Business Unit Casting Process owner

Howmet Aerospace is a leading global provider of advanced engineered solutions for the aerospace and transportation industries. The Company’s primary businesses focus on jet engine components, aerospace fastening systems and titanium structural parts necessary for mission-critical performance and efficiency in aerospace and defense applications, as well as forged wheels for commercial transportation. Howmet Aerospace is transforming the next phase of more fuel-efficient, quieter aerospace engines and sustainable ground transportation. For more information, visit www.howmet.com. Follow @howmet: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. 

The Howmet Engines Business Unit Casting Process Owner may be located at any of the US Howmet Engines Business Unit facilities. (Dover NJ, Hampton VA, Wichita Falls TX,  La Porte IN OR Whitehall MI).  This role serves as the Business Unit Single Point of Accountability (SPA) for equiaxed, directionally solidified, and single crystal casting processes, equipment, and process control, ensuring consistent execution across internal casting foundries.

Essential functions:

• Own and provide technical leadership for all facets of equiaxed, directionally solidified (DS), and single-crystal (SX) casting processes across superalloy, titanium, and aluminum product lines.
• Establish, maintain, and drive standardization of casting process best practices across Business Unit manufacturing locations to improve safety, quality, yield, productivity, and process consistency.
• Lead optimization of casting process materials and critical process technologies, including casting furnace materials, mold insulation, vacuum systems, induction heating, and associated equipment and process parameters.
• Lead cross-site best-practice sharing workshops to identify, evaluate, and deploy proven process improvements, technical solutions, and lessons learned across the Business Unit.
• Develop, implement, maintain, and periodically update Business Unit casting process standards, specifications, and best practices documented in internal BU Manuals.
• Partner with the Research Center to communicate manufacturing challenges, prioritize casting technology development needs, and align research programs with Business Unit strategic and operational objectives.
• Drive the successful transition of newly developed casting technologies, materials, and processes from research and development into qualified, repeatable production at manufacturing locations.
• Conduct periodic internal casting process audits and manufacturing assessments to evaluate compliance with BU standards, identify gaps and improvement opportunities, and support implementation of corrective actions.
• Collaborate with the Business Unit equipment build team to incorporate current best practices, emerging technologies, and optimized process capabilities into new casting equipment and facility expansions.
• Monitor emerging casting technologies, industry developments, and competitive best practices through conferences, trade shows, technical committees, and other external industry engagements, representing Howmet as appropriate.
• Serve as the Business Unit technical authority for casting process questions, providing expert guidance and cross-functional support to manufacturing, engineering, quality, and equipment teams to resolve complex technical issues and improve process performance.

Basic Qualifications

• BS in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, or a related field from an accredited institution. 
• At least 8 years of engineering or manufacturing experience in investment casting or other related casting technology processes.
• Experience developing engineering specifications, manufacturing standards, technical procedures, or process documentation.
• Experience leading cross-functional technical initiatives across multiple manufacturing locations.
• Strong understanding of statistical process control, process capability, root cause analysis, and manufacturing quality systems.
• Excellent technical writing, communication, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence manufacturing organizations and drive enterprise-wide process standardization without direct authority.
• Willingness to travel 50% to manufacturing facilities and suppliers.
• Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States, verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire, visa sponsorship is not available for this position
• This position is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) which requires U.S. person status.  ITAR defines U.S. person as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. "Green Card Holder"), Political Asylee, or Refugee

Preferred Qualifications

• MS in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 10 years of experience optimizing investment casting technology processes.
• Six sigma green belt and/or black belt preferred (commitment to achieve green belt status within 24 months required).
• Experience leading enterprise process control, fixed process, or manufacturing governance programs.
• Extensive knowledge of casting furnace internal materials, filtering systems, vacuum systems, foundry materials (e.g. preheat trays, pour cups, graphite systems), and casting parameter/control systems. 
• Experience with single crystal, directionally solidified, and equiaxed casting processes, especially in superalloy, titanium, and aluminum.
• Experience developing supplier qualification requirements and technical specifications for casting technology.
• Familiarity with metal casting characterization, failure analysis, and process capability studies.
• Familiarity with customer and industry specifications related to investment casting in aerospace and industrial gas turbine industries.
• Experience developing executive-level KPI dashboards and process governance reporting.
• Project management experience leading large, cross-functional manufacturing improvement initiatives.