Material Analyst Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a material analyst. You can use our job description template in this article to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a material analyst.
Who is a Material Analyst?
A material analyst is a person responsible for managing the assets and materials of an organization, guaranteeing the sufficiency of office inventory to support business operating operations. Materials analysts find cost-reduction materials by interacting with trustworthy suppliers and third-party partners. They oversee the distribution of products and order procedures according to the company’s supply chain management. A materials analyst must have great organizational and analytical abilities, particularly in doing data and statistical analysis to acquire high-quality products that would match the customers’ requests.
Material analysts are responsible for testing and analyzing materials to identify their composition, quality, and value. They often work with a range of various things, including metals, minerals, chemicals, polymers, and other basic materials.
Material analyzers employ a broad variety of equipment and procedures to undertake these studies, from basic laboratory equipment like microscopes and scales to more complex instruments like X-ray diffraction or magnetic resonance imaging machines.
Material Analyst Job Description
Below are the material analyst job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a job description for your employee. The employer can use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a material analyst include the following;
- Manage suppliers and outside service providers.
- Review and perform the cycle count process.
- Establish a cycle count calendar.
- Execute cycle count modifications in the CMS system.
- Work closely with manufacturing to avoid inventory discrepancies.
- Provide root cause analysis for cycle changes and planning to prevent inventory losses.
- Monitor inventory movements for appropriate transactions in the CMS system.
- Coordinate physical inventory adhering to Magna standards.
- Present reports and analyses on inventories looking for methods to enhance inventory levels in the division.
- Generate reports as necessary for the division about inventory management.
- Audit production and scrap reports for correctness and confirm the inputs into the ERP system.
- Communicate as required with suppliers and shipping providers to guarantee on-the-hand availability of components and reduce downtime.
- Ensure constant material flow into all necessary areas.
- Provide data to the Materials team to support lean inventory levels on all WIP and raw materials in compliance with set safety stock levels.
- Takes part in the continuous improvement process to enhance productivity and quality (provides comments at team meetings, understands losses and proposes ideas/solutions, engages in trials/experiments, volunteers on a committee or focus group activities, etc.) and focuses on solutions.
- Attends instruction as planned.
- Comply with, and supports operating procedures/policies, Employee Handbook, and Magna’s Employee’s Charter, Corporate Constitution, and Operational Principles.
- Comply with appropriate Quality and Environmental programs (e.g. IATF16949, ISO14001).
- Comply with all Health and Safety programs in line with OSHA. Follows and ensures Company processes regarding safety rules and regulations are implemented.
- Perform other responsibilities as assigned.
- Evaluate physical, chemical, and mechanical characteristics of materials such as metals and polymers.
- Identify materials by conducting tests such as x-ray fluorescence analysis and mass spectrometry.
- Conduct research on new product development, industrial techniques, and environmental problems connected to materials usage.
- Conduct studies to discover the chemical makeup of unknown substances.
- Record test findings in laboratory notebooks along with drawings of sample groupings and calculations done during testing.
- Identifying the source of resources when identifying materials is not feasible.
- Conduct forensic studies of items collected at crime scenes to ascertain their origin.
- Inspect materials for faults such as cracks or other symptoms of deterioration.
- Recommend improvements to manufacture techniques to enhance efficiency.
Qualifications
- General understanding of inventory management, material planning, and ERP systems.
- Ability to perceive, anticipate and follow guidance while demonstrating the maturity of judgment.
- Ability to operate successfully in a high-paced setting and with a varied workload.
- Ability to work flexible hours in a fast-paced atmosphere to satisfy client needs.
- Possesses good verbal and written communication skills.
- Must be able to engage successfully with other team members.
- Must be able to read written instructions.
Essential Skills
- Organization: Organization is the capacity to keep track of many activities and obligations. As a material analyst, you may be responsible for examining numerous different kinds of materials at once. Having great organizational abilities will help you manage your workload efficiently and guarantee that all components of each project are finished on time. It’s also crucial to have an orderly workplace where you may keep files and data connected to your initiatives.
