Manager, Materials & Metrology Lab

The Manager of Metrology, Regulatory and Sustainability provides strategic and technical leadership across metrology, sustainability, and regulatory compliance functions supporting multi-site manufacturing operations. This position leads laboratory personnel responsible for material characterization, dimensional measurement, packaging performance validation, product compatibility testing, failure analysis, and regulatory support across industrial, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food markets. The role translates complex material science, sustainability, and regulatory requirements into actionable guidance for customers and internal stakeholders while strengthening audit readiness, product integrity, and business risk management.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
·  Provide strategic oversight of metrology, sustainability, and regulatory compliance functions supporting multi-site manufacturing operations, producing approximately 900 technical and compliance reports annually.
·  Lead and develop a senior technical team responsible for material characterization, packaging performance validation, and regulatory support across industrial, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food markets.
·  Supervise Union, MO Analytical Lab and Measurement Lab personnel and provide training in the proper use of analytical and dimensional-measurement equipment.
·  Serve as a key technical and regulatory advisor to Quality, Engineering, Operations, Commercial, Product Development, Account Management, and Procurement teams to resolve high-risk customer complaints, quality deviations, and compliance issues.
·  Provide technical support for product compatibility testing, package performance testing, dimensional compliance, mechanical performance, embedded contamination analysis, chemical stress failures, and other customer sample investigations.
·  Respond to customer inquiries and prepare regulatory compliance documentation for materials used in plastic containers and closures, including their intended-use applications.
·  Deliver executive-level and customer-facing training to more than 200 customers annually, translating complex material science, sustainability targets, and regulatory requirements into actionable guidance.
·  Partner with customers on packaging redesign initiatives, balancing regulatory compliance, performance requirements, and sustainability objectives while protecting product integrity and managing business risk.
·  Direct audit-readiness efforts for 17 manufacturing plants, establishing documentation standards and ensuring consistent, inspection-ready regulatory records.
·  Lead the enterprise response to new and evolving packaging regulations by assessing regulatory impact, defining implementation strategy, and overseeing cross-functional execution.
·  Perform or oversee analytical testing, interpret results, and summarize findings in clear, defensible laboratory and technical reports.
AUTHORITY LEVEL (if applicable): Authority consistent with assigned responsibility for laboratory operations, technical reporting, staff development, regulatory support, and cross-functional implementation activities.
EDUCATION:
Required: Undergraduate degree in engineering, science, plastics, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience of more than three years.

Preferred: Advanced technical education or equivalent experience with a strong background in plastic packaging laboratories, material science, sustainability, or regulatory compliance.
EXPERIENCE:
Required:
·       Three or more years of laboratory management experience focused on evaluating the application and performance of plastic materials, plastic parts, bottles, and closures.
·       Experience using analytical equipment to evaluate plastic materials, including FTIR microscopy, Instron tensile testing, melt index testing, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).
·       Experience supervising and developing laboratory technicians or other technical personnel.
·       Experience preparing technical reports, responding to customer inquiries, and supporting cross-functional resolution of technical or compliance issues.
Preferred:
·       Direct experience with a rigid-container manufacturer evaluating the application and performance of plastic materials and plastic packaging.
·       Experience supporting multi-site manufacturing operations, packaging regulations, audit readiness, sustainability initiatives, or customer packaging redesign.
SKILLS:
·       Advanced analytical problem-solving and root-cause investigation skills.
·       Knowledge of analytical laboratory equipment and test methods used for material analysis and performance evaluation, including DSC, FTIR, melt index testing, microscopy, and dimensional metrology.
·       Leadership, coaching, workload prioritization, and technical-team development skills.
·       Strong written, verbal, presentation, and customer-facing communication skills.
·       Ability to translate material science, test findings, sustainability targets, and regulatory requirements into practical business and technical guidance.
·       Ability to establish documentation standards and maintain accurate, consistent, audit-ready records.
·       Ability to lead cross-functional execution and manage multiple high-priority technical, regulatory, customer, and operational issues.

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER (Non-Canada)

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position.

All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws.

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Continued employment remains on an “at-will” basis.

Silgan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, or the presence of a disability, which would not prevent the performance of essential job duties with, or without reasonable accommodation of any other protective status.
Silgan is a drug-free workplace.

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER – Canada

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position.

All job requirements are subject to possible modification to accommodate individuals with disabilities. Silgan endeavors to provide accommodations to individuals with disabilities to perform their essential job duties as long as the accommodation does not pose an undue hardship on the company’s operations and does not pose a direct threat of substantial harm to the employee or others.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor.

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Employment is always subject to the Silgan’s rights as employer, including the right to end employment in accordance with Provincial Law.

Silgan is an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants for all positions without regard to any ground protected under Provincial human rights laws.

Silgan is a drug-free workplace.