Job DescriptionPosition Summary:The Process Engineer - Quench & Temper is responsible for supporting the operational performance, process capability, and continuous improvement of Quench & Temper operations within Fairfield Works - Tubular. This role provides technical leadership for heat treatment process parameters, equipment performance, product quality, process control, and production reliability to ensure the operation consistently meets customer, regulatory, and quality requirements.
This position partners closely with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, Automation, Technical Services, and plant leadership to analyze process data, troubleshoot production and quality issues, improve throughput, reduce variation, and strengthen operating discipline. The Process Engineer will help ensure Quench & Temper processes are stable, repeatable, and capable of supporting safe, reliable, and customer-focused manufacturing performance.
During startup, ramp-up, and stabilization of Quench & Temper capital project scope, the Process Engineer will support equipment commissioning, operating procedure development, process validation, training, qualification activities, and readiness planning. This includes helping establish process parameters, acceptance criteria, inspection and verification requirements, troubleshooting guides, and performance monitoring routines needed to transition the equipment into sustainable operations.
The Process Engineer will also support integration across related finishing, inspection, NDT, gauge, automation, and quality systems to ensure product flow, measurement systems, and process controls are aligned with customer expectations and internal Quality Management System requirements.
Responsibilities:- Serve as a technical resource for Quench & Temper operations, including heat treatment process parameters, equipment applications, product requirements, operating practices, and process control expectations.
- Support safe, reliable, and consistent operation of Quench & Temper equipment by monitoring process performance, identifying sources of variation, and driving corrective actions to improve quality, throughput, reliability, and cost performance.
- Analyze production data, process trends, quality metrics, equipment performance, and customer-critical requirements to identify opportunities for process improvement, defect reduction, and increased productivity.
- Partner with Quality, Operations, Maintenance, Automation, and Technical Services to investigate process deviations, NDT or inspection-related issues, customer complaints, and nonconformances, while implementing effective corrective and preventive actions.
- Develop, maintain, and improve process control plans, operating procedures, verification routines, inspection expectations, troubleshooting guides, and standard work associated with Quench & Temper operations.
- Support Quench & Temper capital project startup activities, including equipment commissioning, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), startup readiness, punch-list resolution, process validation, and ramp-up stabilization.
- Assist in establishing process parameters, acceptance criteria, product release expectations, inspection requirements, and performance monitoring routines for new or modified Quench & Temper equipment and related finishing operations.
- Coordinate with Quality and NDT resources to ensure inspection systems, gauges, measurement practices, calibration expectations, and product verification processes to support customer specifications and applicable industry standards.
- Monitor and improve key performance indicators related to process capability, product quality, throughput, downtime, defect detection, rework, scrap, and operational reliability.
- Support qualification, validation, and certification activities for equipment, processes, procedures, and personnel as required by customer, regulatory, quality, or internal business requirements.
- Conduct periodic process audits and layered checks to ensure equipment capability, operating discipline, inspection of readiness, and compliance with safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements.
- Provide technical support during complex troubleshooting involving heat treatment performance, material flow, inspection results, equipment condition, automation interfaces, process controls, and product quality concerns.
- Partner with operations leadership to support employee training, knowledge transfer, and qualification sign-off for Quench & Temper processes, inspection expectations, quality standards, and safe operating practices.
- Support capital projects, equipment upgrades, new product development, automation improvements, and process capability initiatives involving Quench & Temper, finishing, inspection, and related manufacturing systems.
- Communicate process performance, technical risks, corrective actions, project status, and improvement opportunities clearly to cross-functional stakeholders and plant leadership.
Requirements:- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Metallurgy, Materials Science, Industrial Technology, or a related technical discipline is preferred; equivalent relevant manufacturing or process engineering experience may be considered.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in process engineering, quality, heat treatment, manufacturing operations, NDT, inspection systems, or related technical support within a steel manufacturing or heavy industrial environment is preferred.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing process control, equipment capability, quality requirements, data analysis, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement principles.
- Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, Automation, Technical Services, vendors, contractors, and plant leadership.
- Experience analyzing production, quality, and process data to improve product quality, operational performance, process stability, and equipment reliability.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to document technical work, explain process issues, and influence action across multiple levels of the organization.
- Effective problem-solving, decision-making, project management, root cause analysis, and execution capabilities.
- Ability to provide technical guidance during complex troubleshooting and support a 24/7 manufacturing environment, including startup activities, outages, off-shift support, or extended-hour needs as required.
- Demonstrated commitment to safety, environmental stewardship, quality, customer requirements, and operational excellence.
Preferred Qualifications:- Experience in heat treatment, quench and temper operations, finishing, OCTG, seamless pipe, inspection, NDT, gauge room management, threading, or other customer-critical manufacturing processes.
- Knowledge of steel manufacturing, tubular products, API/customer specifications, quality systems, material properties, process capability, and product verification requirements.
- Experience supporting new equipment startups, capital project commissioning, process stabilization, training, qualification, or transition-to-operations activities.
- Working knowledge of calibration, validation, verification practices, measurement systems, process audits, statistical process control, and root cause analysis methods.
- Experience using data historians, production reporting tools, PI Vision, dashboards, Excel, Minitab, Tableau, or similar tools to analyze trends and support process improvement.
- Lean Six Sigma training or demonstrated experience applying continuous improvement methods to improve safety, quality, productivity, reliability, or cost performance.
- Experience developing operating procedures, standard work, troubleshooting guides, training plans, and qualification documentation for manufacturing employees or technical teams.
- Experience working effectively with union-represented employees and supporting consistent operating expectations in a 24/7 manufacturing environment.
Competency SummaryAt U. S. Steel all employees are expected to display the following core competencies every day to advance corporate, team and individual goals:
Think: Think Critically and Drive Change
Lead: Develop Talent and Collaborate
Do: Empower Performance and Deliver Results
