Company Summary:

Plastic Ingenuity is committed to providing innovative, high-quality packaging for the food, healthcare, and consumer goods industries. At the company's heart are five core values that define who we are and why we have sustained success since 1972. We are friendly and genuine, fostering authentic connections with colleagues and clients alike. Resourcefulness defines our approach, allowing us to turn challenges into opportunities. Collaboration is ingrained in our process, uniting diverse perspectives to identify creative solutions. Total customer focus drives us; we listen intently, respond promptly, and consistently exceed expectations. Lastly, we are dependable doers, letting our actions speak louder than words. These values are the cornerstone of Plastic Ingenuity.

Role Summary:

The Materials Application Engineer will lead the development of innovative technologies and materials. The role is to design, develop and improve polymer-based products and processes. They are responsible for developing new materials and supporting processes that enable innovative manufacturing technologies to solve complex design challenges for Plastic Ingenuity's customers. The role is part of our Sales function and reports to the Sustainability and Innovation Director. The role will collaborate with the internal functions of process engineering, marketing, sales, sustainability, quality and procurement. The role will also work with customers as well as material suppliers when developing solutions. The role will work from our Mazomanie, WI manufacturing location.

Personality and Interest Profile - You may enjoy this role if you:

• Enjoy solving complex problems by designing and executing experiments and trials.
• Enjoy contributing to important initiatives with high visibility and high stakes.
• Thrive in analytical, logic-centric, and focused environments - in both laboratory and production settings.
• Desire to be part of a team in a collaborative atmosphere, while simultaneously owning the success of a significant piece of the puzzle.

Responsibilities Include:

• Develop new technology to advance PI's innovation platform
  • Design material structure formulations, assess technical feasibility, and create and execute development plans.
  • Ensure solutions meet performance criteria, comply with regulatory requirements, and support operational efficiency. Communicate development insights to both internal and external stakeholders.

• Discover emerging technology
  • Accelerate early-stage innovation by discovering emerging technologies relevant to PI's innovation platform.
  • Engage with value chain partners to identify innovative solutions to customer challenges.
  • Share insights with the Innovation Steering team for incorporation into PI's innovation platform.
• Project management
  • Guide projects through all stages of PI's innovation platform.
  • Ensure timely execution of critical milestones such as solution design, trials, and testing.
  • Communicate progress during stage gate review meetings and as needed.
• Define commercialization needs
  • Collaborate with the production team to identify capital equipment required for scaling up solutions.
  • Coordinate with purchasing to establish a sourcing strategy for solutions.
• Support custom development
  • Collaborate with sales and PI team members to support the development of custom applications.
  • Support sales and PI teams by responding to inquiries about materials and technology.
• Support operations teams
  • Improve production processes requiring hands-on shop floor support.
  • Provide advice based on technical material science knowledge to support production needs.

Minimum Qualifications:

• This position requires a Bachelor's in Materials Science, Polymer Engineering or related field from a 4-year college or university.
• Five years of hands-on research and development experience in thin-gauge, plastic thermoforming in an industrial setting.
• Experience in various facets of polymer production and processing technology - including extrusion and tooling.
• Experience using Design of Experiments (DOE) methodology.
• Ability to operate lab equipment for analysis and testing.
• Strong data-analysis and project management skills.

Desired Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Materials Science, Polymer Engineering, or related field.
• Prior experience running a materials lab.
• Successful track record of developing and launching new products.
• 7+ years' experience in a fast paced, complex manufacturing environment preferred.

Plastic Ingenuity is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace, as we know that each of our employees helps to make us better. We strongly encourage applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life. Come join us.