Polyurethane Scientist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Description:

Technical Service Manager

Huntsman is seeking a Technical Service Manager supporting the Polyurethanes - Elastomers Business Unit located in Derry, New Hampshire or Auburn Hills, Michigan. This position will report to the Commercial Manager / Business Director, Elastomers.

The Technical Service Manager is responsible for leading the Technical Service and Applications Engineering organization supporting the TPU and liquid polyurethane elastomers business across the Americas region. This leadership role provides strategic and technical direction for customer support, application development, product validation, and commercialization activities while driving business growth, customer satisfaction, and market expansion. The position works closely with Sales, Marketing, Manufacturing, R&D, Quality, Supply Chain, and customers to develop innovative solutions and ensure successful deployment of Huntsman technologies.

• Lead and coordinate all Technical Service and Applications Engineering activities in support of TPU and liquid polyurethane elastomer business growth objectives.
• Provide technical leadership and strategic direction for customer support, application development, troubleshooting, product validation, and innovation projects.
• Serve as the senior technical authority for customer processing, application, and product performance challenges.
• Develop and implement technical strategies that strengthen customer relationships and enhance business performance.
• Support strategic customers and key accounts through technical engagement, plant trials, product evaluations, and troubleshooting activities.
• Partner with commercial teams to identify technical opportunities that drive product differentiation and profitable growth.
• Provide expert recommendations regarding material selection, processing optimization, and application development.
• Lead customer validation programs, field demonstrations, and commercialization activities for new technologies.
• Collaborate with R&D, Technology & Innovation, Manufacturing, and Quality teams to accelerate new product development and commercialization.
• Establish best practices for technical investigations, customer support, laboratory activities, and technical documentation.
• Oversee laboratory testing, pilot-scale evaluations, and customer validation programs.
• Lead, develop, mentor, and retain a high-performing Technical Service and Applications Engineering team.
• Establish performance objectives, development plans, and succession planning for direct reports.
• Monitor market trends, emerging technologies, competitive products, and customer requirements.
• Participate in industry conferences, customer innovation forums, and technical events to support market development initiatives.
• Manage department budgets, laboratory resources, technical projects, and travel expenditures.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that improve technical service effectiveness and customer satisfaction.
• Champion Huntsman's Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) culture and ensure compliance with applicable safety regulations and product stewardship requirements.

You must possess the below minimum qualifications to be initially considered for this position. Preferred qualifications are in addition to the minimum requirements and are considered a plus factor in identifying top candidates.

The candidate must have an unrestricted right to work for Huntsman in the United States.

• Bachelor's degree in Polymer Science, Plastics Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in technical service, applications engineering, product development, manufacturing support, or related roles within the polymer or elastomer industry.
• Minimum of 3 years of leadership and people management experience.
• Experience leading customer-facing technical service, application development, product validation, and field trial activities.
• Strong knowledge of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), elastomers, thermoplastics, polymer processing, and application development.
• Experience with extrusion, injection molding, compounding, film and sheet production, or related processing technologies.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot manufacturing, product performance, process, and quality issues.
• Experience supporting customer technical trials, product commercialization, and new business development activities.
• Strong project management and cross-functional leadership experience.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and customer relationship management skills.
• Ability to travel approximately 25-40%.

• Strong technical leadership capabilities.
• Customer-focused mindset with the ability to build and maintain strategic relationships.
• Excellent analytical problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Strategic thinking and business acumen.
• Ability to lead and develop high-performing technical teams.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Ability to influence and collaborate effectively across multiple functions and organizational levels.
• Innovation-oriented approach with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Strong verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.
• Results-driven with a proactive and solution-focused mindset.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and complex projects simultaneously.

• Direct experience within the TPU industry.
• Master's degree in a relevant technical discipline.
• Experience managing technical teams across multiple locations.
• Knowledge of automotive, industrial, footwear, wire and cable, film and sheet, and specialty TPU applications.
• Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, or equivalent continuous improvement certification or experience.
• Experience with global customer support models and international technical collaboration.
• Experience leading product commercialization and market development initiatives.
• Advanced knowledge of polymer processing technologies and application engineering principles.

• Work is performed within a combination of office, laboratory, pilot plant, manufacturing, and customer environments.
• Frequent interaction with customers, manufacturing facilities, laboratories, and commercial teams.
• Travel requirements of approximately 25-40% domestically and internationally as business needs require.
• Occasional exposure to manufacturing and laboratory environments requiring the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Must be able to safely work in manufacturing, laboratory, pilot-scale, and customer production environments.
• Ability to participate in customer trials, plant evaluations, technical demonstrations, and commercialization activities.
• Must comply with all Huntsman Environmental, Health, Safety, and Product Stewardship requirements.

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