Advanced Manufacturing Jobs in Austin, TX (NOW HIRING)

Overview

This is a strategic leadership role responsible for bridging the gap between R&D innovation and commercial-scale production in new material development involving chemical and gas materials. This position leads the development, scale-up, and technology transfer of novel processes from laboratory discovery through pilot production to full-scale manufacturing, ensuring robust, repeatable, and cost-effective processes that meet quality, safety, and regulatory standards.

Responsibilities

Process Development & Scale-Up Leadership

Lead the translation of R&D discoveries and laboratory-scale processes into commercially viable manufacturing operations for new materials, chemicals, and gas-based products

Direct process development activities from bench scale through pilot plant to full production scale-up

Develop and optimize chemical processes, gas handling systems, material synthesis methods, unit operations, and manufacturing workflows for new and existing products

Establish critical process parameters (CPPs), critical quality attributes (CQAs), and process control strategies

Design and execute scale-up experiments to validate process robustness and identify potential manufacturing challenges

Conduct process risk assessments and implement mitigation strategies during scale-up activities

Ensure processes are designed for manufacturability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness across diverse material types

Technology Transfer & Commercialization

Manage seamless technology transfer from Advanced Manufacturing to Operations, ensuring knowledge transfer and process readiness

Develop comprehensive process documentation including batch records, standard operating procedures (SOPs), process flow diagrams (PFDs), and piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs)

Validate that transferred processes are reproducible, scalable, and capable of meeting product specifications

Provide technical support during initial production runs and troubleshoot scale-up issues

Establish quality specifications, analytical methods, and in-process controls for new materials and products

Coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure successful product launches across multiple material platforms

Phase Gate & Project Management

Lead advanced manufacturing projects through stage-gate development processes from concept through commercialization

Develop project plans, timelines, budgets, and resource requirements for scale-up initiatives

Conduct gate reviews and present technical recommendations to senior leadership

Manage multiple concurrent projects across different material development programs while prioritizing resources based on business impact

Ensure projects meet cost, quality, timeline, and safety objectives

Track and report on key project milestones, risks, and deliverables

Manufacturing Process Excellence

Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance process efficiency, yield, quality, and safety across chemical and gas material production

Implement process analytical technology (PAT) and advanced process control strategies

Develop and maintain process capability studies and statistical process control (SPC) programs

Lead root cause analysis and corrective action initiatives for process deviations and quality issues

Optimize raw material usage, energy consumption, and waste minimization

Implement lean manufacturing and Six Sigma principles in process design

Regulatory Compliance & Quality Systems

Ensure all processes comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), environmental regulations, and safety standards applicable to chemical and gas materials

Support regulatory submissions including process validation protocols, manufacturing sections of regulatory filings, and responses to regulatory inquiries

Maintain compliance with FDA, EPA, OSHA, DOT (for gas materials), and other relevant regulatory requirements

Lead process validation activities (IQ/OQ/PQ) and ongoing process verification programs

Ensure proper documentation and record-keeping to meet audit and inspection requirements

Participate in internal and external audits related to manufacturing processes

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

Build, lead, and mentor a team of process engineers, chemical engineers, materials scientists, and technical specialists

Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, continuous improvement, and technical excellence

Partner with R&D, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Regulatory Affairs

Provide technical guidance and subject matter expertise to support business decisions across multiple material platforms

Develop talent through coaching, training, and professional development opportunities

Champion safety culture and ensure team adherence to EHS protocols, particularly in gas handling and chemical processing

Capital Projects & Infrastructure

Identify equipment and facility requirements to support process scale-up and technology transfer for chemical and gas material production

Develop capital project justifications and business cases for manufacturing investments

Lead or support capital projects including pilot plant expansions, equipment installations, gas handling systems, and facility modifications

Collaborate with engineering teams on equipment specification, procurement, and commissioning

Ensure new equipment and facilities meet process requirements and regulatory standards for handling various material types

Strategic Planning & Innovation

Develop and execute advanced manufacturing strategy aligned with business objectives and R&D pipeline across multiple material development programs

