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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Aluminum Site Engineer

💰 $ - $

EngineeringConstructionManufacturingAluminumSite ManagementQuality Assurance

🎯 Role Definition

The Aluminum Site Engineer is responsible for on-site technical leadership, execution and optimization of aluminum production and processing activities. This role combines engineering oversight of extrusion/casting/rolling lines, quality and process control, health & safety enforcement, commissioning and maintenance coordination, and project delivery. The ideal candidate ensures the plant meets production targets, complies with environmental and safety standards, delivers product quality, and drives continuous improvement across aluminum manufacturing operations.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Graduate Mechanical / Metallurgical / Materials Engineer
  • Site Engineer (Mechanical / Civil) from metalworking or fabrication plants
  • Process Engineer or Production Engineer in light metals or manufacturing

Advancement To:

  • Senior Site Engineer / Lead Engineer
  • Plant/Operations Manager (Aluminum Plant)
  • Engineering Manager / Head of Projects

Lateral Moves:

  • Quality Assurance / Quality Control Manager (Metals)
  • Continuous Improvement / Lean Manufacturing Engineer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead daily site engineering activities for aluminum production units (extrusion, casting, rolling, anodizing, heat treatment), ensuring all operations meet production targets, schedule milestones and contractual requirements.
  • Supervise commissioning, start-up, and shutdown procedures for new equipment and process upgrades, validating performance against design specifications and safety criteria.
  • Develop, implement and maintain process control plans and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for aluminum melting, casting, extrusion and finishing to stabilize yields and reduce scrap rates.
  • Monitor and optimize production KPIs (throughput, yield, OEE, cycle time, downtime) and prepare weekly/monthly performance reports with actionable recommendations for plant leadership.
  • Lead root cause analysis (RCA) for recurring production quality or reliability issues using structured methods (5 Whys, Fishbone, FMEA) and implement corrective and preventive actions.
  • Coordinate predictive and preventive maintenance activities with maintenance teams, contractors and planners to minimize unplanned downtime and extend equipment life (furnaces, presses, pullers, homogenizers).
  • Enforce and audit site Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) practices including permit-to-work, lockout-tagout, confined space entry, COSHH, emergency response and contractor safety management.
  • Manage quality control and inspection programs: dimensional checks, mechanical testing, metallurgical analysis, non-destructive testing (UT, PT, MT), and chemical composition verification to ensure compliance with customer specifications and standards (ASTM, EN).
  • Supervise material handling and logistics for ingots, billets, coils and finished products—optimizing flow, storage, alloy segregation and traceability across the site.
  • Oversee process parameter settings (billet temperature, extrusion speed, cooling profiles, anodizing bath parameters) and collaborates with automation/controls engineers to tune PLC/SCADA systems.
  • Lead supplier and contractor technical reviews, ensure deliverables meet engineering, QA and HSE expectations and manage punch-list closure during installation and commissioning.
  • Prepare engineering change requests (ECRs) and manage implementation of design modifications, ensuring configuration control and documentation updates.
  • Ensure regulatory and environmental compliance (waste handling, emissions control, wastewater treatment) and support permitting and environmental monitoring activities.
  • Implement energy efficiency and cost-reduction initiatives specific to aluminum production (furnace fuel optimization, recover heat systems, compressed air reduction).
  • Provide technical support to production teams during process deviations, customer complaints and shipment holds to expedite containment, rework and root cause closure.
  • Validate product qualification trials and manage first-article inspections for new alloys, temper conditions and customer-specific profiles.
  • Manage project budgets, schedules and resource allocation for site improvement projects and capital expenditures related to aluminum processing.
  • Train and mentor junior engineers and shop floor leads on process fundamentals, safety expectations, quality standards and continuous improvement methods.
  • Maintain accurate engineering documentation: P&IDs, equipment datasheets, process flow diagrams (PFDs), inspection test plans (ITPs) and O&M manuals.
  • Coordinate with procurement, supply chain and planning to ensure availability of critical spares, tooling (dies, mandrels), and consumables to sustain production continuity.
  • Drive Lean/6 Sigma initiatives, kaizen events and value stream mapping exercises aimed at reducing lead time, scrap and overall production cost.
  • Liaise with customers and technical sales to support technical queries, product development trials and on-site acceptance tests.
  • Conduct risk assessments for modifications and new installations, applying HAZOP, HAZID or job safety analysis (JSA) as required.
  • Oversee calibration regimes for measuring instruments, gauges and lab equipment to ensure traceability and data integrity in QA labs.
  • Implement and review preventive action plans from internal/external audits (ISO 9001, ISO 14001) and close out non-conformances with documented evidence.

