Celgard LLC Career Opportunities
Within the last 5 years, what role did the following play in your job:
Identify and analyze production problems to control and improve manufacturing processes.
Your education would best be described as:
My preferred work environment would best be described as:
Please note that this position is no longer available.
If you would like to be considered for similar opportunities now or in the future, feel free to apply and/or set up a notifier for yourself.
Process Engineer
NC - Concord
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Opportunity Snapshot

In this hands-on position you will play an important role, contributing both to the day-to-day plant output and driving continuous improvement that enhances our long-term outlook. You will handle a wide variety of activities in support of continuous improvement, including evaluating process and product performance; homing in on the most relevant data; coaching production, quality, and other personnel; and more. Quick question for you - click here You'll join a strong Process Engineering team with a wealth of experience and knowledge, at a company and facility at the forefront of green technologies. We offer the enthusiasm and momentum of a forward-looking, growing green industry, as well as the stability and resources of a global industry leader. Engineering expertise is highly valued here, and your success in this role could set you up to pursue a number of career paths at Celgard, whether you want to focus on engineering, advance to leadership, or move into other areas.

Celgard is a global leader in the development and production of specialty microporous membranes and has the broadest portfolio of products available in the lithium battery separator industry. All Celgard® battery separators are designed to meet the needs of battery cell manufacturers and offer excellent energy and power performance, dimensional integrity, and chemical and thermal stability in lithium battery applications. Celgard is part of Polypore International, a high growth technology-driven and market-leading company with over $636 million in annual sales.

Pictured: we opened our Concord facility about three years ago.

The Requirements

To meet the basic qualifications for this role you will have legal authorization to work permanently in the United States for any employer without requiring a visa transfer or visa sponsorship. To be a good fit for the Process Engineer opportunity, you also should have:
  • A bachelor's degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering, or other relevant field of engineering. Quick question for you - click here
  • Three to five years of process engineering experience in manufacturing environments.
  • A demonstrated ability in providing daily operations and equipment support.
  • Excellent problem solving techniques and proven problem analysis and resolution using technical data and statistical methods.
  • Skills typical to manufacturing and process engineering with a strong emphasis on execution of projects, process improvement (process yield & product capability), equipment validation methods, statistical analysis, and team leadership.
  • The ability to execute detailed plans with tight timelines to meet growing market demands.
  • Proficient computer skills including MS Excel, Word, Access and PowerPoint.
Just as important as your experience and skills will be the following characteristics and competencies:
  • Demonstrated group leadership success, including:
    • An understanding of how to put together a strong team, focusing on the characteristics of a good team.
    • The ability to evaluate team effectiveness and improve team performance.
    • The ability to lead effectively without formal position power.
  • Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with all levels of the organization.
  • The ability to:
    • Work on a high performing team creating an environment where open and honest communication is the norm.
    • Deal with conflict productively, bringing forth issues that need to be discussed and working to forge a mutually beneficial outcome.
    • Empower employees in an effective manner, gaining time and accomplishing more with reduced resources.
  • Self-motivation, initiative and a sense of urgency.
  • Strengths in motivation, collaboration, teamwork, attention to detail, quality consciousness, and a focus on internal and external customer satisfaction.
Experience in the following is preferred but not required:
  • Web-based process or polymer film production.
  • Polymer extrusion and post processing.
  • Lean manufacturing.
  • SPC control and/or data mining.
We'll look to you to assume a strong sense of ownership of your areas, which may mean coming in a little early or staying into the evening at times. Since we operate 24/7, you will be on call for troubleshooting. Calls are not common, and most issues can be handled over the phone, but you will need to be willing and able to come into the plant when necessary.

The Role

Reporting to the Engineering Manager, you will join a team of Process Engineers. Overall you will provide daily manufacturing equipment support and ongoing process evaluation, with goals of driving continuous improvement and minimizing human error. We prioritize and assign continuous improvement projects, but we'll also look to you to identify opportunities.

Process Engineering team members serve as the front-line, boots on the ground, go-to experts when there is a problem on the manufacturing floor that can't be easily solved. As a member of the team, you'll provide assistance by troubleshooting, analyzing data, and determining root causes. Quick question for you - click here

Pivotal to your success will be your ability to influence and motivate others to gain buy-in and support for continuous improvement initiatives, so you will need to spend a good deal of time on the manufacturing floor. You'll develop relationships with Technicians, other Engineers, professionals in Quality and Safety, and others to obtain information as well as to mentor and teach them.

