Lab Technician

Department: Quality Laboratory 

Location: La Porte, TX

Travel Involved: 0-5%

Job Type: Full Time

Description:

The Lab Technician tests and assesses in-process and finished product samples, returns vital data to the concerned production areas, ensuring the production of product specific polypropylene, while maintaining safety, integrity, and efficiency of the facility. The Lab Technician is responsible for maintenance, calibration(when applicable), and operation of laboratory equipment and instrumentation to ensure accurate analysis. They also must have thorough knowledge of the laboratory equipment, instruments, and procedures required for testing, recording, and reporting data. They must also work cooperatively with other technicians and personnel from other departments and/or plants to ensure we are supplying ONSPEC product to our clients. 

The Lab Technician has the additional responsibility of assisting in preparing and shipping pre-shipment or special samples to customers and R&T. They must follow all shipping regulations to prepare and ship the samples. This person must be a multi-tasking individual who can take ownership of their work to support the facility's Quality processes.

Key Responsibilities Include: 

• Test and evaluate standard analyses per protocol, then review and analyze the data for accuracy and conformance to specifications. 
• Complies with all lab quality procedures and maintains the lab's supplies and inventory. 
• Improves and updates current work instructions, training documents, workflow, and templates
• Conduct investigations of out-of-control standards and instrumentation.
• Receive and analyze (Wet, Physical-Chemical, and Physical Properties) samples per the prescribed sampling schedules and, on occasion, non-routine sample analysis.
• Inform technicians, management, and the affected operational unit of suspect instrumentation and/or data, and provide insight into possible solutions.
• Records data in LabSoft or other appropriate programs, and, in the case of OFFSPEC material, communicates findings to the operations team and creates an EVENT in Sphera Cloud.
• Prepares equipment and instruments for maintenance and coordinates work with maintenance craftsmen and other technicians to ensure safe, continuous operation.
• Performs tasks necessary to ensure the laboratory performs at optimal capacity and that the product meets quality specifications, while following all safety procedures that apply to the Lab (i.e., LO/TO, Permitting, WO, MOC, Contract Administration).
• Actively participates in plant safety protocols by using applications like LMS, TIPPs, Sphera Cloud, and housekeeping inspections, to take ownership of personal and co-worker safety while adhering to all HES policies and procedures. 
• Actively participates in the review, validation, and training of procedures and instructions as needed, and assists in the training of new employees as detailed in the training procedures or assists in the training for new instrumentation.
• Achieves and maintains certifications for all routine Q/C testing while conducting routine QC Round Robin testing (ASTM)
• Develops simple RTPs and OPLs.
• Achieves certification in any non-routine QC testing (e.g., Physical Testing, Gels, On-Line Rheometer, etc.)
• Troubleshoots medium complex equipment/test method issues or audit findings..
• Participates in audit or equipment nonconformance root cause analysis & corrective actions.
• Assists with IMS internal audit self-inspections with support.

Preferred Skills, Education, and Experience: 

• An associate's degree or greater in Chemistry or an associated field, and/or relevant experience as a chemical plant lab technician, is preferred
• 6 - 12 months of experience in laboratory testing and data interpretation within the chemical industry.
• Physically able to use standard safety equipment.
• Ability to work with limited supervision for 12 hr. rotating shifts, and the flexibility to work potential overtime, if needed (including weekends and holidays), given advanced notice.
• Good communication skills, the ability to focus on quick-changing tasks, and confidence in various Microsoft computer applications.
• Enjoy working in a team environment and collaborating with and supporting others in Laboratory, Operations, and Maintenance.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis without visa sponsorship (U.S. citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident).