Chem Lab Engineering Specialist
Ford · Sterling Heights, MI
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $84k–$141k
- Degree
- Required
- Industry
- Automotive
- Posted
- 2 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level manufacturing role at Ford (automotive) in Sterling Heights, MI. Get the satisfaction of making great products people use and love.
- They ask for
- degree required
- Tools it names
- Lean, 5S, Root cause, MSA / Gage R&R
- Base pay
- $84k–$141k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
How this role compares
Against 62 other live manufacturing postings in Michigan.
- Base pay
- About 6% below similar roles
- Experience asked
- Not stated
Typical $74k–$166k, from 22 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 4+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- New product launch 63%
- Tooling 59%
- ✓ Lean 43%
- FMEA 37%
- ✓ Root cause 37%
- ✓ Team leadership 30%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for 5S, MSA / Gage R&R, Union environment, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Ford
We found 12 people at this company and state: 9 on the team, 3 leaders, plus 2 likely hiring managers. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Rob → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Ford in Sterling Heights
3 other open roles at this site · 12 people we found on the manufacturing team.
- Process Specialist-Tooling Engineer · Process
- Senior Production Supervisor · Production · Supervisor
- Senior Maintenance Supervisor · Reliability · Supervisor
Full description from FordAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
What you will do
...
Laboratory Operations & Supervisory Duties
- ◆Personnel Management: Oversee third party fluid management team that resides in plant.
- ◆Accountability: Hold team members accountable for following standardized processes regarding Safety and Quality.
- ◆Asset Management: Ensure all lab equipment is maintained, calibrated, and operational. Manage preventative maintenance, repairs, and spare parts inventory.
- ◆Financial & Workplace Standards: Maintain strict 5S standards and workplace organization. This lab is under transformation from traditional to lean, candidate will lead that transformation to a lean manufacturing model area standard.
What you'll have ...
- ◆Education: Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related Engineering discipline.
- ◆Technical Experience: Proven experience operating laboratory analytical equipment, specifically Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM) and Optical Microscopes.
- ◆Manufacturing Knowledge: Experience working within a manufacturing or industrial laboratory environment with a focus on quality systems.
Even better, you may have...
- ◆Leadership: Prior experience supervising hourly personnel, ideally within a unionized (UAW) environment.
- ◆Specialized Skills: Proficiency with FTIR analysis and PAMAS particle counting systems.
- ◆Audit Experience: Familiarity with ISO standards and conducting internal/external quality audits.
- ◆Analytical Mindset: Strong ability to interpret complex data trends and perform root-cause analysis for technical failures.
- ◆Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for presenting technical findings to non-technical leadership.
You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!
As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
- ◆Immediate medical, dental, and prescription drug coverage
- ◆Flexible family care, parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up childcare and more
- ◆Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
- ◆Vehicle discount program for employees and family members, and management leases
- ◆Tuition assistance
- ◆Established and active employee resource groups
- ◆Paid time off for individual and team community service
- ◆A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
- ◆Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.
This position is a salary grade 7 and ranges from $84,480-141,360.
This position is a salary grade 8 and ranges from $96,720-162,120.
For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authoriz
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we’re all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves?
As part of our Manufacturing team, you’ll help build the world-class, state-of-the-art smart vehicles we're known for. In our plants around the world, we’re constantly developing new technologies and processes to further increase our efficiency. You'll get the satisfaction of making great products people use and love.
In this position ...
- •Sterling Axle Chem Lab Engineering Specialist is a critical dual-function role responsible for leading the plant’s contamination control strategy and managing the daily operations of the Chemical Laboratory. This individual acts as the primary subject matter expert for the Contamination Quality Operating System (QOS), ensuring all production areas meet rigorous Engineering Specifications (ES) through advanced analytical testing and data-driven insights.
- •The successful candidate will blend technical expertise in materials analysis. You will be responsible for driving continuous improvement in contamination controls, managing laboratory budgets, and ensuring the highest standards of safety, quality, and throughput.
Technical Leadership & Contamination Control
- •QOS Ownership: Champion the Contamination Quality Operating System within the plant, proactively identifying and driving continuous improvement opportunities.
- •Analytical Testing: Perform and oversee complex analysis using Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM), Automatic Optical Microscopes (AOM), and Microscope Particle Counters.
- •Contamination Identification: Utilize technology to identify sources of non-metallic contamination and support root-cause investigations.
- •System Monitoring: Gage R&R and calibration knowledge of lab equipment. Track coolant system, washer health systems, and POU contamination checks and drive QOS around them.
- •Data Management: Maintain precise records and monitor data trend charts to identify variations, communicate results and reaction plans to the plant team when failures occur.
Quality, Audits & Investigation
- •Compliance: Schedule and conduct internal contamination and Engineering Specification (ES) audits; support external third-party environmental and quality audits.
- •Problem Solving: Support Internal Quality meetings, warranty investigations, and customer issue resolutions pertaining to contamination analysis.
- •Reporting: Present technical data and analytical findings in a clear, concise manner to plant leadership.