Engineering Lab & Quality Technician - Material Science/Metals Testing

Company: Sun Metalon Inc.

Location: Wood Dale, IL

Website: www.sunmetalon.comCompany Overview

Why Join Us: Be part of a mission‑driven team that is redefining industrial metal recycling and reducing CO₂ emissions across the global metal industry. Work at the intersection of material science, hardware design, and process‑scale innovation in a fast‑moving start‑up environment that values impact over optics. Help shape how our proprietary metal‑processing technology is validated and refined through rigorous lab‑scale testing, with a direct line from your work to real‑world customer deployments. Join a growing U.S. and international team with a focus on sustainability, technical rigor, and lean, no‑waste execution.

Position Summary: Sun Metalon Inc. is seeking an Engineering Lab & Quality Technician to serve as a critical link between our Research & Development lab and commercial production operations in Wood Dale, IL. This dual-focus role provides essential technical support by executing hands-on proof-of-concept R&D tests on customer-supplied metals while simultaneously driving rigorous quality control (QC) across the production floor. The technician is responsible for the integrity of both lab-scale process validation and real-world product quality, ensuring data-driven decision-making throughout the material processing lifecycle. This position requires a versatile individual capable of transitioning seamlessly between the precision of an R&D environment and the fast-paced demands of production QC. As a member of a scaling start-up, you will actively build and refine the operating procedures for both lab and quality workflows. This is a hands-on technical role intended for candidates with a high school diploma plus significant experience or a technical associate degree; advanced engineering degrees are not required.

Key Responsibilities: Execute comprehensive quality control (QC) testing within the production environment, including the sampling, measurement, and inspection of metal products to ensure strict adherence to engineering and cleanliness specifications. Assemble, configure, and operate proprietary lab equipment for R&D proof-of-concept trials, maintaining controlled and repeatable test conditions for customer-supplied materials. Generate and manage integrated technical reports that correlate R&D lab results with production-floor QC data to identify trends, out-of-spec conditions, and opportunities for process optimization. Perform routine maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting for both R&D lab machinery and production QC instrumentation to ensure equipment readiness and data accuracy. Document detailed observations and quantitative data (temperature, pressure, mass, density, and visual condition) from both experimental trials and standard production runs. Drive the development of standardized operating procedures (SOPs) and checklists for both laboratory testing and production-line quality inspections as the company scales. Collaborate with Material Science Engineers and the Production team to translate QC findings into actionable insights for improving commercial product quality and R&D test designs. Follow safety protocols for high‑temperature equipment, electrical systems, moving parts, and handling of metal samples (including sharp, hot, or contaminated pieces).Maintain a clean, organized lab environment and contribute to lab‑specific documentation such as work instructions, SOPs, and test‑setup records.

Required Qualifications: Comfort splitting time between the R&D lab and the production floor, with willingness to perform hands‑on QC testing and reporting that supports both product quality and process improvement. Strong attention to detail, with the ability to follow written procedures and maintain precise records without supervision. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for data entry, tabulation, and basic analysis (e.g., averages, charts, filtering).2+ years of experience working as an engineering or lab technician in a manufacturing, R&D, or materials‑testing lab environment. High school diploma plus relevant technical experience, or an associate degree in Materials Science, Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, or a related technical field. Familiarity with metallurgical or materials‑testing equipment such as furnaces, tensile testers, hardness testers, spectrometers, or similar lab instruments. Practical experience with data acquisition systems, digital loggers, or lab software used to capture process or material data. Basic metallurgy or materials knowledge is a strong plus (e.g., alloy families, common machining metals, basic heat‑treatment concepts), but not required if you have strong hands‑on lab experience. Good written and verbal communication skills to clearly document procedures, results, and observations for engineers and other stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to work in a start‑up or rapidly evolving environment, where procedures are still being defined and adaptation to changing priorities is part of the role. This role is designed for a hands‑on technician with a high school diploma plus relevant technical experience or an associate‑level technical degree; advanced engineering degrees (e.g., bachelor’s or master’s in engineering) are not required and would be considered outside the target scope for this position.

Work Environment: Full‑time position in a manufacturing‑style R&D lab located in Wood Dale, IL, with a mix of bench‑top and process‑scale equipment. Role requires physical dexterity and comfort working with industrial hardware, including lifting, positioning, and manipulating fixtures, jigs, and test samples. Occasional overtime and weekend work may be required during intensive test campaigns, customer trials, or technology‑development pushes. Safety‑oriented environment with enforcement of PPE, lockout/tagout, and lab‑specific operating procedures. Fast‑moving, start‑up‑style culture where technicians are expected to be proactive, ask questions, and help improve test setups, documentation, lab‑to‑production data flows, and QC reporting over time.