Forge Your Future: Process Metallurgist I Career at Gerdau

Empowering people who build the future.

Are you a metallurgical engineer or material scientist passionate about the steel industry? Gerdau, a leading global steel manufacturer, is seeking a driven and technically skilled Process Metallurgist I to join our dynamic team. This role offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the optimization of our processes, enhance product quality, and develop your career in a challenging and rewarding environment.

As a Process Metallurgist I at Gerdau, you will play a crucial role in providing technical expertise and support across our Quality Assurance, Rolling Mill, and Melt Shop operations. Your focus will be on monitoring, stabilizing, and improving our processes, practices, and equipment to ensure we consistently exceed customer expectations and maintain our position at the forefront of the steel industry. This is a fantastic opportunity to build a strong career path within a company committed to innovation and excellence, offering similar opportunities to those exploring a Scan Steel Ltd Career path in the broader steel sector.

Core Functions and Responsibilities

This role is designed for a proactive and detail-oriented individual who thrives in a collaborative environment. Your key responsibilities will include:

Process Optimization and Monitoring: Overseeing and analyzing process parameters, practices, and equipment performance within QA, Rolling Mill, and Melt Shop processes. This includes identifying areas for improvement and implementing solutions to enhance efficiency and product quality.
Customer Focus: Developing a deep understanding of customer processes and requirements to ensure our products consistently meet or exceed their needs. This involves proactive communication and collaboration with customers to address any technical queries or concerns.
Laboratory Expertise: Utilizing your understanding of laboratory techniques in steel analysis to interpret data, troubleshoot quality issues, and support process improvements.
Technology Implementation: Contributing to the evaluation and implementation of new technologies to enhance our manufacturing processes and maintain our competitive edge.
New Product Development: Planning, executing, and analyzing new product trials, working closely with operations and other technical teams to ensure successful launches.
Technical Training and Development: Developing and delivering technical training programs for operations personnel to enhance their skills and knowledge, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
Process Improvement and Optimization: Identifying and implementing process improvements to optimize productivity, reduce costs, and enhance overall operational efficiency.
CAPEX Project Support: Conducting technical studies to support capital expenditure (CAPEX) investments, providing data-driven recommendations for equipment upgrades and process enhancements.
Best Practice Implementation: Identifying, promoting, and implementing best practices across operations to drive consistency and excellence in manufacturing processes.
Technical Committee Participation: Actively participating in technical committees and benchmarking activities to stay abreast of industry trends and advancements, contributing to Gerdau’s technical leadership.

Dimensions of the Role

This is an advisory staff position with no direct supervisory responsibilities.
The role involves providing training and technical guidance to operations personnel.
The position requires handling highly confidential information with discretion and professionalism.

Nature and Scope of the Position

The Process Metallurgist I is central to Gerdau’s commitment to producing high-quality steel products efficiently and cost-effectively. You will be responsible for developing and communicating strategies and operating information that drive productivity improvements while ensuring our products meet the stringent expectations of our customers.

This role demands a strong ability to collect, interpret, and extrapolate data from production processes. You will be expected to monitor performance against established practices and proactively recommend improvements. Collaboration is key, and you will work closely with department supervisors, maintenance, and operations personnel to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of all related equipment, achieving desired production, safety, and quality levels.

Qualifications and Experience

To be successful in this role, you should possess:

Educational Background: A four-year college degree in Metallurgical Engineering or Materials Science is essential.
Industrial Experience: 3 to 5 years of industrial experience, ideally with direct involvement in strategic process improvement projects within a steel manufacturing environment.
Technical Expertise: A comprehensive technical knowledge of metallurgy and a strong understanding of steel manufacturing techniques, including melting, refining, and casting molten steel, as well as modern rolling practices. Familiarity with structural, bar, and merchant products and their industrial applications is highly desirable.
Engineering Fundamentals: The ability to apply engineering principles to drive continuous improvement in production processes and maximize departmental efficiency.
Communication Skills: Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills are crucial. You must be able to articulate complex technical ideas clearly and effectively to diverse audiences, including colleagues at all levels, customers, suppliers, and technical associations.
Problem-Solving and Analytical Skills: Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities are necessary for investigating product quality concerns, conducting failure analyses, and developing effective corrective actions.
Laboratory Proficiency: Familiarity with laboratory techniques used for steel analysis and failure investigations.
Travel Flexibility: Willingness to travel occasionally to customer sites, industry association meetings, and other Gerdau facilities as required.

Principal Accountabilities in Detail

Project Leadership and Teamwork: Independently and collaboratively manage process, practice, and equipment-related projects within your assigned location, driving tangible improvements.
Product Quality and Development Support: Actively assist Melting, Casting, and Rolling operations in addressing product quality concerns and contributing to new product development initiatives.
Customer Relationship Management: Serve as a technical point of contact for customers, addressing product quality questions and issues, and coordinating customer visits to our facilities.
Data Collection and Reporting: Systematically collect, analyze, and report operational data and information for your assigned location, providing insights for performance monitoring and improvement.
Technical Documentation: Develop and maintain data sheets, diagrams, and flowcharts to ensure the correct and efficient operation of equipment, enhancing operational clarity and consistency.
Preliminary Engineering and Cost Justification: Provide preliminary engineering services for department projects, including cost justification analyses to support informed decision-making.
Computer Control Systems Programming: Assist in the development and refinement of programs for computer control systems, optimizing process automation and control.
Operational Procedure Development and Training: Review, develop, and improve operational procedures, and deliver training to plant personnel and contractors on operational improvements, ensuring effective implementation and knowledge transfer.
Operational Coordination and Troubleshooting: Collaborate closely with supervision during routine operations and provide technical support in resolving production anomalies, ensuring smooth and efficient production flow.
Process Team Building: Actively participate in process team-building efforts through involvement in improvement activities, contributing to a culture of teamwork and continuous improvement.
Employee Training and Development: Contribute to the training and development of operational supervision and hourly employees, fostering a skilled and knowledgeable workforce.
Environmental Responsibility: Take ownership of spill prevention, containment, response, and clean-up efforts, or actively assist in clean-up operations, demonstrating commitment to environmental stewardship.
Safety and Environmental Training: Be responsible for completing all required annual safety and environmental training programs, ensuring compliance and promoting a safe working environment.
Environmental Compliance: Maintain a thorough understanding of and adhere to all applicable Federal, State, and Local environmental legal requirements and best practices, ensuring Gerdau’s environmental responsibility.

At Gerdau, safety is paramount, and we expect every employee to prioritize their safety and the safety of their colleagues. We are committed to continuous improvement in employee health and safety, environmental performance, process efficiency, and customer satisfaction. We emphasize preventive actions to ensure the highest standards in all areas of our operations.

Gerdau is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in equal employment opportunity related to all employees and applicants for employment. It is the policy of Gerdau that there will be no discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status. All external applicants must be legally eligible to immediately work in the country of hire without current or future sponsorship.

If you are vision-impaired or have some other disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act / Accessible Canada Act or a similar law, and you wish to discuss potential accommodations related to applying for employment at Gerdau, please contact our Talent Acquisition Team at (866)-788-2798 or [email protected]