Position Type: Full time
Job Requesition ID: R-000201

Win at Wilsonart

At Wilsonart, we don’t just make surfaces—we build careers. When you join our team, you become part of something bigger: a company driven by innovation, grounded in values, and powered by people who care.

You’ll be surrounded by teammates who take pride in their work and look out for one another. You’ll have the chance to learn, grow and make a real impact. And you’ll be part of a company that believes winning means helping you succeed at work and in life.

Here, you’ll win with:

Support that keeps you well

• Medical, dental, and life insurance

• Company-paid short- and long-term disability

• FSAs and dependent care options

• Vision and legal benefits

• Gym discounts and wellness clinics

• Tuition reimbursement—for you and your dependents

Opportunities to grow

• Clear paths to promotion and internal mobility

• Training, coaching, and mentorship

• Development programs to support your goals

Time for what matters

• Paid vacation and holidays in your first year

• A culture that respects work-life balance

Job Description:

Role summary: Leads the day-to-day technical execution of the coating process, ensuring safe operation, throughput, quality, and continuous improvement. Acts as the primary technical owner for coating chemistry, equipment capability, process parameters, and troubleshooting.

Key Responsibilities

• Owns process setup and control plans for coat weight/film thickness, cure performance, adhesion, appearance, and defect reduction.
• Establishes and maintains standard operating windows (line speed, viscosity/temperature, roll coater settings such as metering/backup roll condition, nip/pressure, and gap settings as applicable, cure energy input, curing unit output, and material handling parameters).
• Leads start-ups, product changeovers, and trials (new substrates, new chemistries, new print/coating combinations) with a focus on rapid stabilization of coat weight and appearance.
• Troubleshoots line issues (coat weight drift, streaks, chatter, roll marks, contamination, cure issues, handling problems, curing system faults) and drives root-cause corrective actions.
• Owns the cleanliness/contamination control program for coating equipment (cleaning standards, inspection criteria, approved cleaning materials/solvents, and verification steps) to prevent defects from dried coating, lint, dust, and roll damage.
• Coordinates preventative maintenance planning with maintenance/engineering; defines critical-to-quality maintenance for rolls (surface condition, runout, bearings), pumps/filters, and curing systems.
• Creates/updates SOPs, work instructions, checklists, and training materials; qualifies operators to standards (including coat weight measurement and cleaning/inspection requirements).
• Partners with Quality to define inspection methods, sampling plans, and acceptance criteria; reviews nonconformances and disposition.
• Ensures compliance with chemical handling requirements (SDS, labeling, storage, spill response), curing equipment exposure controls, and LOTO practices.
• Tracks KPIs (OEE, scrap, first-pass yield, downtime) and leads continuous improvement projects, prioritizing coat weight capability and defect reduction.
• Provides shift/area leadership: daily huddles, prioritization, staffing coordination, and escalation point for issues.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or Process Engineering (or equivalent experience).
• Experience with specialty curable coatings/inks, polymer chemistry basics, coating rheology/viscosity control, and cure validation concepts.
• Working knowledge of roll coating systems (metering/backup rolls, nip/pressure concepts, roll surface condition), and material handling.
• Strong problem-solving skills (5-Why, fishbone, DOE basics) and ability to translate data into process actions.
• Comfortable with measurement tools and quality methods (coat weight measurement methods used onsite, microns checks, gloss/appearance, adhesion testing, cure checks).
• Demonstrated safety leadership (chemical safety, curing equipment safety, machine guarding, LOTO).
• Ability to train, coach, and lead cross-functional teams; emphasis on standard work and cleanliness discipline.

Working Conditions / Physical Requirements

Production floor environment. Requires use of PPE (safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection as required), occasional exposure to curing equipment (with guarding in place), and handling of coating chemicals per SDS. Standing/walking for extended periods; occasional lifting/pushing/pulling consistent with site policy.

We’re looking for people who are ready to learn, ready to lead and ready to make a difference. If that sounds like you, you can win at Wilsonart.

Wilsonart is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, order of protection status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state, or local law.

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

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