AARON C. SMITH

***** ********* *****, *** *** PHONE: 812-***-**** (Mobile)

Omaha, NE 68135 E-MAIL:adudr2@r.postjobfree.com

OBJECTIVE

To be a cross-functional chemist/chemical engineer involved with new product R&D, process engineering, and manufacturing.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

7/2022-8/2022 Cargill Blair, Nebraska

Food Safety Quality Chemist

Assure product meets compliance specifications and final product approval checks.

Data analysis, trend identification, troubleshooting, corrective action and communication with regard to processing data.

Assess process quality parameters and food safety and quality systems daily, including cross checks, raw materials, calibration, maintenance, procedures, food safety, training, auditing and oversight of analytical testing performed in control rooms.

Handle basic issues and problems under direct supervision, while escalating more complex issues to appropriate staff.

9/2021-1/2022 Merck Animal Health Omaha, Nebraska

Quality Assurance Technician

Oversee documentation of upstream processes.

5/2021-6/2021 Axalta Coating Systems High Point, North Carolina

Senior Scientist

R&D of waterborne and UV coatings.

3/2020 – 5/2021 Best Home Furnishings Ferdinand, Indiana

Senior Quality Facilitator

Coordinate, conduct, and report results of QMS audits.

Manage the Corrective Action Process.

Train other Lead Auditors, Team Auditors, Process and Process Auditors.

Update all QMS documentation when changes to the ISO 9000 Standard occurs.

1/2020-3/2020 Best Home Furnishings Ferdinand, Indiana

Upholsterer

Upholster entire chair as per work instructions.

Inspect product for damage or defects.

Ability to operate hand tools and lift products.

12/2004 - 11/2018 Kimball International Jasper, Indiana

Senior Chemical Engineer

Responsible for managing the overall science of the finishing process.

Project Lead for future state finish strategy in casegoods and systems, the basis of which is UV technology.

Develop and implement finishing standards for solventborne and waterborne wood finishes, UV-curing operations, and powder coating on metal.

Work with finish supplier to develop solvent-based, formaldehyde-free coatings for seating product and 3D components.

Participated on the Future Seating Technology team to design a new finish line with technology upgrades, including the use of robots for spraying finish materials.

Assist in setting up and running 3D Systems’ SLS 3D printer

Researched digital printing and sublimation technologies. This included making a market basket of product, developing a supply chain landscape, and presenting findings and recommendations to the Leadership Teams.

Research and develop the application of new technologies that simplify, improve, and expedite the finish process.

Provide technical support in new finish development to achieve quality/cost goals.

Own the standardization plan for finish materials.

Develop work instructions, Operation Method Sheets, and quality standards for critical processes and process control points.

Work with the finish commodity manager to provide technical support where needed to achieve operational excellence in the supply chain.

Approve all finish raw materials, finish process, and wood prep changes and provide data-driven rationale for all changes.

Work with suppliers to standardize the materials, formulations and technology used across business units.

Determine parts, tools and equipment needed to achieve manufacturing goals.

Served a two year term as an at-large member of the RadTech Board and chaired the Wood Focus Group.

8/1998 - 7/2004 Borden Chemical, Inc. Springfield, Oregon

Scientist

Research and development of formaldehyde-based structural adhesives.

Formulated ten next-generation and fifty tweaked products, manufactured adhesives on lab and pilot plant scales, ran physical property tests, and oversaw 100,000# production batches.

Led project that returned $580,000 to Borden in raw materials and processing costs and regained business. Helped secure two-year contracts with two major I-joist customers.

Led adhesive development project that has been commercialized and was forecasted to give $1.5MM EBIT in 2004.

Self-prioritized various short-term projects and did them in a time-efficient manner, with repeatable results that sales and technical service could rely on.

Responsible for capability transfer training of associates in the Wood Adhesives group.

Key contributor to Six Sigma Black Belt project of Inspection Plan Activity Optimization.

Visited customers’ mills for product trials and Borden plants for bulk scale-up of newly developed resins or hardeners.

Solid technical writing skills in VOC reports, research notes, and weekly reports.

Skilled in MS Office programs and production/process functionality in SAP.

EDUCATION

1996 – 1998 Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan

Masters of Science in Chemical Engineering

Conducted research on the electromagnetic processing of polymers and composites and processed reinforced epoxy prepregs via pultrusion.

Studied alternative curing method for filament winding applications.

Consulted on microwave absorption of vapor-grown carbon fibers.

Teaching Assistant for Material and Energy Balances and Process Design classes, the later utilizing Aspen Plus software.

1992 - 1996 Iowa State University Ames, Iowa

Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering

Member of AIChE and Omega Chi Epsilon

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