Technical Director - Kent Elastomer Products

Technical Director, Kent

Job Description:

Reporting to the Vice President of Operations, the Technical Director (TD) will manage our compounding department and oversee purchases of all chemicals, latex rubber, and other compounds used in our manufacturing process.  The TD serves as the technical expert in the areas of formulation and process development, optimization, scale up, transfer and validation in addition to providing technical assistance to all sectors of the business. The TD keeps current on industry trends, new technologies and technical issues to help the company grow in conjunction with goal set by the executive team. The TD will recommend and test various rubbers/thermoplastics for the custom dip and extrusion departments while understanding their desired features and applications. The TD is also responsible for the environmental safety and compliance for the company.  This position is Kent, Ohio based with occasional travel to the company’s facilities in Mogadore, Ohio and Winesburg, OH.

Job Responsibilities:

  • Protect the company’s proprietary compounds and assets and ensure our products meet internal standards. Approve and monitor all compounds, testing, and record keeping.
  • Manage lab personnel on all aspects of compounding and testing.
  • Ensure all chemicals meet internal, FDA and GMP standards, including receiving inspections, proper storage & handling, and lot traceability.
  • Oversee Purchasing of materials, maintain adequate inventories & establish second sourcing to ensure adequate supplies.
  • Monitor and Communicate environmental compliance for three N.E Ohio facilities, including air quality, storm water, waste water effluent, and solid waste. Ensure Kent’s water treatment system runs according to Ohio EPA’s permit. Report air quality and waste water effluent to comply with local permits.
  • In coordination with sales, periodically travels to customer locations for new product development discussions and technical capability presentations.
  • Cooperate with internal and external customers to analyze and resolve complex technical issues in accordance with appropriate quality and regulatory standards.
  • Develop new compounds to meet customer needs and to support Company growth objectives.
  • Involved with technical organizations to remain current with the rubber and plastics industry.

Qualifications:

  • BS degree in chemistry, latex chemistry or related fields; advanced degree is a plus
  • 5-7 years’ experience managing a laboratory or technical department
  • Management skills; leadership, directing, organizing and logistics
  • Some travel involved
  • Ability to converse and meet with clients
  • An unwavering commitment to excellence

Benefits:

  1. Salary commensurate with experience
  2. Bonus program based on performance
  3. Health plan includes Medical, Rx, Dental, and Vision
  4. Life and Disability Insurance
  5. 401(k) Retirement Plan

About Kent Elastomer Products:

Kent Elastomer Products, a Meridian Industries company, was founded in 1960 and is a leading U.S. solutions provider for the global medical market, as well as orthodontics, food and beverage, sports/recreation, laboratory, and industrial markets worldwide. Kent Elastomer is the largest manufacturer of precision-engineered, natural rubber latex tubing in addition to manufacturing TPE tubing, PVC tubing, FreeBand® tourniquets, and custom dip molded products. The company emphasizes continuous improvement and fosters growth through leadership training and communication.

Our headquarters, latex and dip molded operations are located in Kent, Ohio. Extrusion operations are located in Mogadore, Ohio. Assembly, quality and shipping operations are located in Winesburg, Ohio.