Leather Technologist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Department: Operations

Location: Tennessee Tannery, Tullahoma, TN

Reports to: Plant Manager

Supervises: 1-QC Leather Tech Specialist, 1-ChemKitter, 3-Balcony Staff, 1-Wet Floor Supervisor & Staff

FLSA Status: Exempt

General Overview: Responsible managing, developing, tracking, monitoring, quality controlling, and scheduling the production of hides/leathers for customers.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Manage and direct operators to follow established formulas and protocols for each documented work instruction.
• Oversee the additions of water, chemicals, dyes and fat liquors in accordance with established formulas.
• Ensures the integrity of existing formulas is maintained.
• Examine products to identify defects and causes of variation from coloring and other processing standards.
• Oversee testing of raw materials to detect and address variations from established standards.
• Ensure a seamless production process workflow in resolving interruptions that alter the production process.
• Develop new formulas using laboratory R&D and gradually scale up with pilot runs until the process is determined to be robust for full scale production.

General Leather Tanning Responsibilities:

• Maintains structure of the different cattle skins (spready cow, plump cow, heavy steer, kips, etc.) and the preservation options (wet blue, wet white, pickle, brine, etc.).
• Investigates causes of process defects.
• Supervises the hair removal process and subsequent processes of fleshing, lime splitting, deliming and pickling.
• Supervises the tanning processes of chrome, alum, vegetable, zirconium, and complex tanning.
• Leads the wet end processing of hides to ensure that formulations are followed correctly and any deviations are reported and communicated appropriately.
• Oversee wringing, splitting, shaving, and setting out processes to achieve required finish dried thickness for different products.
• Assists as needed with the crusting, and toggle drying processes.
• Assists as needed with the staking, buffing, polishing, spraying, and dry milling finishing processes.
• Supervises staff through coaching, development, training, and salary review.
• Manages product flow and assigns operators to processes and departments to meet planned production schedules.
• Communicates and enforces safety, quality, and production standards.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Education Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, or related education.
• 5 plus years of related work experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Possess/demonstrates problem solving skills and constructive decision-making skills.
• Experience managing/supervising a multi-component production process, STEM related process preferred
• Experience with inventory management, production scheduling and workforce scheduling.
• Demonstrates responsibility to prudently use the company’s facility, equipment, inventory, and expense accounts.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office products

Working Conditions: Primarily wet floor, and leather finishing departments, with various time allotted for work in office, laboratory and administrative environments.

Safety Hazards: Moderate safety hazards.

Language Skills

Ability to read and interpret documents such as contracts, ability to write advertising, reports, and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization. Must have proven exceptional written presentation and verbal communication skills.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to calculate figures and ability to apply concepts of basic algebra.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to apply common sense understanding and carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and use hands for finger dexterity, handling objects or feeling. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee will occasionally lift and/or move objects weighing 25 - 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and color vision.

This job description does not list all the duties of the job. You may be asked to perform other instructions and/or duties. You will be evaluated in part based upon your performance of the task listed in this job description.

Revised 03/31/2026