More specifically, you will:
  • Provide ongoing process and product performance evaluation against key objectives such as productivity, quality, and profitability. You'll utilize yield reports, material traceability, product physical characteristics, and process instrumentation to identify opportunities for improvement or to identify and address the root cause of deviations.
  • Identify and analyze process and product data to improve capability of each. This will include developing control strategies and variability reduction to optimize current products and sustain continuous improvement projects.
  • Mentor and develop relationships cross-functionally to drive continuous improvement. You'll work closely with Quality Technicians responsible for the control of raw materials, intermediates, and finished products; Engineers responsible for plant maintenance; and commercial colleagues on the development of product specifications and production schedules.
  • Initiate and manage or otherwise participate in safety, quality, cost, and process control improvements.
  • Lead and/or support manufacturing start-up and qualification teams responsible for the development and installation of new equipment or process technologies (or improvement of existing processes). This will include establishing specifications, vendor selection and qualification, start-up and validation of new manufacturing equipment, and the transition into commercial production with minimal or no complications.
  • Validate product quality and generate qualification data packets based on internal and external customer requirements.
  • Lead high performance teams, working well both as a team member and a team leader.
  • Execute and/or support responsibilities while building effective workplace relationships, fostering teamwork, motivating employees, and supporting employee development.
  • Utilize tools such as Lean Manufacturing, 5S, failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), data analysis, design of experiments (DOE), root cause analysis, and statistical process control (SPC).
  • Provide daily manufacturing equipment support, including 24/7 responsibilities, to maintain product quality, yields, run-rates, etc.
Pictured: we produce film separators for a wide variety of batteries. The Concord plant, in particular, supports the burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) industry.

Why Celgard

Professional development -- we want you to find your Celgard career fulfilling, so we remain flexible. If you want to cross-train in any of our various process areas we can make that happen, and if you prefer to focus on a favorite process, that is also possible.

Career options -- once you have proven yourself in this role you might pursue advancement along a technical track or into leadership. You might also look at opportunities in other engineering areas, such as production or new product development. With multiple sites, Celgard can offer many opportunities.

Great team -- You'll join a talented team of engineers and technicians who are specialists in our outgoing system. It's a diverse team with experience ranging from interns to those with 20+ years. We promote collaboration and idea sharing.

Strong growth environment -- Celgard and our parent company, Polypore International, Inc., continue to grow, as our product line is used in a diverse number of applications in robust markets, including laptops, cell phones, digital cameras, medical devices, and various military applications. In addition:
  • In 2009 we received a matching grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to support the development of the U.S. EDV market. This funding supported construction of the Concord facility as well as expansion at our Charlotte plant.
  • In 2008 we acquired a new technology along with production facilities in Korea, so that we now have the broadest portfolio in our industry. In 2010 we began expanding the Korean facility.
  • In 2011 we expanded our Charlotte facility and added a Concord facility to serve growth in the consumer electronics market.
Green is the present and future -- as a tech driven company tied to the green energy sector, we are poised for ongoing growth. Tech products from cell phones to electric-drive vehicles continue to play an ever increasing role in people's lives.

Competitive compensation -- in addition to a competitive salary and discretionary bonus incentive, we offer a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, a 401k plan and more.

Pictured: Electric drive vehicle (EDV) models using Celgard membranes are already on the road. The Concord facility is ISO/TS 16949 certified to support the growth of the EDV market.

Keys to Success

By now it should be clear that your interpersonal and leadership skills will be just as important as your engineering expertise. You'll need to be able to achieve goals independently, and you'll also engage in a good deal of cross-functional teamwork, often in a leadership role. You'll also need a strong sense of customer service and a commitment to helping your internal customers -- Production Technicians and Supervisors -- achieve goals more efficiently and effectively. In addition, in order to be an outstanding Process Engineer, you will:
  • Demonstrate initiative and a sense of urgency.
  • Pay close attention to detail and also grasp the bigger picture and how the details fit into it.
  • Maintain constant quality awareness and a focus on internal and external customer satisfaction.
  • Remain flexible and adaptable as priorities change.

About Celgard

Celgard is a global leader in the development and production of specialty microporous membranes, and is one of the largest suppliers to the lithium battery industry. Celgard battery separators are in batteries for personal electronic devices such as notebook computers, mobile telephones, digital cameras, and power tools and are emerging in applications including electric drive vehicles (EDVs) and reserve power and electricity grid management systems.

With company headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, and battery separator manufacturing facilities in the United States, Korea, and China, we are ideally positioned to serve the just-in-time needs of a global market.

Celgard is part of Polypore International, Inc., a global high technology filtration company specializing in microporous membranes. Polypore's flat sheet and hollow fiber membranes are used in specialized applications that require the removal or separation of various materials from liquids, primarily in the ultrafiltration and microfiltration markets. Also based in Charlotte, NC, Polypore International, Inc. is a market leader whose 4 core companies manufacture, market, and service products through 14 manufacturing sites and 14 sales and service locations throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, with sales relatively balanced across these regions.

