Materials Engineer – Tooling Materials Specialist in Wantage

About this opportunity

The Tooling Materials Specialist provides technical leadership on material selection, material specification, and supplier qualification for the design and manufacture of contact tooling for can‑making. As a subject‑matter expert, they lead efforts to develop new contact tooling material solutions to improve process efficiency and capability and act as a key contact for Designers, Toolmakers, Material Suppliers, and Factory Toolcare personnel. They will lead tooling‑material‑related failure analysis and support activities.

Main Responsibilities

• Key materials technical resource for Crown’s subsidiary tooling & machinery manufacturing operations and Corporate Technology Design Engineers, and materials project manager for tooling material development and support projects.
• Specification & supplier qualification of materials and coatings used in contact tooling, particularly cermets (e.g., tungsten carbides), tool steels, and technical ceramics.
• Material selection support for design, including identification of global equivalents.
• Coordination of material approval processes & tooling standardisation between Corporate Technologies and Crown’s Purchasing Groups & business sectors.
• Tooling materials development, including a strategic role to identify opportunities with existing & new suppliers, to identify materials solutions for new applications, and to implement these with the relevant business.
• Service support for failure investigation of tooling and machine components.
• Metallurgy preparation laboratory wardenship & training.
• Provide topic expertise to business regional manufacturing and quality leads, plant management, and line personnel.
• Coordinate with experts and technologists in other CT teams to complete both routine tasks and to tackle complex problems.
• Identify and elevate significant manufacturing or customer issues to technical experts and line management.
• Provide training on equipment and methods to CT staff in support of projects and support work.

Main Challenges

• Maintaining acceptable manufacturing performance in the face of continual process changes, different tooling suppliers or materials, and changing requirements.
• Developing novel test methods and equipment to assess performance of new and unproven materials.
• Providing clear and actionable technical recommendations on complex issues to Crown and external personnel with different skills and knowledge.
• Managing multiple project and support requests, often with competing demands and priorities from operations, sourcing, suppliers, and customers.

Complexity

• Workload can be unpredictable.
• Technical support and trials may require travel with little or no notice, affecting personal and work schedules.
• Variety of technical challenges related to materials, from routine defects to new, unknown failures.
• Wide breadth of knowledge needed to be successful, including knowledge of materials, manufacturing equipment, supplier and customer processes, and the customer’s end use of packaging.

Required Education, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Degree or Master’s in science, engineering, or material science.
• Significant professional experience in materials tooling qualifications.
• Relevant experience with cermets (hard metals) and technical ceramics.
• Good written communication skills.
• Good interpersonal and verbal communication skills.
• Teamwork.
• Strong ability to work under pressure & tight schedules.
• Rigorousness and attention to detail.
• Problem‑solving skills & continuous improvement mindset.
• Ability to work and communicate effectively within a diverse cultural environment.
• Effective time management.
• Adaptability to the business needs.

Desirable Education, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Postgraduate degree in related field.
• Relevant experience in a materials development or manufacturing industry.
• Experience in packaging development or can‑making.
• Lean Six Sigma qualifications or practical experience using techniques.