Dinnerware Raw Materials Generalist

About Heath Heath Ceramics is a California company making dinnerware and architectural tiles of good and enduring design for 75 years. We are design-led, with the mission of creating products of beauty and integrity, while designing, manufacturing, and running our business in a way that's better for society and our planet. Our products are designed, manufactured, and sold in our two California factories and five showrooms, ensuring accountability in our process, from beginning to end. As a Certified B Corp, we maintain high standards of social responsibility, environmental performance, and transparency. We believe in the benefits of local manufacturing and support a community of people committed to and inspired by the process of designing, making, and sharing. We believe in pay equity, full health and welfare benefits, and a place for meaningful work. Role Summary The Raw Materials Generalist is responsible for making clay filter cakes, casting slip, glazes, tile clay, dinnerware clay, and molds per business needs.Generalist will also be assigned wastewater, and kiln firing duties. Essential Role Functions Slip Making - Batching fresh manganese clay according to recipe requirements - Batching fresh white clay according to recipe requirements - Batching casting slip according to recipe requirements - Operating the vibratory screen to sieve the clay - Adjusting the rheological properties of the clay body - Operating the filter presses - Operating the dust collection system - Pressure washing the slipmaking area daily - Operating displacement pumps to transfer materials - Making filter cakes using the filter presses - Making casting slip using the slip blungers - Batching fresh clay using the mixing blungers - Maintaining the proportions between fresh and reclaimed clay - Mix, screen, and press dinnerware clay, both white and manganese bodies, based on production needs - Batch casting slips, supply slip caster with slip, and recycle casting scrap - Adjust and balance casting slip using viscometer and specific gravity cup - Collecting scrap clay from around the plant for recycling Kiln Firing - Gas Kiln Firing - Lighting the kilns - Turning up the burners on a determined schedule - Balancing the firing in the end so the kiln is uniformly fired - Documenting the firing process - Taking accurate instrument readings - Measuring and recording the results of the firing - Maintaining the burners on a daily basis - Carefully monitoring the product in the bisque kiln and correcting any quality control issues - Electric Kiln Firing - Turning the three electric kilns on and off on a set schedule as needed - Loading and unloading the kilns - Counting the pieces as part of the unloading process - Recording the count and providing to the Dinnerware Production Planner - Collaborating with dinnerware production management and other concerned parties regarding the results of each kiln firing - Supports annual kiln maintenance for all kiln components - Supports technical adjustments to the kilns, i.e. measuring and adjusting the dampers Glaze Making Level I - Storage area for materials - Transferring glaze materials properly - Identifying bags of materials and properly placing in correct containers - Identifying slight differences in materials according to size, feel, texture, and behavior - Learning the basic glaze formulas, materials, and the order in which they are added to the glaze recipes - Batching the glaze according to specific recipes - Measuring viscosity and specific gravity using the correct equipment - Adjusting basic rheological properties including viscosity and specific gravity - Understanding screen selection (60 mesh, 80 mesh, or 120 mesh) for base glazes - Preparing and firing test samples for glaze batches - Comparing fired test samples against the standard glaze: color matching, texture, opacity/translucency, contaminates and reporting results to the senior Glazemaker - Maintaining glaze storage area at a high standard of sa…