Supervisor, ATS Materials & Mechanical Testing

Requisition ID # 165613 

Job Category: Engineering / Science 

Job Level: Supervisor

Business Unit: Electric Engineering

Work Type: Onsite

Job Location: Danville; San Ramon

Department Overview
Applied Technology Services (ATS) has been providing technology-based, innovative, high-value services to the company for over 50 years. ATS is a multidisciplinary team of over 130 engineers, scientists, and technicians. The ATS vision is to be a forward-thinking, technological leader providing high-value solutions and services needed across the Company. ATS high value services also help proactively avoid future problems by specifying equipment, materials and methods that are best practices in the industry.

PG&E’s Applied Technologies Services (ATS) Materials and Mechanical Testing team provides a range of services, which include failure analysis testing, component quality and reliability testing, condition assessments, material specification testing and engineering modeling. 

Facility description: ATS has a Mechanical Testing and Metallurgy laboratories that specialize in Failure Analysis testing. The mechanical testing laboratory is equipped with a variety of horizontal and vertical materials strength testing frames along with a machine shop for fabricating testing fixtures. The laboratory is equipped with a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), several light microscopes, image analysis system, and micro-hardness testers.

Position Summary
We are seeking a self-directed and experienced Materials & Mechanical Testing Supervisor to lead our Metallurgy and Mechanical Testing Lab for various PG&E internal clients such as Energy Supply, Electric or Gas Operations. This role involves balancing supervising a team of engineers and ESC technicians, managing multiple projects, and maintaining strong client relationships. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in mechanical and materials science engineering, excellent leadership abilities, and a commitment to continuous improvement. 

As the lab’s technical leader, they will apply scientific methods and work experience to design and execute complex and custom tests to evaluate the performance of components that do not have industry testing standards including designing and fabricating test apparatus. The ideal candidate will have expertise in testing components for quality and reliability under dynamic and static forces, along with knowledge in failure analysis, metallurgy, material property testing, and miscellaneous lab testing. Successful candidates should be able to effectively communicate test plans and results in a fast-paced environment. They will actively contribute to team brainstorming, troubleshooting, and problem-solving efforts with internal and external partners on various engineering and test projects.

This role will independently lead daily operations of the materials testing laboratory, ensuring adherence to the highest standards of safety, quality, and efficiency. They will also ensure that work expectations are fully met and take appropriate and effective corrective actions when needed. One of the key responsibilities of the supervisor is the maintenance, reliability, and safe operation of PG&E’s Metallurgy Lab and Mechanical Testing Facilities. This leader is responsible for fostering a culture of safety and quality, ensuring adherence to all company and regulatory safety and quality policies and procedures. The Materials & Mechanical Testing Supervisor is responsible for keeping the laboratory clean, organized, and well-stocked, as well as scheduling maintenance and calibrations. Furthermore, the candidate will perform strategic planning functions for the department, such as forecasting and budgeting, evaluating potential projects or bids, and allocating resources. They will evaluate new technology for utilization on client projects based on technological advances and the needs of the client. 

The Materials Testing Supervisor will work in a laboratory setting with occasional exposure to production environments. Safety protocols and personal protective equipment (PPE) are mandatory to ensure a safe working environment.

PG&E is providing the salary range that the company in good faith believes it might pay for this position at the time of the job posting. This compensation range is specific to the locality of the job.  The actual salary paid to an individual will be based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, and internal equity.  Although we estimate the successful candidate hired into this role will be placed towards the middle or entry point of the range, the decision will be made on a case-by-case basis related to these factors.

A reasonable salary range is:

Minimum Base Salary (Bay Area)    $147,000.00
Mid Base Salary (Bay Area)    $199,000.00
Maximum Base Salary (Bay Area)    $251,000.00

Travel requirement: 0-20% of the time, throughout the PG&E territory. 

Responsibilities
•    Oversees day to day project work of unit. Allocates project resources and internal requirements. Reviews and approves technical reports and collaborates with staff to ensure accuracy of information.
•    Develops short- and long-term plans for unit to meet financial goals, including billable hour and productive capacity. 
•    Maintains high level of customer satisfaction. Ensures team understands client needs and that project work/product/service meets client expectations. Ensures regular and effective client communication. Interfaces with clients to understand expectations, concerns and ensure strong customer satisfaction.
•    Oversees development of bid proposals for technical projects for unit. Leads team determining scope, schedule, budget and preparing client bid proposals.
•    Develops business cases for expenditures, staffing, new technology or new services. Assesses business conditions, identifies opportunities, and develops projects & solutions from a multifunctional or multidisciplinary perspective.
•    Prepares regular team/unit performance metric reports for management review.
•    Searches for new practical solutions to highly complex problems. 
•    Develops, evaluates, and deploys new technologies. Identifies innovations and cost-reduction potential of new and existing technologies.
•    Exercises independent judgment in leading and resolving problems of large impact, scope and complexity with few precedents or standards requiring integration of information from a variety of sources. 
•    Leads project teams performing tests to identify, define, solve problems, and prepare technical reports and specifications. Prepares and delivers presentations and recommendations to clients based on project results/findings. 
•    Oversees assembly of technical systems and prototypes according to engineering standards and knowledge of related principles. 
•    Continually identifies testing or process improvements.
•    May provide expert opinion or information related to projects or other issues to external customers, agencies, or other parties. 
•    May represent PG&E at industry association meetings or seminars.

Qualifications
Minimum:
•    Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or job-related discipline or equivalent experience
•    7 years in a related technical or engineering environment

Desired:
•    Experience supervising people and managing a technical work group.
•    Master's degree
•    Licensed Professional Engineer (PE)
•    Thorough knowledge of testing concepts, theories, practices, methods, techniques in one or more disciplines or area of specialty. 
•    Previously lead and operated a diverse range of material & mechanical properties testing equipment.
•    Experience programming control logic for mechanical testing equipment (MTS and Tenuis Olson Software).
•    Experience creating complex CAD models for design and fabrication of fixtures using finite element analysis with ANSYS or equivalent software.
•    Experience performing root cause analysis on component failure mechanisms.
•    Experience designing and executing performance and reliability testing.
•    Experience with statistical analysis and data interpretation.
•    Knowledge of current and emerging technologies used in technical testing in area of specialty.
•    Understanding of quality assurance and control implementation concepts and practices
•    Knowledge and understanding of client business needs. General understanding of broader company and industry trends and issues.
•    Project management skills.
•    Expertise in investigative and analytical problem-solving methods and techniques.
•    General financial knowledge to estimate costs, budgets, prepare proposals and track spending.
•    Effective oral and written communication skills with management and subordinates.
•    Decision making skills. Ability to see big picture and prioritize competing priorities.
•    Process improvement knowledge and skill.
•    Marketing and sales skills to promote ATS services.
•    Strong multitasking, planning and organizational skills.
•    Strong MS Office and computer skills.