Principal Engineer, Advanced Manufacturing in Billerica, Massachusetts at Boston Materials

Boston Materials is seeking a Principal Engineer, Advanced Manufacturing to lead the commissioning and ongoing operation of our high-volume manufacturing lines. This is a pivotal role at the intersection of materials development and production scale-up: you will work hand-in-hand with our equipment and process engineering teams to design and optimize production workflows, implement manufacturing execution systems, and build the operational infrastructure needed to take novel materials processes from the development environment into controlled, repeatable manufacturing. The ideal candidate is as comfortable on the shop floor debugging a newly commissioned line as they are in a planning session defining process control strategies. We value depth of experience with early-stage, materials-based processes over breadth of experience in mature, high-volume manufacturing environments.

• Lead the commissioning of new high-volume manufacturing equipment, from installation and qualification through full production readiness.
• Collaborate closely with equipment and process engineers to design, document, and continuously optimize production workflows.
• Identify, evaluate, and implement Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and related digital tools (e.g., SCADA, SPC platforms) to support real-time process monitoring and traceability.
• Establish line readiness standards including base state definitions, preventive maintenance programs, SOPs, and validated process windows.
• Drive the translation of developmental materials processes into controlled manufacturing environments, preserving process intent while building in repeatability and scalability.
• Define and manage IQ/OQ/PQ qualification protocols for new equipment and processes.
• Partner with process engineers to design and execute experiments that characterize process sensitivity and establish control limits.
• Build and maintain quality management workflows, including non-conformance investigation, root cause analysis, and corrective action.
• Champion a culture of safety, organization, and continuous improvement across the manufacturing floor.
• Thrive in a startup environment where resourcefulness, initiative, and cross-functional collaboration are essential.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline (equivalent hands-on experience considered).
• Demonstrated experience transitioning materials-based processes from a development or pre-pilot setting into a controlled manufacturing environment.
• Familiarity with manufacturing software including MES platforms (e.g., Tulip), SCADA systems (e.g., Ignition), and statistical tools (e.g., JMP, Minitab).
• Experience developing and executing equipment qualification protocols (IQ/OQ/PQ).
• Strong process control fundamentals including SPC, control charts, and capability analysis.
• Experience implementing QA/QC systems spanning raw material receipt through finished product release.
• Ability to work independently and lead cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, resource-constrained environment.

• Experience with specialty materials processing (e.g., liquid metals, composites, coatings, or advanced polymers).
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles.
• Six Sigma certification or equivalent training in structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Prior experience in a startup or early-stage manufacturing environment.

• Health, Vision & Dental – Boston Materials pays 75% of Health, Vision and Dental Care coverage for employee and dependents
• 4 weeks of supplemental Paid Parental and Family Leave
• Unlimited Paid Time Off
• Holidays: 14 days/year