Process Development Engineer

Eastman Chemical Company•Kingsport, TN

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position is for an experienced scientist to support product development and formulation of Eastman’s Biodegradables products. This position will report through the Biodegradables Technology Division.

Requirements

BS in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Related Field with 10+ years’ experience in compounding and formulating polymers
Deep understanding of polymer structure/property relationships and approaches to polymer formulations to achieve end-use requirements.
Ability to translate end-use requirements to compounded product concepts
Commitment to high level of safety and environmental awareness
Rapidly build trust with operators, contract manufacturers, and senior customer leaders.
Coach front-line teams and translate technical needs into clear, actionable steps.
Represent Eastman with a customer-first mindset while protecting company interests.
Must exhibit Eastman competencies
Must be a self-starter with a focus on results
Ability to lead and drive challenging projects forward to a decision despite uncertainties
Strong problem-solving skills
Excellent written, listening, and verbal communication skills

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Related Field with 5+ years’ of experience in compounding and formulating polymers
Experience in scaling small-scale processes to plant-scale equipment related to compounding, extrusion, and/or blending of plastic products
Experience with cellulose esters
Track record of engaging with cross-functional partners to define and evaluate ways to achieve business results
Comfortable challenging peers and supervision to develop creative solutions
Proven ability to engage well with technicians/operators, peers, and management
Proven experience in leading multifunctional project teams

Responsibilities

Scale up existing products in the Biodegradables Technology product portfolio at internal and external facilities. This includes acting in a hands-on, active participatory and leadership capacity.
Hands-on development of SOPs, documentation, and best practices for compounded product production; sharing with and translating procedures to internal and external parties as required
Partner with internal Eastman stakeholders to harmonize product data with existing data management systems
Recommend further opportunities for process improvement and cost savings
Coordinate and, when needed, execute analytical testing for process improvement projects at both internal and external testing laboratories
Work collaboratively with Operators, Scientists, Technicians, and Engineering partners to collaboratively scale-up polymer formulations as part of the commercialization process.
Provide timely communications to management and project stakeholders by communicating project needs, value, priorities, and decisions to ensure project success.
Serve as Eastman’s technical field liaison during scale up and commercialization—rapidly build trust with customers and contract manufacturers through clear, professional communication; provide constructive, collaborative coaching and direction to customer and operator teams while managing expectations and capturing feedback for continual improvement.

Benefits

Base pay plus performance-based incentive opportunities
Comprehensive medical, prescription-drug, and dental coverage
Health Savings Account option
Voluntary benefits—including vision, optional life, critical-illness protection, and more
Holistic wellness support: financial-planning tools, family-building assistance (adoption, pregnancy, and fertility resources), parental leave, and confidential Employee Assistance Program counseling.
401(k) with a company match
Additional annual retirement contribution from Eastman
Eleven paid holidays
One personal day
Paid time off
Paid vacation
Access to mentorship, learning resources, and leadership programs