Application Development Engineer - Polymers

GEON Performance Solutions has an excellent opportunity for a Staff Application Development Engineer (ADE).

Job Summary

The Application Development Engineer, is a specialist in the science and engineering of polymer based material solutions for their assigned market. This role evaluates customer application needs and recommends or develops new materials and will develop application specific testing methods, optimize manufacturing processes to meet customers’ material requirements and performance specifications. Area of responsibility will include various polymer and composite technologies. Responsible for conducting in depth product development utilizing project management and product development principles, documenting technology advances and application successes and presenting to senior management and industry experts. This role will be responsible for building the portfolio of materials for design engineers to promote and position GEON materials for current and future programs, and will develop relationships with the advanced engineering community to grow new innovative applications that meets the company’s sustainability initiatives.

The successful candidate will work in a collaborative team environment with internal and external team members and represent Geon technology to the customers. Engage all of GEON’s capabilities for technology development and identification of new application opportunities.

Essential Functions:

• Engineer customer facing solutions by understanding customer and market needs


• Perform customer application analysis to create innovative market solutions, conferring with business goals


• Develop new product plans and make recommendations for material selection based on design objectives such as strength, weight, continuous use temperatures, weatherability, color hold, and cost.


• Recommend technical design or process changes to improve efficiency, quality, or performance


• Design and direct the testing or control of customer’s processing


• Provide the technical leadership to the assigned market segment, support new business development within the segment, and present technical findings and recommendations to senior management and customer technical leadership


• Collaborate with account managers and R&D team, build the pipeline of future application opportunities, ensure technical success of the opportunities, and enable business closes resulting in a profitable future for GEON


• Position GEON as a preferred material supplier for new platforms


• Promote GEON visibility in the marketplace by participation in relevant technical conferences and expositions, as well as industry/government/academia initiatives


• Identify and communicate product needs (material specification and application requirements) within the GEON organization to enable new business growth


• Recognize product gaps within the GEON portfolio, as compared to material specifications and market needs


• Lead new product introduction and commercialization process


• Conduct benchmarking and performance tests on materials and finished products, analyze product performance data and lab test results for root cause analysis and corrective actions


• Perform competitive assessment


• Develop methods to characterize material solutions in lab to meet cost, performance, industry standards, and desired life cycle behavior


• Establish correlation of the efficiency of customer’s process with proposed materials


• Provide intelligence with respect to material technology and OEM relationships of key GEON competitors


• Adhere to all GEON safety, travel, ethics, and Human Resource policies.


• Other projects/duties as assigned or needed

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Materials Science, or equivalent required. Master’s Degree or higher preferred.

• 5 to 7 years of technical and commercial experience with application development using plastics materials and compounds, preferably in the Power and Communication or Building and Infrastructure industry.

• Detailed knowledge of various melt processing methods, equipment and technologies.

• Demonstrated track record of material recommendation, selection, and application validation.

• Understanding of material properties, processing effects, and part design.

• Knowledge with polymeric materials and effect of fillers and additives on structure properties relation for desired properties and performance.

• Proven record of accomplishment of successful product or application launches

Skills/Competencies:

• Ability to work collaboratively in a team/matrix environment.

• Ability to lead projects to from concept to launch

• Technical aptitude with respect to thermoplastic materials and industry applications

• Ability to translate customer needs into GEON based solutions

• Proficiency with working in teams, self-starter able to work in fast pace environment promoting continuous improvement

• Professional presence, demonstrated in verbal and written communication and presentation skills

• Regional travel as required to ensure customer engagement

We offer a competitive salary, incentive and benefit plan. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, spending accounts and 401(k).

GEON Performance Solutions is a drug free workplace. GEON Performance Solutions is an equal opportunity employer. We maintain a policy of non-discrimination in providing equal employment to all qualified employees and candidates regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, protected veteran’s status, or other legally protected classification in accordance with applicable state and local law