- Attention to Detail: Attention to detail is a critical quality for material analyzers since it helps them to correctly assess materials and their qualities. This work involves attention to detail so that the analyst can identify the chemical composition of diverse materials, which helps them assess whether the products are safe or not. It also needs attention to detail while capturing data regarding the goods they evaluate.
- SAP: SAP is a software package that helps organizations to manage their supply chain. Material analysts utilize SAP to monitor the production of raw materials and completed products, as well as the transportation of items between departments or warehouses. This approach helps material analyzers verify they have adequate supplies for manufacturing and that shipments are delivered on schedule.
- JIT: JIT is an inventory management approach that includes creating items as required. This may help organizations decrease their storage demands and save money on superfluous supplies. A material analyst who employs JIT may be able to find the most efficient manufacturing processes for a company’s goods, which may lead to cost reductions.
- MRP: Material analysts use MRP software to develop production schedules for firms. This entails examining the raw materials required to manufacture a product and calculating how much of each item is needed at what point in the production process. For example, if a vehicle company requires 10 tires to create one automobile, an analyst may predict that they need two tires at the beginning of the manufacturing process and eight tires later on.
- Communication: Communication is the capacity to present information in a manner that others can comprehend. As a material analyst, you may need to communicate with customers and coworkers about your analysis findings. You also could deliver your results to an audience of investors or other stakeholders who want to know how their materials are doing. Communication skills may help you convey technical topics in ways that non-technical audiences can grasp.
- Analytical Skills: Material analysts employ their analytical skills to examine raw materials and decide whether they’re acceptable for manufacture. They analyze the quality of the material, its chemical makeup, and any other elements that may impact output. Material analysts also examine data from studies to discover how various factors impact a product’s performance.
- Purchasing: Purchasing is the capacity to pick supplies for a corporation. As a material analyst, you may need to acquire raw materials and supplies for your workplace. This involves knowledge of how to handle purchase systems and what sorts of resources are required for various procedures. You may also utilize buying abilities while working with customers to establish which materials they should employ in their manufacturing process.
- Problem Solving: Problem-solving is the capacity to detect and address challenges. As a material analyst, you may need to tackle difficulties relating to manufacturing processes or quality control. For example, if an equipment failure happens during production, you may examine the issue and recommend ways to avoid it from occurring again. Similarly, if a product fails inspection, you may utilize your problem-solving abilities to understand why the product failed and how to remedy it.
- Supply Chain Management: Supply chain management is the process of managing a company’s supply and demand. A material analyst has to understand how raw materials are acquired, processed,d and distributed to guarantee that output fulfills customer expectations. This entails assessing data on inventory levels, sales patterns, and production capacity to evaluate whether there is an imbalance in supply and demand. It also needs devising methods for procuring resources and ensuring they get to their destination on schedule.
- Lean Manufacturing: Lean manufacturing is a production method that focuses on decreasing waste and boosting efficiency. Material analysts utilize lean manufacturing to discover the most effective method to make things, which may help organizations save money and lessen their environmental impact. To adopt lean manufacturing concepts, material analysts must be able to evaluate data and find inefficiencies in production processes.
- Kanban: Kanban is a way of visualizing workflow that may assist material analysts to monitor the status of materials and output. It includes utilizing cards or other physical representations to symbolize each stage in the process, with the most recent card indicating the current phase. This enables you to observe how long it takes for materials to flow through the manufacturing process and where any possible bottlenecks may be.
- Time Management: Time management is the ability to organize and execute work in a manner that guarantees you fulfill deadlines. As a material analyst, time management skills are vital since they enable you to accomplish your assignment on schedule. This might help you retain productivity and guarantee you obtain favorable feedback from superiors. It’s also vital for guaranteeing the quality of your job since it helps you to evaluate samples properly before reaching judgments about them.
- VMI: VMI stands for visual management and inspection, which is a process material analyzers employ to check items. This ability includes utilizing instruments like microscopes or magnifying glasses to investigate the physical qualities of materials. It’s crucial to have VMI abilities since it helps you to study materials more carefully and discover any concerns that may influence production.
