Kaiser Aluminum is known around the world for its superior quality. Our secret is what we put into it—innovative thinking, industry-leading reliability, and a world-class commitment to customer service. In short, the same qualities we look for in our people. We are looking for a Technical Manager (metallurgy focused) to join Kaiser Aluminum in Bellwood Virginia on the south side of Richmond!
The Technical Manager will oversee the integrated process converting cast heat-treatable aluminum billet into high-strength automotive tubing, ensuring alignment of process history, microstructure, dimensions, and performance. Lead a small technical team, resolve multistage metallurgical problems, develop plant expertise, and drive manufacturing development, design, implementation, and execution. Beyond a traditional Quality or Process Engineer, this role serves as the facility’s technical authority for seamless tube manufacturing and product knowledge, ensuring compliance with industry specifications while supporting production, customers, suppliers, and quality systems. Foster cross-department collaboration to implement successful process changes. This is an onsite position.
This is an onsite position. At this time, we are not able to offer visa sponsorship for this role, either now or in the future. Therefore, we cannot move forward with candidates who would require sponsorship and or are on (e.g., H-1B, F-1, STEM OPT, OPT) visas.
What you will work on:
- Metallurgical & Process Authority
- Own thermal and mechanical processing for seamless aluminum tubing.
- Maintain compliance with AIAG, customer, and industry requirements.
- Review press recipes, draw plans, heat treatment practices, and manufacturing methods.
- Evaluate technical feasibility of new products and customer requirements.
Quality & Product Conformance
- Determine product conformity/nonconformity.
- Approve product dispositions.
- Support testing programs and calibration systems.
- Investigate failures and implement corrective actions.
- Sign customer certifications.
Heat Treat & Thermal Process Management
- TUS (Thermal Uniformity Surveys)
- SAT (System Accuracy Tests)
- TIC (Thermal Instrument Calibration)
Successful candidate will be highly knowledgeable in heat-treat requirements and pyrometry controls.
Customer & Supplier Technical Support
- Perform/Support supplier audits.
- Evaluate supplier deviations.
- Lead customer complaint investigations.
- Provide technical support during customer visits and problem-solving activities.
Leadership & Talent Development
- Mentor Process Engineers.
- Train operators and technical personnel.
- Conduct competency evaluations.
- Influence quality and process improvements across the facility.
- Coordinate with Operations and Maintenance departments with process improvements.
Continuous Improvement
- Lead root cause investigations.
- Support RCCA activities.
- Analyze scrap, complaints, and audit findings.
- Apply Lean Six Sigma, DOE, SPC, and statistical analysis techniques.
What you will bring to the position:
- Bachelors of Science in Engineering, Metallurgical or Chemical Engineering preferred.
- Minimum of three plus (3+) years of experience labs and metallurgists and five plus (5+) years metallurgy/process engineering experience.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office products (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneDrive) and other PC based software programs.
- Ability to professionally communicate to parties inside and outside the organization at all organizational levels with regards to technical issues facing the facility.
- Ability to manage personnel from engineer to operator within department, and advise/coach personnel across the facility.
- Familiarity with Lean Six Sigma concepts and product/process quality systems techniques.
Preferred experience:
8-15 years in:
- Metal processing & manufacturing
- Heat treatment
- Automotive quality systems
- Metallurgical laboratory
- Process engineering
Preferred technical skills:
- Seamless tube manufacturing
- Metallography
- Mechanical property testing
- Automotive, & General Industry Material specifications
- Root cause analysis
- Design of Experiments
- Statistical process control
- Minitab or other statistical software
- Calibration systems
- Heat-treat furnace compliance
We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered based on job-related qualifications and abilities. There shall be no discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran, or disability status.
About Kaiser Aluminum: Talented people join our team because we are a company passionate about environmental sustainability, employee growth, contributing back to our communities and championing an inclusive culture.
"No third-party candidate submissions are being accepted at this time for this opening."
Skills Required
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, or Chemical Engineering
- At least 3 years of experience working with laboratories and metallurgists
- At least 5 years of metallurgy or process engineering experience
- Experience in metal processing and manufacturing
- Experience with heat treatment
- Experience with automotive quality systems
- Experience in metallurgical laboratories
- Experience in process engineering
- Knowledge of seamless tube manufacturing
- Knowledge of metallography and mechanical property testing
- Knowledge of automotive and general industry material specifications
- Knowledge of root-cause analysis, Design of Experiments, and Statistical Process Control
- Experience with Minitab or other statistical software
- Experience with calibration systems and heat-treat furnace compliance
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office products and PC-based software
- Ability to communicate technical issues professionally with internal and external stakeholders
- Ability to manage engineers and operators and coach personnel across the facility
- Familiarity with Lean Six Sigma concepts and product or process quality systems
Kaiser Aluminum Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Kaiser Aluminum and has not been reviewed or approved by Kaiser Aluminum.
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Strong & Reliable Incentives — Incentive earnings through monthly profit-sharing/bonuses and abundant overtime are highlighted as meaningful additions to base pay. Feedback suggests this makes it possible to earn a substantial income when extra hours are available.
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Healthcare Strength — Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage is offered to employees working 30+ hours, alongside wellness programs, an EAP, and Health Advocate support. First‑day eligibility for many benefits reinforces perceived breadth of core health offerings.
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Retirement Support — 401(k) savings with company matching is available, with vesting beginning quickly in many cases. Union settings at some facilities also reference pension features that strengthen long‑term retirement security.
Kaiser Aluminum Insights
What We Do
Safety. Innovation. Sustainability. Teamwork. Integrity. At Kaiser Aluminum, these words mean something to us. They are words that describe our culture and the manner in which we conduct business. They are the reason Kaiser Aluminum is Making it Possible. We produce semi-fabricated aluminum mill products engineered to outperform in strength, quality, and recyclability and make a safer and more sustainable world possible. Our coated sheet products protect and preserve the food and beverages your family consumes every day. Our lightweight, high-strength, energy-absorbing automotive extrusions improve your car’s fuel efficiency and performance while protecting your passengers on the road. From nose to tail and wing tip to wing tip, aerospace manufacturers rely on our products to make both commercial and military planes lighter, stronger, and more maneuverable for those who travel and those who protect our nation. We know that customer-focused, innovative solutions that move our industry and our world forward are made possible through the teamwork of a diverse workforce of technical, operational, and business professionals focused on mutual goals. We know that our success is a shared outcome that makes the future possible. At Kaiser Aluminum, we are looking for individuals who share the values that have guided us for more than 75 years. The future belongs to innovators and big thinkers – and Kaiser Aluminum is helping make that future possible. At Kaiser, it’s not just a job, it’s a career. Check out our current opportunities today.
