Job Description

John Crane, a business of Smiths Group, is a global leader in mission-critical flow control solutions for energy and process industries that enable efficient and sustainable operations. Our products include mechanical seals and systems, couplings, bearings, filtration systems, and predictive digital monitoring technologies. 

We have a global network of more than 200 sites in over 50 countries and employ more than 6,000 people worldwide. We partner with our customers to help them keep their operations safe, reduce downtime, improve efficiency, and meet the latest environmental standards. 

John Crane is part of Smiths Group. For over 170 years, Smiths has been pioneering progress by engineering for a better future. We serve millions of people every year, helping to create a safer, more efficient, productive, and better-connected world across four global markets: energy, security & defence, space & aerospace, and general industrial. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Smiths employs approximately 16,000 colleagues in over 50 countries. 

Job Description

The Materials R&D group of John Crane Inc. is currently seeking a skilled Materials Engineer to join their Research and Development team in Morton Grove, IL. This position involves applying expertise in materials processing techniques, surface coating technologies and the tribology of materials to create innovative, high-performance solutions. We are looking for a self-starter with good organizational and time management skills and demonstrated ability to produce high-quality innovative technical content. This is an excellent opportunity to work on advanced materials projects that focus on solving mission-critical energy and process industry challenges.

• Plan and conduct research activities that support the design and development of new mechanical seal components; modify existing products to meet customer’s specifications.
• Lead research and development projects focusing on the formulation and processing of advanced ceramics.
• Manage projects to ensure on-time delivery of high-quality results appropriate to the project goals. Document accomplishments in clear and coherent technical reports and presentations.
• Analyze and enhance the tribological behavior of materials, improving friction and wear properties.
• Conduct material characterization and tribo-thermo-mechanical testing at John Crane’s technology labs as well as at external facilities as required.
• Liaison with external research institutions and accredited materials testing centers to support materials characterization and testing efforts.
• Create 3D models and 2D drawings for prototype parts and mold components.
• Identify, evaluate and coordinate with raw materials and equipment suppliers, and support procurement activities.
• Stay updated on emerging trends in materials science and surface engineering to drive innovation in products and processes.
• Contribute to the development of intellectual property by identifying and patenting innovative materials, processes or designs.
• Learn and operate material process and analytical equipment effectively. 
• Ensure proper operating procedures are followed, adhering to all safety policies and procedures and quality regulations and standards.
• Perform additional responsibilities as requested to achieve business objectives.

Qualifications

• MS in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or equivalent engineering discipline from an accredited institution.
• 3 - 5 years of hands-on experience in research and development of advanced materials solutions for tribological, sealing or structural applications.
• Extensive experience in ceramic powder processing and sintering. Knowledge of advanced sintering technologies is a plus.
• Hands-on experience in material characterization techniques, such as microscopy, spectroscopy and tribo-thermo-mechanical testing.
• Skilled in creating engineering drawings using Solid Edge/SolidWorks.
• Experience with computational modeling and simulation of material properties is highly desirable.
• Experience in the industrial application of advanced coatings (e.g. ceramic/ metallic/ diamond/ DLC, etc.) is a plus.
• Ability to learn and master new processing and characterization equipment.
• Must be self-motivated, with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams and manage multiple projects effectively.

Additional Information

With colleagues stretching across the globe, we are proud of our diversity. To foster inclusivity, we run employee resource groups (ERGs) to provide a safe space for employees to connect and support each other. Our cross-business ERGs include Veterans, Pride Network, Black Employee Network, Women@Work Network, and Neurodiversity. 

Across our company, we recognize excellence, culminating in the Smiths Excellence Awards, our annual celebration of the most extraordinary activities, people, and projects that best showcase our strengths and help drive our business forward. We announce these on our annual Smiths Day, a global celebration of Smiths around our network. 

Join us for a great career with competitive compensation and benefits, while helping engineer a better future.

We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.

At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Group, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing. Avoid fraudulent requests by applying jobs directly through our career’s website ( Careers - Smiths Group plc )

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