- 6 Sigma: A 6 Sigma certification is a means to indicate that you have the knowledge and abilities required to apply the six sigma approach, which is a quality improvement strategy. The approach entails employing data analysis to find areas of improvement in processes or goods, then devising solutions to tackle those concerns. This may help organizations enhance their manufacturing procedures and decrease waste while retaining high-quality output.
- Inventory Management: A material analyst has to have a good grasp of inventory management methods. This involves learning how to monitor and record the resources used in manufacturing, as well as how to maintain an inventory of raw materials. A material analyst also has to know how to assess whether it’s required to order new supplies or if they can continue utilizing what they currently have on hand.
How to Become a Material Analyst
- Earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, finance, or a related discipline: A bachelor’s degree is the minimum education requirement for most employers of material analyzers. Some colleges offer an emphasis or major in supply chain management, which might be beneficial if you want to specialize in logistics and operations. Other degrees that might help you acquire a career as a material analyst include business administration, accounting, and finance.
It’s crucial to take classes in statistics, economics, mathematics, and computer science while obtaining your degree. These courses will help you acquire the analytical abilities required for this vocation.
- Gain expertise with data analysis and material management software:Most businesses expect material analyzers to have at least two years of experience in the industry. However, you may get significant experience and expertise by doing an internship or volunteer role that enables you to work with data analysis software and material management software.
Material management software is used to monitor inventory levels and other supply chain information. Material analyzers must be acquainted with this sort of software since it’s a tool they’ll utilize regularly.
- Understand fundamentals of supply chain management: Supply chain management is the process of managing all parts of a company’s supply chain, from procurement through distribution and logistics. Understanding how organizations manage their supply chains may assist material analysts to understand where resources are coming from, how they’re being delivered, and what actions are being taken to guarantee that goods reach consumers on time and at the correct price.
Understanding the fundamentals of supply chain management may also help you identify possible dangers in the system and find solutions for them.
- Develop excellent analytical capabilities: Material analysts must be able to assess huge volumes of data and make intelligent judgments based on that knowledge. They need to have good problem-solving abilities, since they may meet challenges with suppliers or other areas of the supply chain that need them to find solutions swiftly and effectively.
Analytical abilities are also crucial since material analysts generally deal with budgets and estimates for their company’s materials procurement. They must be able to forecast patterns in demand for their items and adapt their purchases appropriately.
- Have great communication abilities: Material analysts must be able to communicate effectively with their teams and other stakeholders. They typically give reports and statistics to CEOs, managers, and other workers in a firm, therefore good public speaking abilities are vital. Material analyzers also work with vendors, suppliers,s and consumers daily, therefore they need to have interpersonal communication skills as well.
- Be detail-minded: Material analyzers must be detail oriented and have high attention to detail. They need to be able to scan through enormous quantities of data and locate the crucial elements that will help them make educated choices regarding their company’s supply chain. Detail orientation is particularly vital when dealing with customers, as you may need to supply detailed information on the materials they are employing in their manufacturing processes.
- Stay up to speed on developments in the industry: As the industry develops, so does the need for material analyzers. It’s crucial to remain up to speed on new advancements in the sector by reading industry publications and attending training sessions or conferences. This will help you understand how the profession of a material analyst is growing and what skills you need to be successful in the job.
Where to work as a Material Analyst
Materials analysts normally work in an office setting, but they may sometimes visit industrial sites to watch production processes or to gather samples of goods or materials. They normally work regular business hours, however, they may sometimes work extra to fulfill deadlines. Materials analyzers may be exposed to hazardous materials and chemicals while doing their work and must take steps to prevent damage. They may also be exposed to loud noise when touring industrial companies.
Material Analyst Salary Scale
The average material analyst income in the USA is $59,490 per year or $30.51 per hour. Entry-level occupations start at $48,750 per year while most experienced professionals get up to $91,107 per year.
The average material analyst pay in the United Kingdom is £30,000 per year or £15.38 per hour. Entry-level occupations start at £25,437 per year while most experienced professionals earn up to £34,353 per year.