Bedding Manufacturing Engineering Expert - Expatriate

Role Description: The Senior Bedding Materials & Compliance Expert is the site's technical authority for bedding materials, product construction, and US regulatory compliance.

This role is responsible for eliminating quality risk driven by material misuse, incorrect specifications, and non-compliance with US mattress standards by establishing and enforcing robust material, product, and process standards across the facility.

Reporting to the Operations Director, the role provides hands-on expertise in foam, fibers, fabrics, and fire resistance systems, ensuring all products meet US regulatory, performance, and safety requirements while being manufacturable at scale.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Materials & Product Expertise

Serve as the site expert on all bedding materials, including:

• Polyurethane foam (density, ILD/IFD, compression behavior, durability)
• Fibers (polyester, low-melt fiber, blends)
• Fabrics (knits, wovens, FR-treated materials)
• Quilting and construction systems

Define approved material specifications, tolerances, and performance criteria

Validate material selection to ensure compatibility with product design and manufacturing process

US Compliance & Fire Regulation Leadership

Own and enforce compliance to US mattress regulatory standards, including:

16 CFR Part 1632 (cigarette ignition resistance)

16 CFR Part 1633 (open flame fire resistance)

Define and control fire barrier systems (FR socks, barriers, chemical vs inherent FR materials)

Ensure proper use and validation of fire-resistant components and assemblies

Partner with US lead Quality/Legal teams to:

• Audit compliance readiness
• Prevent regulatory failures and recalls

Establish clear compliance documentation, test requirements, and certification standards.

Quality Risk Prevention & Standards

Develop and implement material and product quality standards, including:

• Material acceptance criteria
• Incoming inspection standards
• In-process performance checks

Identify and eliminate common failure modes, such as:

• Foam collapse or incorrect compression characteristics
• Fabric defects impacting yield or seam performance
• Improper material combinations causing rework or defects

Set do not run conditions and escalation triggers for non-compliant materials

Manufacturing Integration & Process Control

Translate material and product requirements into:

• Standard work instructions
• Process parameters
• Operator handling requirements

Ensure materials are used correctly and consistently in production

Lead material validation during trials, pilot runs, and ramp-up

Optimize material utilization while maintaining compliance and product integrity

Technical Troubleshooting

Lead root cause analysis for:

• Material-related defects
• Comfort/performance inconsistencies
• Fire compliance risks

Identify whether issues are driven by:

• Material properties
• Supplier variability
• Process misuse

Implement permanent corrective actions at both material and process levels

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• Zero major US compliance failures or audit issues
• Reduction in material-related defects, rework, and scrap
• Improved first-pass yield tied to material/process stability
• % of materials fully validated and compliant before production
• Time to identify and resolve material-related root causes
• Improvement in supplier material consistency

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Manufacturing, Industrial, Textile, Materials, Mechanical Engineering or a related field. Equivalent extensive bedding-manufacturing experience may be considered.

Experience

Minimum 10–15 years of experience in mattress/bedding manufacturing

Direct experience with US mattress market and compliance standards

Proven expertise in:

• Foam performance (density, ILD/IFD, compression, fatigue)
• Fire resistance systems and testing (1632 / 1633)
• Fabric and fiber applications in bedding

Experience resolving complex material-related quality issues in production environments.

Technical & Professional Skills

Deep understanding of:

• Mattress construction and layering systems
• Foam behavior under load and long-term compression
• Fabric performance (stretch, durability, sewability)

Strong knowledge of:

• Fire barrier design and certification strategies
• Material testing methods and validation requirements
• Ability to define practical, enforceable manufacturing standards

Personal Attributes

• Hands-on, practical, data-driven and comfortable working extensively on the factory floor.
• Strong ownership, urgency and ability to work independently in a multicultural environment.
• Willing to relocate to Vietnam and travel when required.
• Strong coaching capability to elevate plant technical knowledge
• Ablity to communicate clearly in English

Working Location: Quang Ngai Province