Job Description

Ash Grove Cement, a CRH company, provides Portland and masonry cements to help build the foundation and infrastructure for the world around us.  We ship millions of tons of cement from our plants and network of terminals located across North America. When you work for Ash Grove, you are connecting to something bigger. We stand together to reinvent the way our world is built. Join our team and help Ash Grove build America.

At Ash Grove Cement, people are our first priority. We offer a complete benefits package to include: 

• Health Insurance 

• Dental Insurance  

• Vision Insurance 

• Retirement Plan 

• Paid Time Off, Paid Holidays 

• Tuition Reimbursement 

• Employee Assistance Program  

• Disability Pay 

• Life Insurance 

• Growth Opportunities and more! 

Summary : 

The Solution Center Technical Laboratory Manager will provide strategic management and leadership to a team of highly skilled scientists and technicians and promote a safe, positive, and collaborative work culture. The successful candidate must be a forward-thinking individual and effectively collaborate and liaise with internal and external customers. The individual will be responsible for maintaining various laboratory accreditations, such as CCRL and AASHTO, equipment calibrations, updating SOPs associated with physical and chemical testing procedures, and providing oversight of technical reports. The individual will also prioritize and delegate work related to the testing of various raw materials, including, but not limited to, cements, pozzolans, aggregates, mortar, concrete, and concrete-related materials. The position will support the Director of Quality & Solution Center in developing strategic short- and long-term initiatives that align with Environmental, Commercial, and Corporate Technical Support staff to ensure all binder products shipped to customers comply with Safety and Environmental guidelines as well as industry standards (ASTM, AASHTO, and CSA) to deliver value-added products to our customers.

What you’ll be contributing: 

• Promote and follow all plant safety guidelines. 
• Lead by example a team of highly skilled scientists with diverse backgrounds with an emphasis on integrity, commitment, and honesty in every aspect of our daily work.
• Promote a laboratory culture defined as the “Center of Excellence” in all aspects related to training, organization (5S), best practices, collaboration, and customer-focused support.
• Utilized LIMS to provide efficient workflow management based on work requests, sample logins, and technical report storage.
• Exhibit excellent multi-tasking skills that allow one to deliver timely results to our customers.
• Utilize the principles of “OneCRH” to collaborate with other CRH business units to develop and implement best practices for various analytical and physical test methods.
• Develop clinker microscopy and grindability index test methods to drive operational improvements at binder manufacturing facilities.
• Works with Procurement, Sapphire Americas, and M&TS Directors to explore new raw materials, mineral resources, and fuels.
• Provides on-site support to cement plants on trials of alternative materials, alternative fuels, and new process equipment/techniques.
• Maintain expert-level ratings on all CCRL proficiency samples and CRH round-robin program samples.
• Participate in various annual laboratory audits including, but not limited to, cement plant waste fuel laboratory, physical, and chemical laboratories.
• Participate in cement industry workshops, seminars, and relevant HR training.
• Participate in various R&D and Innovative projects, plant trials, and customer site visits.
• Provide detailed monthly summaries showing cost allocation based on the testing regime for each business unit.
• Develop strategic CAPEX forecast plans for all aspects of the laboratory in terms of instrumentation, equipment, and annual preventative maintenance schedules.
• Additional duties as assigned by supervisor.  

To succeed in this position, you will need: 

• Ability to read, write, and understand warning labels, instructions, signs, etc. 
• Minimum Bachelor's - 4 Year Degree in Chemistry,  Materials Science, or Civil Engineering (specialties listed are preferred)
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in cement  and concrete materials testing in a consulting/research laboratory setting. Experience with ICP, UV spectrophotometry, AA, GC, XRF, XRD, microscopy, and wet analytical methods.
• Experience in cement  and concrete materials research, quality control, and cement manufacturing process is highly preferred. Seeks to acquire knowledge in the area of specialty is preferred
• Proven track record of building and leading a team of highly skilled scientists
• Ability to build strong customer relationships
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously with a high degree of accuracy
• Ability to analyze facts and to exercise sound judgment in arriving at a conclusion(s)
• Ability to make decisions and solve problems with high attention to detail and accuracy
• Familiar with testing procedures described in the standard specifications by various agencies, such as ASTM, AASHTO, ACI, and DOT specs
• Ability to maintain confidential information (which may have a competitive or intellectual property value to the company or its customers) with discretion
• Domestic and International Travel up to 25%.

What’s next for you? 

We provide stability and advancement opportunities across North America. Use our tuition reimbursement program to help you meet your career goals. 

The above duties and responsibilities are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all-inclusive. The physical demands, working environment, and other conditions of employment listed in this document are representative of but are not intended to provide an exhaustive list of the requirements for positions in this classification. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions .  

What CRH Offers You

• Highly competitive base pay
• Comprehensive medical, dental and disability benefits programs
• Group retirement savings program
• Health and wellness programs
• An inclusive culture that values opportunity for growth, development, and internal promotion

About CRH

CRH has a long and proud heritage. We are a collection of hundreds of family businesses, regional companies and large enterprises that together form the CRH family. CRH operates in a decentralized, diversified structure that allows you to work in a small company environment while having the career opportunities of a large international organization.

If you’re up for a rewarding challenge, we invite you to take the first step and apply today! Once you click apply now, you will be brought to our official employment application. Please complete your online profile and it will be sent to the hiring manager. Our system allows you to view and track your status 24 hours a day. Thank you for your interest!

Ash Grove Cement, a CRH Company, is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer.

EOE/Vet/Disability

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