Entry Level Material Science Engineering Jobs in Chicago, IL

Job Title: Engineering Lab & Quality Technician – Material Science / Metals Testing

Company: Sun Metalon Inc.

Location: Wood Dale, IL

Website: 

www.sunmetalon.com

Sun Metalon is building the industrial infrastructure platform for metal circularity — transforming contaminated waste streams into clean, high-value metal with zero CO₂ emissions.

Join a mission-driven team redefining industrial recycling at the intersection of hardware, process innovation, and real-world manufacturing. Help shape how this platform scales — from our Wood Dale facility today to deployments worldwide — with a team that values impact, operational excellence, and no tolerance for waste in any form.

We're not making new metal. We're making metal new.

Be part of a mission‑driven team that is redefining industrial metal recycling and reducing CO₂ emissions across the global metal industry. Work at the intersection of material science, hardware design, and process‑scale innovation in a fast‑moving start‑up environment that values impact over optics. Help shape how our proprietary metal‑processing technology is validated and refined through rigorous lab‑scale testing, with a direct line from your work to real‑world customer deployments. Join a growing U.S. and international team with a focus on sustainability, technical rigor, and lean, no‑waste execution.

Sun Metalon Inc. is seeking an Engineering Lab & Quality Technician to serve as a critical link between our Research & Development lab and commercial production operations in Wood Dale, IL. This dual-focus role provides essential technical support by executing hands-on proof-of-concept R&D tests on customer-supplied metals while simultaneously driving rigorous quality control (QC) across the production floor. The technician is responsible for the integrity of both lab-scale process validation and real-world product quality, ensuring data-driven decision-making throughout the material processing lifecycle. This position requires a versatile individual capable of transitioning seamlessly between the precision of an R&D environment and the fast-paced demands of production QC. As a member of a scaling start-up, you will actively build and refine the operating procedures for both lab and quality workflows. This is a hands-on technical role intended for candidates with a high school diploma plus significant experience or a technical associate degree; advanced engineering degrees are not required.

• Execute comprehensive quality control (QC) testing within the production environment, including the sampling, measurement, and inspection of metal products to ensure strict adherence to engineering and cleanliness specifications.
• Assemble, configure, and operate proprietary lab equipment for R&D proof-of-concept trials, maintaining controlled and repeatable test conditions for customer-supplied materials.
• Generate and manage integrated technical reports that correlate R&D lab results with production-floor QC data to identify trends, out-of-spec conditions, and opportunities for process optimization.
• Perform routine maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting for both R&D lab machinery and production QC instrumentation to ensure equipment readiness and data accuracy.
• Document detailed observations and quantitative data (temperature, pressure, mass, density, and visual condition) from both experimental trials and standard production runs.
• Drive the development of standardized operating procedures (SOPs) and checklists for both laboratory testing and production-line quality inspections as the company scales.
• Collaborate with Material Science Engineers and the Production team to translate QC findings into actionable insights for improving commercial product quality and R&D test designs.
• Follow safety protocols for high‑temperature equipment, electrical systems, moving parts, and handling of metal samples (including sharp, hot, or contaminated pieces).
• Maintain a clean, organized lab environment and contribute to lab‑specific documentation such as work instructions, SOPs, and test‑setup records.

• Comfort splitting time between the R&D lab and the production floor, with willingness to perform hands‑on QC testing and reporting that supports both product quality and process improvement.
• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to follow written procedures and maintain precise records without supervision.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for data entry, tabulation, and basic analysis (e.g., averages, charts, filtering).
• 2+ years of experience working as an engineering or lab technician in a manufacturing, R&D, or materials‑testing lab environment.
• High school diploma plus relevant technical experience, or an associate degree in Materials Science, Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, or a related technical field.
• Familiarity with metallurgical or materials‑testing equipment such as furnaces, tensile testers, hardness testers, spectrometers, or similar lab instruments.
• Practical experience with data acquisition systems, digital loggers, or lab software used to capture process or material data.
• Basic metallurgy or materials knowledge is a strong plus (e.g., alloy families, common machining metals, basic heat‑treatment concepts), but not required if you have strong hands‑on lab experience.
• Good written and verbal communication skills to clearly document procedures, results, and observations for engineers and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a start‑up or rapidly evolving environment, where procedures are still being defined and adaptation to changing priorities is part of the role.
• This role is designed for a hands‑on technician with a high school diploma plus relevant technical experience or an associate‑level technical degree; advanced engineering degrees (e.g., bachelor’s or master’s in engineering) are not required and would be considered outside the target scope for this position.

• Full‑time position in a manufacturing‑style R&D lab located in Wood Dale, IL, with a mix of bench‑top and process‑scale equipment.
• Role requires physical dexterity and comfort working with industrial hardware, including lifting, positioning, and manipulating fixtures, jigs, and test samples.
• Occasional overtime and weekend work may be required during intensive test campaigns, customer trials, or technology‑development pushes.
• Safety‑oriented environment with enforcement of PPE, lockout/tagout, and lab‑specific operating procedures.
• Fast‑moving, start‑up‑style culture where technicians are expected to be proactive, ask questions, and help improve test setups, documentation, lab‑to‑production data flows, and QC reporting over time.