a new and exciting challenge at the Alcoa Technical Center in New Kensington, PA, just north of Pittsburgh. We develop new technologies with our Breakthrough Technologies team that has the potential to impact the life of millions of people and foster the sustainable footprint from Alcoa to the world. It was here where we developed the technology recently announced in partnership with Rio Tinto, called ELYSIS, where we will produce aluminum with ZERO emission of greenhouse gases. In fact, we will actually be generating oxygen to our atmosphere during the aluminum production process- a revolution to the aluminum industry!

We are values led, vision driven and united by our purpose of transforming raw potential into real progress.Our commitments to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity include providing trusting workplaces that are safe, respectful and inclusive of all individuals, free from discrimination, bullying and harassment and that our workplaces reflect the diversity of the communities in which we operate.

As a proud equal opportunity workplace and affirmative action employer, Alcoa is dedicated to providing equal opportunities and equal access to all individuals regardless of a person's gender, age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, nation of origin, disability, veteran status, language spoken or any other characteristic or status protected by the laws or regulations in the places where we operate.

If you have visited our website in search of information on U.S. employment opportunities or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Alcoa Recruiting via email at gssrecruiting@alcoa.com.

This is a place where you are empowered to do your best work, be your authentic self, and feel a true sense of belonging. Come join us and shape your career!

Your work. Your world. Shape them for the better.