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R&D Developer and Marketing Technical Service
Mitsubishi Chemical America – Polyester Film Division | Greer, SC

Turn customer challenges into the next generation of polyester film products.

Are you a technically curious scientist or engineer who enjoys working with customers and bringing new ideas to life? Mitsubishi Chemical America is seeking an R&D Developer and Marketing Technical Service professional to join our Polyester Film team in Greer, South Carolina.

In this role, you’ll connect customer needs with materials science and manufacturing expertise to develop high-value polyester (PET) films. You’ll help identify new business opportunities, translate technical challenges into product concepts, and support development from initial testing through commercialization.

Reporting to the Director of R&D, you’ll contribute to the team’s growing focus on customer-driven innovation while supporting existing products and solving day-to-day technical challenges.

What You’ll Do

• Discover opportunities through customer relationships. Partner with Sales and Marketing to pursue business growth opportunities for novel polyester film products. Engage with new and existing customers through visits, technical presentations, and troubleshooting activities to identify and develop high value PET films that satisfy unmet needs for these customers.

• Develop new film solutions. Develop novel PET-based film products for various markets, customers and technical applications from concept through full manufacturing commercialization. This includes identification of key product attributes and properties critical for functional performance; specification development and maintenance; pilot line and/or manufacturing trial planning, coordination, and coverage; establishing quality requirements including new test development; establishing process capability; and commercialization / turn-over to manufacturing.

• Bring ideas into production. Define critical product attributes, develop specifications, plan and support pilot and manufacturing trials, establish test methods and quality requirements, and coordinate the transition to commercial manufacturing.

• Improve existing products. Execute product design changes for existing commercial products that do not meet evolving functional needs or quality requirements for specific customer applications. This may include customer visits and interaction as well as corresponding internal and customer specification revision.

• Collaborate across functions and borders. Provide technical support to Sales and Marketing, Quality, Manufacturing, Product Regulatory, and Customer Service. Exchange ideas and collaborate with technical colleagues in Germany and Japan.

What You’ll Bring

• A Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemistry, or a related field required; a PhD is preferred.
• 5 + years of experience in technical service, product development, applications engineering, R&D, or technical sales within a polymer-focused field.
• The ability to build relationships with customers, understand technical needs, and communicate potential solutions through clear discussions and presentations.
• Strong technical problem-solving, data analysis, troubleshooting, and technical writing skills.
• Intellectual curiosity, creativity, and a collaborative approach to developing practical solutions.

Experience That Stands Out

• Experience with polyester or other polymer films, extruded thermoplastics, packaging films, fibers, or related manufacturing applications.
• Coating formulation, design, and application experience, including coatings for films, fibers, or other plastic products.
• Knowledge of chemical surface treatments for polymers.
• Experience taking products from concept through commercialization.

Travel

Travel is required up to 25%, including domestic customer visits, conferences, and potential international technical meetings. Domestic trips are typically two to three days, with some weeklong trips. Schedule flexibility is needed to support development and manufacturing trials, including occasional nighttime or weekend calls.

Build on your technical expertise, connect directly with customers, and help shape what comes next in polyester film. Apply today.

The salary range for this position is $110,000–$150,000. Factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, job-related skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and business considerations may influence base pay offered. This salary will be subject to a geographic adjustment (according to a specific city and state), if an authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.