Application Engineer - Nonwovens - hybrid

About the role

We're looking for a Nonwovens Application Engineer to develop and support commercial nonwoven products for technical applications such as filtration, automotive, acoustics, building products, and composites. You'll bring hands-on knowledge of fiber, polymer, and finish chemistry to help translate customer application requirements into manufacturable nonwoven products, working closely with R&D, manufacturing, and sales/commercial teams.

Responsibilities

• Conduct, behavior and actions in accordance with Oxco core values of Caring, Creativity, Determination, Dependability and Teamwork
• Conduct, behavior and actions in accordance with Oxco’s Valued Colleague Pledge
• Develop and commercialize nonwoven products tailored to specific customer applications and performance requirements
• Partner with customers and the commercial team to translate application needs into technical product specifications
• Evaluate and optimize physical properties of nonwovens — basis weight, thickness, permeability, tensile strength, and other performance metrics — for target applications
• Select and recommend fibers, polymers, and finishes based on their contribution to end-use performance
• Work with manufacturing to scale lab/pilot developments into full production runs
• Troubleshoot product performance issues in the field and at the mill, and drive corrective actions
• Support testing and characterization of nonwoven materials against industry and customer-specific standards
• Document product development work, technical data sheets, and application guidelines
• Other Duties as Assigned

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor and/or Master’s degree in Engineering (Textile, Chemical, Materials, Mechanical) or technically relevant major
• Degree in Textile Science preferred

Experience

• 3–6 years in Product Development working with textiles, nonwoven fabrics strongly preferred
• Engineering Development and Project Management experience is preferred
• Experience in a nonwoven production mill, or in an industry that uses nonwoven fabrics for technical applications
• Direct application experience with nonwovens in filtration, automotive, acoustics, building products, composites, or similar technical applications is preferred
• Demonstrated experience developing a commercial product suited to a specific application or customer requirement

Additional Experience a Plus

• Experience with nonwoven manufacturing processes such as spunbond, spunlace, meltblown, needlepunch, thermalbond or wetlaid
• Familiarity with relevant industry test standards (e.g., ASTM, EDANA/INDA methods)
• Experience working directly with OEM or end-use customers on product qualification

Skills

• Solid understanding of the physical properties of nonwovens, polymers, fibers, and finishes and how they drive application performance
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work cross-functionally with R&D, manufacturing, and commercial teams
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders
• Excellent organization and time management skills
• Passionate about driving innovation and change
• Display high energy and be fully committed to the role, its opportunities and challenges
• Willingness to travel when necessary up to 10% of the time
• Creative in collecting insights and converting into novel opportunities, while quickly closing non-value-adding opportunities
• Ability to collaborate both internally and externally, to shape ideas/concepts and communicate them successfully to build a robust development portfolio
• Demonstrate a high level of vision and out of the box thinking to provide innovative customer solutions