Research Engineer

Research Engineer Allied Mineral Products is a leading manufacturer of monolithic refractories worldwide, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. We are currently seeking a Research Engineer to oversee the development and improvement of ceramic products and forming processes from early concept through production and market use. This role provides technical leadership across cross‑functional teams, supporting manufacturing, product launches, and customer solutions while ensuring reliable processes, consistent quality, and strong product performance. Key Duties and Responsibilities
Lead applied research and development programs for refractory ceramic products, including planning, execution, analysis, documentation, and reporting.
Develop, optimize, and scale refractory ceramic forming processes - particularly casting, pressing, and extrusion - from concept and laboratory to production environments.
Evaluate and qualify new raw materials, establishing test methods, specifications, and quality control standards for existing and new products.
Support new product introduction into manufacturing and the marketplace by defining process parameters and product specifications, organizing demonstrations, and creating technical presentations.
Serve as a technical expert and consultant, collaborating with application engineering, design engineering, manufacturing, quality, procurement, and commercial teams to solve customer challenges.
Provide customer and field support, including technical evaluations, troubleshooting, field trials, and performance optimization of refractory products; travel as required.
Develop and maintain technical documentation, application knowledge, and best practices; be proficient in the operation of laboratory and quality control equipment to support R D and manufacturing.
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and cross‑functional product development teams to enhance process capability, product consistency, and successful market deployment. Qualifications
Bachelor's degree required in Ceramic Engineering, Materials Science, Metallurgy, Chemical Engineering, Geology (Mineralogy), or a related technical discipline; Master's or PhD preferred.
Minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience in ceramic processing, ceramic manufacturing, or refractory ceramics, including exposure to manufacturing operations or quality of finished ceramic products.
Strong understanding of high‑temperature materials and industrial processes, such as metal extraction, metal melting and alloying, hydrocarbon production, waste‑to‑energy systems, or other elevated‑temperature applications.
Experience designing refractory ceramic solutions tailored to customer needs, with an understanding of the relationship between material design, installation practices, and in‑service performance preferred.
Demonstrated ability to analyze experimental and production data, identify trends, correlations, and anomalies, and recognize deviations from expected behavior using a practical problem‑solving approach preferred.
Proficiency in interpreting results from advanced materials characterization techniques, including XRD, XRF, and SEM preferred.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively convey technical information to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Demonstrated high level of integrity, professionalism, and ethical conduct.
Benefits
Competitive Base Pay
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) retirement plan with 25% annual company contribution
401K program
Annual Profit Sharing
Paid Time Off for Vacation, Sick Days, Holidays
Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, and Vision programs
Life Insurance
Short-Term, and Long-Term disability
Allied Mineral Products Holding, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.