Casting Operations Manager
Cartier in Paris seeks a Casting Operations Manager to lead precious-metal casting production and quality for its jewellery ateliers.
Overview
Cartier, a leading maison of haute joaillerie and luxury watchmaking within the Richemont group, combines historic craftsmanship with contemporary creative direction. As an employer, Cartier places emphasis on artisanal excellence, technical mastery and cross-disciplinary collaboration between ateliers, design and production functions.
Role & Responsibilities
- Lead and coordinate day-to-day casting (fonte) operations to meet production, quality and delivery targets for precious-metal jewellery components.
- Manage shop-floor teams and subcontractor relationships, including staffing, training, performance reviews and workload allocation.
- Ensure metallurgical and dimensional quality through in-process controls, final inspection and corrective actions; escalate critical quality issues to stakeholders.
- Implement and monitor production planning, capacity scheduling and KPIs; drive continuous improvement projects to reduce scrap, rework and cycle time.
- Oversee maintenance of casting equipment (vacuum/pressure casting machines, furnaces, melting stations) and ensure compliance with health, safety and environmental regulations.
- Collaborate with design, prototyping and finishing ateliers to ensure manufacturability of new models and support industrialization of collections.
- Control costs and resources for the casting activity; contribute to supplier selection, qualification and periodic audits.
Qualifications
- Technical qualification in metallurgy, materials science, mechanical engineering or equivalent (Bachelor's degree or advanced technical diploma).
- Proven technical knowledge of precious-metal metallurgy and jewellery casting processes (lost‑wax/investment casting, vacuum/pressure casting).
- Demonstrated ability to lead a production team in a specialised artisanal or industrial environment.
- Working knowledge of health, safety and environmental requirements specific to foundry operations.
Skills
Experience
Minimum 5 years of experience in jewellery casting or metal foundry operations, including at least 2 years in a supervisory or managerial role overseeing production, quality and continuous improvement.
Education
Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Metallurgy, Mechanical or Industrial Engineering, or an equivalent technical diploma (e.g., BTS/DUT) with relevant industry experience.
Culture
Cartier blends centuries-old savoir-faire with contemporary innovation; ateliers are characterised by meticulous craftsmanship, rigorous quality standards and close collaboration across métiers. The workplace values artisanship, technical excellence and respect for heritage while encouraging continuous improvement and cross-disciplinary learning.