Video: Caring for the environment is embedded in Celgard's culture. We not only add to the green energy solution, we live green.

Opportunity Snapshot

In this hands-on position you will play an important role, contributing both to the day-to-day plant output and driving continuous improvement that enhances our long-term outlook. You will handle a wide variety of activities in support of continuous improvement, including evaluating process and product performance; homing in on the most relevant data; coaching production, quality, and other personnel; and more. Quick question for you - click here You'll join a strong Process Engineering team with a wealth of experience and knowledge, at a company and facility at the forefront of green technologies. We offer the enthusiasm and momentum of a forward-looking, growing green industry, as well as the stability and resources of a global industry leader. Engineering expertise is highly valued here, and your success in this role could set you up to pursue a number of career paths at Celgard, whether you want to focus on engineering, advance to leadership, or move into other areas.

Celgard is a global leader in the development and production of specialty microporous membranes and has the broadest portfolio of products available in the lithium battery separator industry. All Celgard® battery separators are designed to meet the needs of battery cell manufacturers and offer excellent energy and power performance, dimensional integrity, and chemical and thermal stability in lithium battery applications. Celgard is part of Polypore International, a high growth technology-driven and market-leading company with over $636 million in annual sales.

Pictured: we opened our Concord facility about three years ago.

The Requirements

To meet the basic qualifications for this role you will have legal authorization to work permanently in the United States for any employer without requiring a visa transfer or visa sponsorship. To be a good fit for the Process Engineer opportunity, you also should have:
  • A bachelor's degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering, or other relevant field of engineering. Quick question for you - click here
  • Three to five years of process engineering experience in manufacturing environments.
  • A demonstrated ability in providing daily operations and equipment support.
  • Excellent problem solving techniques and proven problem analysis and resolution using technical data and statistical methods.
  • Skills typical to manufacturing and process engineering with a strong emphasis on execution of projects, process improvement (process yield & product capability), equipment validation methods, statistical analysis, and team leadership.
  • The ability to execute detailed plans with tight timelines to meet growing market demands.
  • Proficient computer skills including MS Excel, Word, Access and PowerPoint.
Just as important as your experience and skills will be the following characteristics and competencies:
  • Demonstrated group leadership success, including:
    • An understanding of how to put together a strong team, focusing on the characteristics of a good team.
    • The ability to evaluate team effectiveness and improve team performance.
    • The ability to lead effectively without formal position power.
  • Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with all levels of the organization.
  • The ability to:
    • Work on a high performing team creating an environment where open and honest communication is the norm.
    • Deal with conflict productively, bringing forth issues that need to be discussed and working to forge a mutually beneficial outcome.
    • Empower employees in an effective manner, gaining time and accomplishing more with reduced resources.
  • Self-motivation, initiative and a sense of urgency.
  • Strengths in motivation, collaboration, teamwork, attention to detail, quality consciousness, and a focus on internal and external customer satisfaction.
Experience in the following is preferred but not required:
  • Web-based process or polymer film production.
  • Polymer extrusion and post processing.
  • Lean manufacturing.
  • SPC control and/or data mining.
We'll look to you to assume a strong sense of ownership of your areas, which may mean coming in a little early or staying into the evening at times. Since we operate 24/7, you will be on call for troubleshooting. Calls are not common, and most issues can be handled over the phone, but you will need to be willing and able to come into the plant when necessary.

The Role

Reporting to the Engineering Manager, you will join a team of Process Engineers. Overall you will provide daily manufacturing equipment support and ongoing process evaluation, with goals of driving continuous improvement and minimizing human error. We prioritize and assign continuous improvement projects, but we'll also look to you to identify opportunities.

Process Engineering team members serve as the front-line, boots on the ground, go-to experts when there is a problem on the manufacturing floor that can't be easily solved. As a member of the team, you'll provide assistance by troubleshooting, analyzing data, and determining root causes. Quick question for you - click here

Pivotal to your success will be your ability to influence and motivate others to gain buy-in and support for continuous improvement initiatives, so you will need to spend a good deal of time on the manufacturing floor. You'll develop relationships with Technicians, other Engineers, professionals in Quality and Safety, and others to obtain information as well as to mentor and teach them.

