Polymer Materials Engineer

About the role

Working at Freudenberg: "We will wow your world!" This is our promise. As a global technology group, we not only make the world cleaner, healthier and more comfortable, but also offer our 52,000 employees a networked and diverse environment where everyone can thrive individually. Be surprised and experience your own wow moments. We at Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies run the business operations of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies (FST) in the Americas. Being part of the global Freudenberg Group, our company is a leading producer of advanced sealing technologies for automotive and general industries. Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies is a joint venture between Freudenberg and NOK Corp. in Japan, is headquartered in Plymouth, MI, operates more than 20 facilities and employs about 4,700 people across the Americas. Findlay, OH On-Site Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership.

Responsibilities

• Develop, formulate, qualify, and optimize thermoplastic compounds to meet customer, manufacturing, quality, and performance requirements.
• Lead investigations into material, processing, and product performance issues using structured root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies.
• Design and execute laboratory and production trials, including Design of Experiments (DOE), material characterization, and validation testing to support new product introductions and process improvements.
• Partner with Operations, Quality, Engineering, and R&D teams to improve manufacturability, product performance, and cost competitiveness.
• Evaluate, qualify, and implement new materials, formulations, and suppliers to support innovation, supply continuity, and cost reduction initiatives.
• Serve as a technical resource for internal stakeholders and customers by supporting material selection, application development, troubleshooting, and performance optimization for new and existing products.
• Analyze material performance data, maintain technical documentation and material databases, and help establish best practices in thermoplastic materials and processing technologies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemical Engineering, Plastics Engineering, Chemistry, or a related engineering discipline.
• Three or more years of experience in materials engineering, polymer development, plastics processing, compounding, or a related manufacturing environment.
• Working knowledge of thermoplastic materials, polymer behavior, and manufacturing processes such as compounding, extrusion, or injection molding.
• Experience troubleshooting material, product, or process performance issues and implementing effective technical solutions.
• Strong analytical and experimental skills, including experience with statistical problem-solving tools, DOE methodologies, and material characterization techniques such as FTIR, DSC, TGA, rheology, ASTM, or similar testing methods.
• Proven ability to manage multiple technical projects, work independently, and collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams while supporting customer and application development initiatives.
• Excellent communication skills with a passion for innovation, continuous improvement, and developing practical engineering solutions.

Benefits

• 401K Match: Save for retirement with the company's help.
• Health Insurance: Rely on comprehensive services whenever you need it.
• Vacation: We offer time off to refresh and recharge.
• Paid Holidays: With paid-time off, local holidays are all the way more relaxing.
• Personal Development: We offer a variety of trainings to ensure you can develop in your career.