PZT New Product Development Engineer

Role details

Job Title: PZT New Product Development Engineer

Date Posted: October 2026

Department/Group: Engineering

Location: State College, PA

Salary: Commensurate with Experience

Position Type: Full time: 1st Shift

About TRS Technologies

TRS Technologies, a subsidiary of TAYCA Corporation, is a world leader in piezoelectric materials technology. We offer advanced piezoelectric materials to meet our customers’ most challenging specifications. Working directly with our customers, we develop and manufacture high performance and high tolerance components designed to meet requirements. At TRS, you will be part of a team delivering custom solutions for our customers in Medical Ultrasound, Semiconductor, Industrial sensors, and other industries. In your work, you will define the future of piezoelectric technology.

TRS Technologies offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience, health benefits and retirement plan.

TRS Technologies is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

POSITION SUMMARY

We are seeking a hands-on PZT New Product Development Engineer to lead the development, optimization, and scale-up of new forming technologies for lead-based piezoelectric ceramics. The primary focus will be extrusion, slip casting, and ceramic injection molding, while also supporting the full PZT manufacturing process from powder preparation through forming, thermal processing, machining, electroding, poling, and final characterization. This role bridges research and development, new product introduction, and manufacturing to create robust, scalable processes for complex geometries, improved material utilization, high yield, and consistent product performance.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead development of new PZT forming technologies, with emphasis on extrusion, slip casting, and ceramic injection molding for complex and near-net-shape components.
• Design and optimize feedstocks, slips, binders, plasticizers, dispersants, rheology, solids loading, mixing, de-airing, and forming parameters appropriate for each process.
• Develop tooling, dies, molds, fixtures, and process concepts in collaboration with internal manufacturing teams and outside equipment and tooling suppliers.
• Plan and execute design-of-experiments to establish process windows and understand the effects of material, tooling, equipment, and operating variables on dimensional control, defects, yield, and electrical performance.
• Develop and optimize debinding, binder burnout, sintering, and, where applicable, hot isostatic pressing schedules to control shrinkage, density, microstructure, distortion, and cracking.
• Support and improve other PZT manufacturing processes, including powder synthesis and calcination, milling, spray drying, uniaxial pressing, cold isostatic pressing, green machining, sintering, precision machining, cleaning, electroding, plating, poling, aging, and final testing.
• Characterize powders, green bodies, and fired ceramics using particle-size analysis, density, rheology, shrinkage, dimensional measurements, microscopy, SEM/EDS, and XRD, and correlate results with process conditions.
• Evaluate dielectric, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric properties and determine how forming and downstream processing affect material and device performance.
• Transfer successful laboratory processes to pilot and production scale, including equipment selection, capital justification, process documentation, work instructions, training, and production qualification.
• Lead troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous-improvement projects related to forming defects, cracking, distortion, lamination, density variation, contamination, dimensional variation, and yield loss.
• Apply statistical methods, including design of experiments, capability analysis, control charts, and data correlation, to develop and control robust manufacturing processes.

Work directly with customers, commercial teams, Quality, Manufacturing, Planning, and suppliers to translate product requirements into practical material and process solutions.

• Document experimental plans and results, maintain development records, prepare technical reports, and present recommendations and project status to cross-functional teams and management.
• Ensure all development and manufacturing activities comply with company safety, environmental, quality, and lead-handling requirements.

QUALIFICATIONS

• U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident status is required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Ceramic Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field; an advanced degree is a plus.
• Hands-on experience developing or manufacturing technical ceramics; experience with PZT or other functional oxide ceramics is strongly preferred.
• Practical knowledge of at least one advanced ceramic forming process such as extrusion, slip casting, ceramic injection molding, tape casting, or additive manufacturing; experience with multiple forming methods is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of ceramic powder processing, rheology, binder systems, drying, debinding, sintering, shrinkage control, and defect prevention.
• Experience transitioning a ceramic process or new product from laboratory development into pilot or production manufacturing is strongly preferred.
• Experience with material and microstructural characterization, including particle-size analysis, density measurements, optical microscopy, SEM/EDS, and XRD.
• Familiarity with PZT electrical characterization, electroding, plating, poling, dielectric testing, impedance analysis, and piezoelectric testing is a plus.
• Working knowledge of statistical process development and analysis; experience with Minitab or similar software is preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; experience with CAD, process simulation, or data-analysis tools is a plus.
• Three or more years of relevant product-development or manufacturing experience is preferred.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND ABILITIES

• Strong experimental, analytical, and structured problem-solving skills, with the ability to convert development results into repeatable production processes.
• Hands-on approach and willingness to work directly with powders, mixing and forming equipment, furnaces, tooling, test equipment, and production personnel.
• Ability to manage multiple development projects, priorities, suppliers, and timelines while maintaining focus on company objectives.
• Ability to read and develop drawings, specifications, process instructions, and equipment requirements. Clear written and verbal communication skills and the ability to present technical information to customers, operators, engineers, and management.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Planning, Sales, and external partners.
• Self-motivated, team-oriented, safety-focused, and comfortable working in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS / WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position is performed in laboratory, pilot, and manufacturing environments. The employee must be able to work safely around ceramic powders, chemicals, forming equipment, furnaces, and production machinery; use required personal protective equipment; and manipulate parts or materials weighing up to 50 lbs.

Pay: $90,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: In person