Finishing Engineer

Hi there, we’re Article. We’re a North American based furniture company creating remarkably better furniture experiences one sofa at a time. As the Finishing Engineer, you’ll lead the development, standardization, and management of all material finishing processes to ensure technical excellence, product quality, and customer satisfaction.

Why We Need You:

In the Product Development team, you will partner with cross-functional teams, suppliers, and manufacturers to create and maintain high-quality finishes for wood, metal, stone, plastic, and composites.

Why Article?

While we sell to the North American market, we work closely with a number of our manufacturing partners throughout Asia. As a result, we have an office in Thao Dien, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam where we currently have around 50 Particles (people of Article) working.

As a Particle (people of Article), you will have a high level of autonomy to solve challenging, meaningful problems the best way you can. That means you’re trusted to explore solutions you believe will work best (you’re the expert, after all). You’ll do all this while growing your skills within a company that is redefining the furniture industry.

What You’ll Do:

You’ll be part of a team of 4 product developers working to develop and standardize the finishing for various materials, adoption of innovative finishing techniques that reduce costs or improve quality, and effective collaboration and communication with vendors and internal teams.

- Develop and standardize paint, stain formulas, topcoat finishes, and sheen levels for a variety of materials, including wood, metal, stone, plastics, and composites.

- Collaborate with industrial paint suppliers and manufacturing partners to meet technical, aesthetic, and quality standards. Partner with sourcing and paint suppliers to explore and implement innovative finishing technologies that reduce costs, improve quality, and enhance manufacturing efficiency.

- Maintain Finishing Standards library, ensuring up-to-date SOPs, specifications, and technical documentation. Oversee swatch submissions and approvals, ensuring all materials meet aesthetic and technical requirements.

- Manage the Product Change Program by revising specifications to maintain consistent finishes across Article’s product catalog.

- Support the quality team in verifying production consistency, ensuring vendors maintain standardized finishes. Provide technical guidance to design and product development teams on material construction, finish applications, and vendor capabilities.

- Provide technical advice during pre-production and production phases to address challenges and optimize processes. Ensure raw material and finishing developments are aligned with cost objectives and product launch schedules.

- Ensure timely completion of Material DNA profiles and full technical specifications for all materials. Monitor project timelines, identify delays, and create actionable recovery plans in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

- Act as the primary point of contact for issue resolution, providing clear updates and recommendations to stakeholders.

Who You Are:

- 5+ years of experience in material finishing, quality assurance, or product development in a manufacturing environment.

- Strong knowledge of paint, stains, topcoat finishes, and industrial finishing processes and materials for furniture.

- Proficiency in developing and maintaining technical documentation, specifications, and standards.

- Familiarity with quality control methods, shade matching, and setting tolerances.

- Deep understanding of material construction, finishing processes, and industrial paint applications across diverse materials.

- Strong organizational and problem-solving skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

- Ability to translate design requirements into actionable specifications and communicate effectively with internal teams and external partners.

- A proactive approach to exploring new technologies and methods that enhance quality and efficiency.

- Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, vendors, and internal stakeholders.

- Willing to travel to adjacent countries as required.

Perks & Benefits:

Life:

15 days of vacation*

11 National Holidays & 1 extra day for Christmas

6 well-being (sick) days*

1 Inclusion and Diversity Day

Health:

Excellent extended health care benefits packages (dental, health check, mental health…)

Company & Office Space:

State-of-the-art laptops with the tech and tools to easily collaborate

Be a part of a dynamic company and an internationally recognized brand