More specifically, you will:
  • Provide ongoing process and product performance evaluation against key objectives such as productivity, quality, and profitability. You'll utilize yield reports, material traceability, product physical characteristics, and process instrumentation to identify opportunities for improvement or to identify and address the root cause of deviations.
  • Identify and analyze process and product data to improve capability of each. This will include developing control strategies and variability reduction to optimize current products and sustain continuous improvement projects.
  • Mentor and develop relationships cross-functionally to drive continuous improvement. You'll work closely with Quality Technicians responsible for the control of raw materials, intermediates, and finished products; Engineers responsible for plant maintenance; and commercial colleagues on the development of product specifications and production schedules.
  • Initiate and manage or otherwise participate in safety, quality, cost, and process control improvements.
  • Lead and/or support manufacturing start-up and qualification teams responsible for the development and installation of new equipment or process technologies (or improvement of existing processes). This will include establishing specifications, vendor selection and qualification, start-up and validation of new manufacturing equipment, and the transition into commercial production with minimal or no complications.
  • Validate product quality and generate qualification data packets based on internal and external customer requirements.
  • Lead high performance teams, working well both as a team member and a team leader.
  • Execute and/or support responsibilities while building effective workplace relationships, fostering teamwork, motivating employees, and supporting employee development.
  • Utilize tools such as Lean Manufacturing, 5S, failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), data analysis, design of experiments (DOE), root cause analysis, and statistical process control (SPC).
  • Provide daily manufacturing equipment support, including 24/7 responsibilities, to maintain product quality, yields, run-rates, etc.
Pictured: we produce film separators for a wide variety of batteries. The Concord plant, in particular, supports the burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) industry.

Why Celgard

Professional development -- we want you to find your Celgard career fulfilling, so we remain flexible. If you want to cross-train in any of our various process areas we can make that happen, and if you prefer to focus on a favorite process, that is also possible.

Career options -- once you have proven yourself in this role you might pursue advancement along a technical track or into leadership. You might also look at opportunities in other engineering areas, such as production or new product development. With multiple sites, Celgard can offer many opportunities.

Great team -- You'll join a talented team of engineers and technicians who are specialists in our outgoing system. It's a diverse team with experience ranging from interns to those with 20+ years. We promote collaboration and idea sharing.

Strong growth environment -- Celgard and our parent company, Polypore International, Inc., continue to grow, as our product line is used in a diverse number of applications in robust markets, including laptops, cell phones, digital cameras, medical devices, and various military applications. In addition:
  • In 2009 we received a matching grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to support the development of the U.S. EDV market. This funding supported construction of the Concord facility as well as expansion at our Charlotte plant.
  • In 2008 we acquired a new technology along with production facilities in Korea, so that we now have the broadest portfolio in our industry. In 2010 we began expanding the Korean facility.
  • In 2011 we expanded our Charlotte facility and added a Concord facility to serve growth in the consumer electronics market.
Green is the present and future -- as a tech driven company tied to the green energy sector, we are poised for ongoing growth. Tech products from cell phones to electric-drive vehicles continue to play an ever increasing role in people's lives.

Competitive compensation -- in addition to a competitive salary and discretionary bonus incentive, we offer a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, a 401k plan and more.

Pictured: Electric drive vehicle (EDV) models using Celgard membranes are already on the road. The Concord facility is ISO/TS 16949 certified to support the growth of the EDV market.

Keys to Success

By now it should be clear that your interpersonal and leadership skills will be just as important as your engineering expertise. You'll need to be able to achieve goals independently, and you'll also engage in a good deal of cross-functional teamwork, often in a leadership role. You'll also need a strong sense of customer service and a commitment to helping your internal customers -- Production Technicians and Supervisors -- achieve goals more efficiently and effectively. In addition, in order to be an outstanding Process Engineer, you will:
  • Demonstrate initiative and a sense of urgency.
  • Pay close attention to detail and also grasp the bigger picture and how the details fit into it.
  • Maintain constant quality awareness and a focus on internal and external customer satisfaction.
  • Remain flexible and adaptable as priorities change.

About Celgard

Celgard is a global leader in the development and production of specialty microporous membranes, and is one of the largest suppliers to the lithium battery industry. Celgard battery separators are in batteries for personal electronic devices such as notebook computers, mobile telephones, digital cameras, and power tools and are emerging in applications including electric drive vehicles (EDVs) and reserve power and electricity grid management systems.

With company headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, and battery separator manufacturing facilities in the United States, Korea, and China, we are ideally positioned to serve the just-in-time needs of a global market.

Celgard is part of Polypore International, Inc., a global high technology filtration company specializing in microporous membranes. Polypore's flat sheet and hollow fiber membranes are used in specialized applications that require the removal or separation of various materials from liquids, primarily in the ultrafiltration and microfiltration markets. Also based in Charlotte, NC, Polypore International, Inc. is a market leader whose 4 core companies manufacture, market, and service products through 14 manufacturing sites and 14 sales and service locations throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, with sales relatively balanced across these regions.

Video: Caring for the environment is embedded in Celgard's culture. We not only add to the green energy solution, we live green.
Celgard LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request an accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career center as a result of your disability. To request an accommodation, contact the Human Resources Department at jkern@engage2excel.com.
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