Evaluate emerging technologies and manufacturing innovations applicable to new materials, chemical processes, and gas handling

Assess make-vs-buy decisions and external manufacturing partnership opportunities

Build manufacturing capabilities and core competencies to support future product portfolio in materials development

Contribute to intellectual property development through process patents and trade secrets

Qualifications

Required

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, or related technical discipline

12+ years of progressive experience in process development, materials manufacturing, chemical processing, or related roles with at least 5 years in leadership positions

Proven track record of successfully scaling processes from laboratory to commercial production in new materials development

Deep understanding of chemical unit operations, gas handling systems, and material synthesis/processing techniques

Experience with multiple material types including chemical materials, gas-based products, and advanced materials

Extensive knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in chemical, materials, or related manufacturing environments

Strong experience with phase gate/stage gate development processes and project management

Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex technical projects across diverse technology platforms

Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making skills

Preferred

Advanced degree (MS, PhD) in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, or related field

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification

Experience in multiple regulated industries or applications (pharmaceuticals, electronics, energy, aerospace, etc.)

Knowledge of process safety management (PSM) and hazard analysis (HAZOP, FMEA) particularly for gas and reactive materials

Experience with gas purification, compression, storage, and distribution systems

Background in advanced materials (nanomaterials, composites, specialty chemicals, electronic materials, catalysts, etc.)

Experience with specialty gases, ultra-high purity materials, or critical material processing

International manufacturing experience or multi-site project leadership

Track record of successful regulatory inspections and submissions in relevant industries

Technical Expertise

Materials & Process Knowledge

New material development and characterization

Chemical reaction engineering and kinetics

Gas purification, separation, and handling technologies

Unit operations: distillation, extraction, crystallization, filtration, drying, CVD/PVD processes

Material synthesis methods (sol-gel, precipitation, vapor phase, etc.)

Process thermodynamics and mass/energy balances

Batch and continuous processing

Catalysis and reaction optimization

Gas compression, storage, and distribution systems

Containment and purity control strategies

Quality & Regulatory

Process validation (PV) and continued process verification (CPV)

Quality by Design (QbD) principles

ICH guidelines (Q8, Q9, Q10, Q11) and industry-specific standards

Risk assessment methodologies (FMEA, HACCP)

Regulatory submission requirements across multiple industries

Material specifications and analytical method development

Process Development Tools

Design of Experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis

Process simulation software (Aspen Plus, HYSYS, SuperPro Designer, COMSOL)

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

Process analytical technology (PAT)

Material characterization techniques (XRD, SEM, TEM, spectroscopy, etc.)

Data analysis tools (JMP, Minitab, Python, MATLAB)

Scale-up modeling and dimensionless analysis

Manufacturing Systems

Pilot plant operations and scale-up facilities for diverse materials

Batch manufacturing and automation

Continuous processing and advanced manufacturing techniques

Process control systems (DCS, SCADA, PLC)

Equipment sizing and specification for chemical and gas processing

Material handling, containment, and purity maintenance strategies

Cleanroom and controlled environment manufacturing

Safety & Environmental

Process safety management (PSM) for chemical and gas operations

Hazard and operability studies (HAZOP)

Gas hazard analysis and emergency response planning

Dust explosion and thermal hazard analysis

Chemical hygiene and occupational exposure limits

Compressed gas safety and cylinder management

Environmental regulations and waste management

Sustainability and green chemistry initiatives

Toxicity and environmental impact assessment for new materials

Work Environment

Dynamic laboratory, pilot plant, and manufacturing floor environments involving chemical and gas material processing

Office-based work with significant time in technical areas

Personal protective equipment (PPE) required in manufacturing areas; specialized PPE for gas handling

Exposure to chemical substances and compressed gases requiring proper safety protocols

Work in controlled environments (cleanrooms, inert atmospheres) as required

Occasional domestic and international travel (10-20%) for site visits, conferences, or vendor meetings

Flexibility for project demands and occasional after-hours support