Posted 10 days ago
Description
Job Title:
Digital Printing Engineer
Type of Employment:
Full time
Location:
Xefco Pilot Facility - Deakin ManuFutures, Waurn Ponds VIC
About Us:
Xefco is an Australian-owned company that creates innovative textile and coating technologies with a vision to create a more sustainable future for the textile industry. Incorporated in 2018, we have a track record of developing novel technologies that have been adopted by some of the world’s leading outdoor apparel and fashion brands.
Xefco has pioneered a novel plasma technology called Ausora that provides a sustainable dyeing and finishing solution to eliminate water pollution from textile manufacturing. Ausora has been developed through a long-standing research partnership with Deakin University and is set to bring a disruptive manufacturing solution to the textile industry, together with a broad range of other potential applications.
Job Summary:
We are seeking a skilled and innovative Digital Printing Engineer with a strong background in digital inkjet printing, inks and textile/fabric applications to join our R&D team. The ideal candidate will lead and support the development and scale-up of printing processes, assess and apply pigment formulations, and contribute to the advancement of sustainable and composite textile printing technologies/processes for Xefco.
Key Responsibilities:
- Analyse and improve existing printing processes and hardware setup for efficiency, quality, and sustainability.
- Develop SOPs for lab and production-scale inkjet digital printing operations.
- Work with production teams to ensure knowledge transfer from R&D to manufacturing.
- Develop and optimise inkjet application methods of Xefco development inks and dispersions.
- Collaborate with in-house engineering and external suppliers to refine hardware to optimise printing processes.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams (e.g., plasma/textile engineers, dispersion scientists) to scale lab results to production.
- Understand and build color matching capability
- Develop and implement methods to evaluate inks, print quality (sharpness, fastness), and fabric compatibility.
- Troubleshoot printing issues related to colour applications, substrate interaction, or process variables.
- Hands-on capabilities to perform printer repair/diagnostics and routine maintenance.
- Maintain detailed lab records, prepare technical reports, and present findings to stakeholders.
- Support intellectual property efforts by assisting with technical disclosures and patent input.
Reporting:
The Digital Printing Engineer will report to the Textile Research and Development Manager.
Requirements:
- 5+ years of experience in digital textile printing and application of inks to fabrics (or similar substrates) with digital inkjet printers.
- Industry experience or a Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Printing Technology, Textile Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or substantial experience in related fields.
- Experience with Print Manager, RIB software, and color matching software applications.
- Hands-on experience with commercial printing equipment (e.g., inkjet, screen printers).
- A strong understanding of inks, ink additives, and ink-substrate interaction is preferred.
- Preferred experience interpreting results from analytical tools like particle size analysers, rheometers, spectrophotometers, etc.
- Excellent problem-solving and communication skills.
Who you are:
- The Digital Printing Engineer must:
- Have a passion for innovation and problem-solving.
- Be a team player who works collaboratively in a team environment.
- Be self-driven with the ability to seek information and solutions from internal and external sources.
- Have the ability to work within time frames.
- Be willing to undertake what is required for the role.
- Use your skills, knowledge, and personal characteristics to work to the best of your ability.
- Behave with professionalism, act in good faith, and with honesty.
- Effectively communicate with a team and project partners.
- Use leadership skills to foster a team environment and manage team resources effectively.
- Keep yourself and others safe when you are at work.
