Lab Manager, Enabling Technologies

Position Overview

Novelis is one of the world leaders in aluminum recycling and rolling and a leading sustainable aluminum solutions provider. Driven by our purpose of shaping a sustainable world together, we work alongside our customers to provide innovative solutions to the aerospace, automotive, beverage packaging and specialty markets. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Novelis has approximately 13,000 employees in 32 operating facilities on 4 continents.

Responsibilities & Qualifications

The Manager, Enabling Technologies is responsible for the complex operations of the laboratories within the Novelis North America Lab in Novi, MI. Using strong technical acumen across multiple scientific fields, this role will closely collaborate with Novelis North America automotive teams, R&D teams, NNA manufacturing facilities and some of Novelis’ most valuable automotive customers.

This role supervises a team of specialized engineers, technologists and technicians who are experts of the equipment and technologies required by Novelis customers to implement new aluminum sheet automotive products, directly impacting strategic targets. The incumbent must personally demonstrate and lead others with a safety-first mentality to support the goal of Vision Zero Injuries.

The NNA Novi laboratories are geographically established to be in close proximity to key automotive customers to directly serve their needs through project delivery, designing solutions and testing out the technology solutions. In addition, the laboratories are available as a resource to the broader automotive industry to solve production problems, help with product qualification and allow customers to prove out future products using the lab’s assets.

Responsibilities:

  • Maintain safe workplace through active management of safety for all activities and personnel in the facility, and ensure a positive “safety first” culture is established and maintained at the facility.
  • Manage workflow for labs (metallurgy, joining, formability, laser, and hot/cold stamping development cell) including resourcing, test scheduling, testing methodologies, developing solutions and testing proof of concepts for automotive customers
  • Directly manage or provide guidance to area leaders for project definition, project management, and gate review of enabling technology projects supporting automotive customers and Novelis automotive Lab initiatives, and provide technical leadership to the team to navigate complex situations requiring the team to adapt or develop new solutions through analytical, interpretative, creative and innovative thinking
  • Work with automotive R&D and Value Stream technical leadership to develop and maintain 5 year strategic direction of the Novi facility, and use the diverse technical talent and budget to enhance lab competency, equipment, and employees to deliver on the strategic direction of Novelis and automotive customers
  • Develop annual budget (Operating cost and capital costs) to maintain and address needs of the facility supporting strategic direction of the Lab.
  • Ensure proper data and laboratory records are maintained and all intellectual property protection methods are employed
  • Represent Novelis to key automotive customers and their personnel to show enabling technologies that will influence the implementation and specification of Novelis’ products into future vehicles

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelors in Engineering (Materials, Mechanical, Aerospace) or equivalent experience required. Masters or PhD preferred.
  • More than 10 years experience in a technical engineering environment involving metal structures, preferably hands-on, manufacturing, lab or production design in the transportation industry
  • Demonstrated understanding of material requirements, forming and joining requirements, structural performance requirements, and corrosion resistance requirements for Novelis products as applied by automotive customers, and the testing required to support and develop such applications
  • Working knowledge of auto body and/or closure design, testing standards, joining, formability
  • Experience working with aluminum and steel materials
  • Industrial lab management (equipment and personnel) experience preferred
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills with ability to work well with diverse workgroups and cultures
  • High degree of proficiency in computer software applications with a systematic approach
  • Ability to address large groups for presentations and training as needed

Please note that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship

What We Offer:

This role offers a hybrid schedule, requiring at least two days onsite each week. Novelis values the importance of flexibility and work-life harmony, supporting a Flex Work strategy that enables employees to balance personal and professional commitments while benefiting from a collaborative in-office atmosphere.

Novelis benefits say a lot about how we care for each other. Our employees and their families have many different needs. As a result, our benefits offer choices on many levels and are high in quality, competitive in the marketplace, and affordable. These are a few of the benefits we offer to support you and your family’s well-being:

  • Medical, dental and vision insurance
  • Health savings accounts – Company Funded Health Savings Account (HSA) and Health Reimbursement Account (HRA)
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • Company-paid basic life insurance and Additional voluntary life coverage
  • Paid vacation and competitive personal time off
  • 401(k) savings plan with company match
  • Retiree Medical Plans – medical and prescription drug coverage through Novelis sponsored Retiree Health Access
  • Retirement Savings Account
  • Employee assistance programs – available 24/7 to you and your family
  • Wellness and Work Life Support - career development and educational assistance!

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Location Profile

Novelis’ Novi office is located twenty-five miles northwest of the heart of the motor city. Its 100+ employees provide dedicated commercial sales technical support and recycling teams for Novelis’ growing automotive customer base. Novi is also the location of the company’s Customer Solution Center which accelerates innovation between Novelis and automakers for the next generation of vehicle design. As one of the fastest growing cities in Michigan Novi offers a host of destination shopping and specialty expos fine dining options and outdoor recreation activities. Our Novi team is a key sponsor to community events such as Habitat for Humanity and local schools with its FIRST Robotics team and STEM education programs.

Novelis recognizes its talented and diverse workforce as a key competitive advantage. Novelis provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. All terms and conditions of employment at Novelis including recruiting hiring placement promotion termination layoffs recalls transfers leaves of absence compensation and training are without regard to race color religion age sex national origin disability status genetics protected veteran status sexual orientation gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal provincial or local laws.

Disclaimer

We encourage all potential candidates to follow the protocols below and to be diligent when sharing any personal information:1. Check the job posting is live and valid via our careers page: Careers - Novelis2. Verify any communication with us by contacting our talent team at Careers - Novelis