Process Development Technician

New products don’t make it to store shelves overnight. First, they undergo research and development. Then they endure prototyping and testing. And once they’re ready for production, it’s time for you, the Process Development Technician to step in.

As a Process Development Technician, you work with Process Development Scientists and Engineers to design a process for manufacturing large quantities of the same product. Consider, for example, a bottle of aspirin. If you dumped that entire bottle out and inspected each aspirin, you wouldn’t be able to tell one from the other.

Pharmaceuticals are just one type of product that needs a process designed before they can be mass-produced. Toys, appliances, cookies—whatever the product, the goal is to make them identical. This often means paying close attention to specifications in order to standardize them.

How is it possible that uniformity is maintained throughout large quantities of the same product? In part, Process Development Technicians ensure this by working on the production line.

First, the Scientists and Engineers fine-tune the process. Then you install, operate, and maintain the equipment that makes the process work. You watch the line, take random samples, perform tests, make adjustments, and replace parts or equipment as needed.

You are very knowledgeable about operating procedures. In fact, you might even help write the manual. You also use that knowledge to train others on the proper care and use of equipment. Wherever you are in the process, you wear your team player hat and take pride in accomplishing your goal as you watch uniform products hum down the conveyor belt.