Process Engineer, Polymer Science

Work Schedule

Environmental Conditions

Job Description

As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every single day to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our global teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while helping to take science a step beyond by developing solutions for some of the world’s toughest challenges, like protecting the environment, making sure our food is safe or helping find cures for cancer.
 

Description: Process Engineer – Polymer Science

Position Summary

The Process Engineer specializing in Polymer Science is responsible for designing, optimizing, and scaling polymer manufacturing processes. This role focuses on improving production efficiency, product quality, and cost-effectiveness while ensuring compliance with safety and environmental regulations. The engineer collaborates closely with R&D, production, quality, and supply chain teams to support the lifecycle of polymer products from development through full-scale manufacturing.

Key Responsibilities

Process Design & Optimization

• Develop, design, and optimize polymer processing methods (e.g., extrusion, draw, compounding, polymerization).
• Analyze existing processes to identify inefficiencies and implement improvements in yield, quality, and throughput.
• Scale up new products and pilot processes to full commercial production.

Manufacturing Support

• Provide technical support to production teams for troubleshooting process issues and product defects.
• Monitor Critical to Quality (CTQ) process parameters to ensure consistent product quality.
• Establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) and process documentation.

Polymer Material Expertise

• Evaluate polymer properties such as rheology, thermal behavior, and molecular weight distribution.
• Recommend material formulations and processing conditions based on application requirements.
• Work with additives, fillers, resins, and blends to enhance product performance.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead process improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.
• Implement cost-reduction strategies while maintaining product specifications.
• Utilize data analytics and statistical tools to drive decision-making.

Quality & Compliance

• Ensure manufacturing processes comply with industry standards (ISO, ASTM, FDA, etc. where applicable).
• Support quality assurance teams in root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Maintain safety and environmental compliance (OSHA, EPA guidelines).

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with R&D for new product introduction (NPI) and technology transfer.
• Collaborate with maintenance and engineering teams on equipment upgrades and reliability.
• Interface with suppliers and customers on technical matters when needed.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, Materials Science, or related field (Master’s preferred)

Experience

• 5 years of experience in polymer processing or chemical manufacturing.
• Hands-on experience with equipment such as extruders, reactors, mixers, and drawing.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of polymer chemistry and processing techniques.
• Knowledge of rheology, thermodynamics, and material characterization methods (DSC, TGA, GPC, etc.).
• Familiarity with process simulation tools and statistical software (e.g., Minitab, JMP).
• Experience with ERP and MES systems is a plus (especially relevant in manufacturing environments).

Soft Skills

• Problem-solving and analytical thinking.
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities.
• Project management skills with ability to handle multiple priorities.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Process yield and efficiency improvements
• Reduction in scrap/rework rates
• Production downtime reduction
• Cost savings initiatives
• Successful scale-up and product launches

Work Environment

• Combination of office, laboratory, and manufacturing plant settings.
• May require exposure to chemicals, high temperatures, and industrial equipment (PPE required).
• Occasional travel to suppliers, customers, or other manufacturing sites.