Senior Materials Development Scientist ELYSIS

Shape Your World

At Alcoa you will become an essential part of our purpose: to turn raw potential into real progress. The way we see it every Alcoan is a workshaper teamshaper ideashaper worldshaper.

A New Era for the Aluminum Industry ELYSIS

Carbon Free Aluminum

The ELYSIS technology is the greatest breakthrough in the aluminum industry since its beginnings in 1886. Work is underway now to further develop this revolutionary new way to produce aluminum eliminating carbon dioxide and all other greenhouse gas emissions from the traditional smelting process.

The ELYSIS process eliminates the use of carbon anodes replacing those with proprietary materials. It is the first industrial process that emitsoxygen as its byproduct and has the potential to transform an entire industry.

In 2018 two international aluminum producers Alcoa and Rio Tinto came together to form the ELYSIS joint venture with the provincial government of Quebec. With support from the Canadian Government and Apple the technology is progressing and is currently being designed to support the construction of new smelters or retrofits.

ELYSIS is headquartered in Montreal with Technology Research & Development locations in Alma Quebec (Canada) in Jonquiere Quebec (Canada) in New Kensington Pennsylvania (United States) and in France.

Commercial quality metal produced by ELYSIS during the ongoing R&D process is already being used by Apple in a variety of products (The 16inch MacBook Pro and the iPhone SE); Ab InBEV (cans); Audi (etron GT wheels produced by the RONAL Group) and Corona (cans).

Join the ELYSIS team in this exciting work!

About the location

The ELYSIS US Research & Development facility is located in the Alcoa Technical Center (ATC) in New Kensington Pennsylvania.Located near Pittsburgh the carbonfree smelting process was first developed at ATC where a dedicated team is working to reinvent the aluminum industry for a sustainable future.

About the position

The Materials Development Scientist will use their wide breadth of knowledge and expertise of ceramic material processing to lead research and development efforts associated with technical readiness level advancement of an industrial electrode manufacturing process. This role also serves to be the technical liaison providing databased decisions guidance and support to Elysis electrode production and industrialization teams. This role will report to Elysis R&D management.

Key Activities / Responsibilities:

• Creates and executes technical programs aimed at developing fundamental understanding of the impact of raw material properties process conditions and processing parameters on a novel electrode production processs performance and resultant product properties.
• Leads projects defines objectives develops work plans and conducts research that buildsoff of past advances and scientific understanding of the breakthrough materials used in Elysiss advanced smelting processes.
• Provide databased guidance for equipment and process design that promotes an overall reduction in risk associated with industrialization of the processes associated with the Elysis technology.
• Supports the development of technical specifications for key commercial scale equipment sets by executing continuous improvement initiatives and/or creating technology development programs that identify and close specific knowledge gaps associated with existing processes or equipment sets.
• Use a competent handson approach that applies fundamental engineering principles to practical solutions and applications in laboratory pilot and commercial scale environments.
• Use root cause analysis tools to provide robust and sustainable solutions to new material process or production issues.
• Seeksout and identifies opportunities for improvements and implements innovative solutions required to advance materials development goals and/or production initiatives required for the success of the Elysis program.
• Meets relevant project objectives by developing internal or external relationships managing scopes schedules and budgets of vendors service providers or institutions.
• Organizes results in clear traceable formats communicates progress and results through written detailed technical reports presentations patents and publications.

Mobility

ELYSIS is a global company with operations in Canada France and the United States.

Business related travel and extended duration assignments or missions may be essential for the success of this role.

About You

• Graduate degree in Materials Science & Engineering Ceramics Engineering Chemical Engineering or science related field.
• 10 years of relevant work experience related to the development of ceramic materials or processes.
• Demonstrated knowledge in ceramic powder synthesis wet and dry ceramic powder processing plastic body shape forming processes and ceramic materials process scaleup experience.
• Proven project skills.
• Strong aptitude in physical chemical and thermal material property characterization methods and analysis.
• Experience working in collaborative results driven fastpaced team environments.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills for data management analysis and results presentation.

Diversity: Be Part of an Unprecedented Partnership

At ELYSIS we are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable to be themselves. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome they are essential to success of the unprecedented partnership that ELYSIS is.

We treat each other respectfully fairly compassionately and with dignity regardless of race gender nationality ethnic origin religion age sexual orientation or anything else that makes us different. At ELYSIS we particularly welcome and encourage applications from women the LGBTQIA2 community mature workers people with disabilities and people from different cultural backgrounds. ELYSIS is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

About the Location

Every day is a new and exciting challenge at the Alcoa Technical Center in New Kensington PA just north of Pittsburgh. We develop new technologies with our Breakthrough Technologies team that has the potential to impact the life of millions of people and foster the sustainable footprint from Alcoa to the world. It was here where we developed the technology recently announced in partnership with Rio Tinto called ELYSIS where we will produce aluminum with ZERO emission of greenhouse gases. In fact we will actually be generating oxygen to our atmosphere during the aluminum production process a revolution to the aluminum industry!

We are values led vision driven and united by our purpose of transforming raw potential into real progress.Our commitments to Inclusion Diversity & Equity include providing trusting workplaces that are safe respectful and inclusive of all individuals free from discrimination bullying and harassment and that our workplaces reflect the diversity of the communities in which we operate.

As a proud equal opportunity workplace and affirmative action employer Alcoa is dedicated to providing equal opportunities and equal access to all individuals regardless of a persons gender age race ethnicity sexual orientation gender identity religion nation of origin disability veteran status language spoken or any other characteristic or status protected by the laws or regulations in the places where we operate.

If you have visited our website in search of information on U.S. employment opportunities or to apply for a position and you require an accommodation please contact Alcoa Recruiting via email at

This is a place where you are empowered to do your best work be your authentic self and feel a true sense of belonging. Come join us and shape your career!

Your work. Your world. Shape them for the better.