Secondary Functions

  • Support continuous improvement projects by providing engineering inputs, data analysis and pilot testing for process enhancements.
  • Assist procurement with technical specifications for capital equipment, spare parts and tooling to ensure correct material grades and tolerances.
  • Participate in cross-functional project teams (R&D, Quality, Maintenance, HSE) to drive product development and process validation activities.
  • Provide after-hours technical on-call support for critical incidents and breakdown investigations to restore operations swiftly.
  • Prepare technical scope-of-work documents and contribute to tender evaluation for contractors and equipment suppliers.
  • Contribute to the site’s environmental monitoring program by collecting process data and supporting corrective actions for emissions or effluent exceedances.
  • Support training programs and competency assessments across the production workforce to maintain certification and safety maturity.
  • Maintain an up-to-date risk register for site engineering activities and report status to senior management.
  • Collaborate with automation and IT teams on integration of MES/ERP data capture to improve traceability and operational transparency.
  • Champion documentation digitization and the use of data-driven dashboards for real-time production visibility.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • In-depth knowledge of aluminum production processes: melting, casting, extrusion, rolling, heat treatment, anodizing and surface finishing.
  • Strong experience with metallurgical testing and interpretation: tensile tests, hardness, microstructure analysis, spectrometry and chemical composition verification.
  • Proficiency in reading and updating engineering drawings, P&IDs, process flow diagrams and tolerance specifications.
  • Hands-on experience with PLC/SCADA systems, HMI tuning and basic automation troubleshooting for continuous production lines.
  • Competent in project management fundamentals: scope definition, budgeting, scheduling (MS Project, Primavera) and contractor coordination.
  • Practical experience with manufacturing ERP/MES systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Infor) and production scheduling coordination.
  • Knowledge of quality systems and standards: ISO 9001, API/ASTM/EN standards for aluminum alloys, inspection test plans (ITP).
  • Familiarity with non-destructive testing methods (UT, PT, MT) and welding inspection requirements for aluminum fabrication.
  • Strong root cause analysis and problem solving using structured methodologies (8D, 5 Whys, Fishbone, FMEA).
  • Experience with Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma methodologies and continuous improvement tools.
  • Competence in thermal process control and energy optimization for high-temperature equipment (furnaces, ovens).
  • Ability to specify and evaluate tooling (dies, mandrels), jigs and fixtures specific to aluminum extrusion and fabrication.
  • Proficient in MS Office suite (Excel for data analysis, PivotTables), and comfortable creating KPI dashboards and technical reports.
  • Understanding of environmental regulations and effluent control systems related to metalworking and surface treatment.

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership and team management with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and contractors.
  • Excellent communication skills: concise technical reporting, client-facing presentations and clear shop-floor instructions.
  • Analytical mindset with attention to detail and a practical approach to translating data into corrective actions.
  • Resilient under pressure and capable of prioritizing tasks in a fast-paced production environment.
  • Strong organizational skills, time management and ability to manage multiple projects concurrently.
  • Collaborative attitude with experience working in multicultural and cross-disciplinary teams.
  • Coaching and mentoring ability to develop junior engineers and operators.
  • Proactive safety attitude and commitment to creating a positive HSE culture on site.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Metallurgical, Materials, Chemical or Industrial Engineering (or equivalent technical diploma with relevant experience).

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree or postgraduate diploma in Metallurgy, Materials Science, Manufacturing or Project Management.
  • Professional certifications: Certified Welding Inspector (CWI/IWE/IWI), NEBOSH, PMP, Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Metallurgical Engineering
  • Materials Science and Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Chemical or Process Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–8 years of hands-on experience in aluminum production, fabrication or heavy manufacturing environments.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years’ experience specifically in aluminum plants (extrusion, casting, rolling, surface treatment) with demonstrated track record of improving yield and reducing downtime.
  • Experience managing commissioning projects, capital expenditures and contractor teams in an industrial setting.
  • Prior exposure to international standards and customer-facing acceptance testing.
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