R&D Material Laboratory Engineer

Job Description

Joining a dynamic and motivated materials R&D team, the Lab Engineer will lead efforts to design, develop and validate innovative testing for the future Bridgestone products; covering a wide range of activities from Machine/instruments requirements definition and design or upgrade, multivariate analysis, automation, feasibility studies and related laboratory-based analysis.

Specifically, the candidate will play a key role in the R&D lab through his/her solid knowledge will be primarily involved in planning and conducting experiments and analyzing results, either with a definite end use, for example to develop new methods, materials, processes or apparatus, or to broaden scientific understanding in general.

Core responsibilities:

• Design, develop, implement and validate new characterizations (methods and/or new testing machines) providing proposals, solutions and original ideas, focusing on Mechanism understanding, Prediction of products performances, Automation/Digitalization (efficiency), Quality (Reliability) and Sustainability .
• Assure the quality and efficiency of the most advanced laboratory techniques/machines outputs cooperating within the R&D laboratory staff.
• To contribute to digital mindset and digital designing approach spreading.
• To identify and support implementation of efficiency opportunities in Way of Working and processes

To perform successfully the above tasks the lab Engineer will:

• Work effectively with R&D researchers, staff, technicians, and management of Bridgestone Technical Center Europe, actively taking part to R&D cross-functional teams
• Work and interact with Bridgestone external partners, such as academia, lab equipment providers and material suppliers.
• Perform lab trials/advanced testing
• Apply advanced mathematical tools for data elaboration and interpretation: statistical evaluations, multivariate analysis.
• Collaborate with Bridgestone Corporate Functions, Bridgestone America, Bridgestone Japan and Bridgestone Europe manufacturing plants.

Job requirements:

• Master degree in: Material, Chemical, Mechanical or Mechatronic Engineering; Material Science or any other related field of study. Preference will be given to candidates with: Academic (PHD) or working Experience in characterization (developing testing methodologies / laboratory equipment) related to polymer mechanical and dynamic characterization
• Digital mindset: Solid knowledge of MS Office package and robust data analysis skills with working knowledge of mathematical tools (multivariate analysis and related software e.g.: MATLAB, R, CAT, SIMCA) 
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Problem solving and project management skills.
• Analytical skill, Logic Thinking and strong mechanism understanding mindset.
• Results oriented, self-motivated, creative and collaborative.
• Curiosity, think-out-of-the-box mindset, willingness to learn from new and often unprecedented technical challenges.
• Ability to work with different pace, timeframe, organizations: with long term innovation as well as with supply crisis management, with other R&D entities as well as plants.
• Ability to work at global level with multicultural environment.

Position is based at the Technical Center in Rome; Salary and position will be tailored according to the profile