Principal R&D Engineer – Advanced Polymer Processing
South Central Texas
Materials / R&D / Polymer Science
Our client is a publicly traded, high-growth manufacturer of engineered materials used in performance-critical applications. With a strong reputation for product quality and innovation, the company continues to invest in next-generation materials and scalable processing capabilities.
As part of this effort, they are seeking a Principal R&D Engineer to support development within a core polymer platform tied directly to product performance. This role fills a key technical gap within the R&D organization and will play an important role in advancing material capability and consistency.
This is not a broad R&D role. This is a focused technical seat.
Your mission is to apply deep expertise in polymer systems, connect material design to real-world performance, and support the development and scaling of materials used in demanding environments. If you’ve built your experience working with performance-driven polymer systems and understand how material behavior translates through processing into finished products, this is for YOU.
Your Mission:
Own the material understanding. Connect it to processing. Help drive performance. LET’S GO.
What YOU get to DO in this role:
- Support development of engineered polymer systems used in performance-driven applications
- Translate material chemistry into mechanical, environmental, and durability outcomes
- Partner with engineering teams to align material behavior with processing and manufacturing conditions
- Define and refine structure–property relationships across material systems
- Contribute to lab-scale development and support transition into production environments
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams including manufacturing, quality, and product management
- Support development of testing strategies tied to long-term performance and durability
- Drive continuous improvement efforts related to material performance and consistency
- Contribute to ongoing material innovation and IP development efforts
- Operate in a hands-on, cross-functional R&D environment
What you NEED to SUCCEED in this role:
- Master’s, or PhD in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field
- 3+ years of experience working with polymer systems in a processing or manufacturing environment
- Strong understanding of material behavior, formulation, and performance characteristics
- Hands-on exposure to processing environments where material properties are influenced by manufacturing conditions
- Understanding of how processing variables impact final product performance
- Experience with mechanical, environmental, or durability testing methodologies
- Familiarity with material additives and modifiers used to enhance performance
- Comfort working across lab and production environments
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven mindset
- Ability to collaborate across teams in a technical, hands-on role
What’s in it for you at this company?
- A high-impact technical role tied directly to core product performance
- Opportunity to step into a specialized position filling a real capability gap
- Direct exposure to how materials perform in real-world applications
- Strong cross-functional collaboration across engineering, manufacturing, and product teams
- Full relocation assistance provided (~$30K net)
- Competitive compensation aligned with experience and scope
- Comprehensive benefits package including health coverage, retirement plans, and paid time off
- A growing organization that values technical contribution, execution, and product performance
