Composites Manager / Composites Specialist (Expat only)

• Purpose of the Role
• The Composites Manager / Composites Specialist serves as the technical authority and quality anchor for all composite and lamination technologies across the company.
• Following the transition of day-to-day workshop and lamination team management to the Lamination Manager (who oversees shop-floor execution and personnel), this role focuses on technical excellence, quality assurance, process engineering, training, and innovation.
• This role is responsible for establishing, certifying, and approving lamination plans, engineering specifications, and procedures.
• Additionally, the role oversees technical support for plug, mold-making, and mold maintenance teams, leads technical troubleshooting, introduces advanced composite technologies, and optimizes structural composite processes to ensure high performance, safety, and operational efficiency.
• Key Responsibilities
• 1. Quality Assurance, Certification & Lamination Approval
• Lamination Plans & Procedures: Review, approve, and formally certify all lamination schedules, ply books, vacuum bagging procedures, resin infusion strategies, and core-bonding specifications prior to production release.
• Quality Auditing & QA Integration: Partner with Quality Assurance to set rigorous testing protocols (e.g., glass fraction tests, cure monitoring, thermal imaging, burn-off tests) and audit lamination output to ensure total compliance with design specifications.
• Structural Integrity: Serve as the final technical sign-off authority for composite structural integrity and process validation across all vessel models.
• 2. Technical Troubleshooting & Mold / Tooling Support
• Technical Troubleshooting: Provide expert-level technical support and root-cause analysis for complex manufacturing defects, resin infusion failures, exotherm issues, or structural laminate anomalies.
• Plug & Mold Fabrication: Direct technical oversight for the plug and mold-making team, ensuring tooling designs, gelcoat application, laminate build-ups, and thermal tolerances meet exact dimensional and durability requirements.
• Tooling Maintenance: Oversee mold maintenance and repair schedules, establishing technical standards for mold surfacing, release systems, structural re-conditioning, and vacuum integrity.
• 3. Advanced Composite Technologies & Optimization
• Technology Transfer: Research, evaluate, and introduce modern composite technologies, new resin systems, dry reinforcements, prepregs, core materials, and automation/dispensing equipment to keep the business at the forefront of marine composites.
• Process Optimization & Lean Integration: Partner with the Continuous Improvement Department (CID) to optimize resin-to-glass ratios, reduce part weight, lower cycle times, and minimize material waste.
• Cost & Weight Optimization: Continuously evaluate current laminates to optimize weight-to-strength ratios and reduce material costs without sacrificing structural performance or safety margins.

4. Training, Mentorship & Standards

• Technical Training: Lead formal technical training and skill development programs for the lamination team, supervisors, and the local Lamination Manager on advanced vacuum infusion, bagging techniques, fiber orientation, and defect prevention.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Write, refine, and maintain standardized technical work instructions, lamination manuals, and composite processing guidelines.
• 5. Cross-Departmental Collaboration & Warranty Technical Support
• Design & Engineering Alignment: Work closely with Naval Architects and Design & Technical teams to review laminate stack-ups, ensure manufacturability, and update Bill of Materials (BOM) specifications.
• Supply Chain Technical Support: Assist Supply Chain in technical evaluations of raw materials (resins, gelcoats, cores, fabrics) and alternative supplier approvals.
• Field & Warranty Root-Cause Analysis: Support Customer Service and Warranty teams by conducting technical investigations into structural or laminate field claims, developing permanent technical countermeasures.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Shipwright Trade Qualification, Degree in Composite Engineering, Naval Architecture, or equivalent hands-on master-level composite qualification.
• Experience: 10+ years in advanced marine composite manufacturing, lamination engineering, or technical leadership.
• Deep technical expertise in resin infusion, vacuum bagging, RTM, prepreg, structural core bonding, gelcoats, and tooling/mold making.
• Proven track record in troubleshooting complex composite manufacturing defects and optimizing laminate processes.

Technical Skills

• In-depth understanding of laminate analysis, composite material properties, resin chemistry, and cure kinetics.
• Ability to interpret, refine, and approve structural laminate drawings, ply schedules, and technical work instructions.
• Familiarity with non-destructive testing (NDT), quality control tools, and material testing methods.
• Core Competencies
• 1.    Technical Expertise – In-depth knowledge of composite materials, lamination techniques, and production processes.
• 2.    Problem-Solving – Ability to troubleshoot complex issues in lamination and composite manufacturing.
• 3.    Mentorship & Communication: Strong capability to train, technical-coach local workshop leaders, and communicate across international design and production teams.
• 4.    Collaboration – Works effectively with Design, Supply Chain, Production, and CID to drive efficiency.
• 5.    Innovation – Identifies and implements new techniques to improve product quality and manufacturing efficiency.
• 6.    Technical Authority: Decisive and meticulous in setting structural and procedural standards