Technical Services and Development Engineer

Kuraray America

23h

About The Position

The Technical Service and Development Engineer is responsible for providing advanced technical support and leading application development for key PVOH accounts across emulsion, adhesive, and construction applications. This role serves as the primary technical expert between Kuraray and strategic customers, translating complex technical challenges into innovative product and process solutions that drive performance, differentiation, and growth. The TS&D Engineer will independently lead technical projects of high complexity, manage laboratory operations and analytical capabilities, collaborate with global R&D teams to commercialize new applications, and provide expert troubleshooting and field support. This role requires deep technical expertise in polymer chemistry, strong customer focus, and strategic business acumen.

Requirements

Master's in STEM field required; PhD in Chemistry and Polymer Chemistry Preferred.
Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in technical service, product development, or application engineering in a chemical, polymer, or materials industry.
Strong understanding of small molecule chemistry, polymer chemistry, and polymer structure-property relationships.
Demonstrated expertise in analytical techniques including NMR, IR, UV-Vis, GPC, GC, DSC, DMA, SEM, and mechanical testing.
Willingness to travel domestically and internationally (approximately 40%).

Nice To Haves

Industrial work experience in chemical, polymer, or materials industry highly preferred.
Project leadership experience for new product development highly preferred.
Customer-facing technical service experience with product and application development highly preferred.
Global business experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide advanced technical support and expert solutions to key PVOH application accounts, ensuring high performance and customer satisfaction.
Diagnose and resolve complex technical challenges related to PVOH applications in emulsion, adhesive, and construction segments.
Support Sales in defending existing business, identifying new opportunities, and strengthening customer partnerships.
Conduct customer visits, trials, and plant evaluations to assess product performance and application compatibility.
Lead new application development and commercialization projects for PVOH products.
Conduct laboratory experiments using advanced analytical techniques (NMR, IR, UV-Vis, GPC, GC, DSC, DMA, SEM) and mechanical testing.
Collaborate with R&D teams in Japan and the U.S. to scale lab results to commercial production.
Develop intellectual property for PVOH applications and support patent strategies for new and existing products.
Manage technical service projects and establish standardized work procedures for the U.S.-based PVOH Technical Service laboratory.
Enhance laboratory analytical capabilities and develop new testing methodologies to address evolving product requirements.
Collect and analyze data from various sources to inform research, identify trends, and propose actionable insights.
Partner with global technical teams to identify market opportunities and propose strategic projects.
Develop Non-Disclosure Agreements to maintain competitive differentiation.
Assist manufacturing sites (Bayport and LaPorte) in resolving quality issues and driving process improvements.
Support product promotion through technical literature, website content, trade show exhibits, and conference presentations.
Promote safe work practices and adherence to all environmental, health, safety, and regulatory policies.
Drive continuous improvement in technical service processes, documentation, and analytical capabilities.
Build technical and professional capabilities through training, certifications, and engagement with industry best practices.