Product Development Engineer- Beverage (4424)

You have a choice of where you want to work! We invite you along on our journey to Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World. We aim to attract, retain, and energize passionate people, like you, by investing in your professional development and providing opportunities for personal growth.

Do your values align with ours? Accountability, Growth mindset, One team, Care and a fair and inclusive work environment for everyone, everywhere!

We strive to meet the highest standards of corporate citizenship by protecting the health and safety of our team, safeguarding the environment, and creating a long-lasting, positive impact on the communities where we do business. Are you with us?!?

Manager (name, position title)

Patrice Blanc, Product Development Manager, Beverage & Casing, Tape

Geographical responsibility area

Worldwide.

Focus on Beverage projects at Windsor Locks plant

Purpose of the job

Research, develop and deliver new products according to strategic plans. Act as Project Manager and/or Technical Lead on assigned Product development projects. Technically support other activities as assigned.

Main responsibility areas

• Manage projects to deliver new or improved paper-based Beverage products.

• Participate on project teams as Technical Lead, or other role(s) as assigned to deliver new products developed on existing or new manufacturing platforms,

• Plan, coordinate and execute lab and pilot studies independently. Execute evaluation and testing and interpret results using rigorous scientific discipline (DOE, FMEA, APQP, etc).

• Work closely with R&D team based in France and with Operations to scale new products up. Help establishing specifications and fit for use

• Prepare or participate in preparing project schedules and budgets.

• Properly document, record, and publish results and conclusions

• Travel internationally and domestically as needed. Occasional night and/or weekend work will be required.

• Research products and technologies new to Ahlstrom using means such as literature search, competitive intelligence, patent research and others.

• Assess and evaluate technical ideas and novel technologies for benefits and feasibility.

• Lead or participate in team, customer, and supplier meetings supporting projects and initiatives.

• Solve non‑routine problems related to product development efforts (raw materials, equipment, development, evaluation). Hazardous raw materials may occasionally be encountered.

• Generate innovative ideas. Prepare invention disclosures, and patent applications to protect intellectual property.

• Ensure compliance with all applicable Safety, Environmental, GMP, FDA Quality and other policies, practices and regulations.

Communication

(position's responsibility for communications both within and outside the organization)

Internally

Effective 360º communication is required with employees at all organizational levels and within and without the R&D department, business unit, and business area.

Externally

Significant effective communication is required with customers, suppliers, industry and research organizations and occasionally regulatory associations.

Experience and education

(minimum level of knowledge and skills to fulfill one's responsibilities)

Work experience

• Engineer Graduate or PhD. degree preferably in papermaking, chemistry, chemical engineering, polymer science, nonwovens or textile technology.

• Technical expertise in papermaking, or at least in one area related to nonwovens, polymer/fiber science or chemistry is required

• Some years of experience in related industries would be a plus.

• Project Management skills

• Fluent English is required

Required competencies

• Ability to design experiments, analyze data and draw appropriate conclusions

• Ability to execute technical plans at lab scale

• Ability to scale up product development projects to industrial scale

• Ability to communicate technical ideas and conclusions

• Ability to assess and evaluate technical ideas for benefits and feasibility

• Project management skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to work in an international environment

• Creativity and technical capability to generate innovative ideas

• Judgment and ingenuity to solve non-routine problems

• Manage task implementation and establish priorities with multiple assignments.

• Ability to both lead and participate on teams

• Ability to complete tasks and projects using a matrix organization and compliant with appropriate policies.

• Advanced MS Office user. Ability to learn and use various company network applications

• Must have knowledge of Ahlstrom-Munksjo Information Security policies and is for his/her own part responsible for ensuring information security when handling information and maintaining or using information systems or information networks

Ahlstrom is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal opportunity is a sound and just concept to which we are firmly bound. Ahlstrom will not engage in discrimination against, or harassment of, any person employed or seeking employment with our company based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, non-disqualifying disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law.

About Us. Ahlstrom is a global leader in combining fibers into sustainable specialty materials. Our purpose is to Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World. Our vision is to be the Preferred Sustainable Specialty Materials Company for all our stakeholders.

We serve five growing and distinctive end markets, which form the basis for our five divisions: Filtration, Food & Consumer Packaging, Healthcare, Building Materials, and Technical Materials.

Our net sales in 2023 amounted to EUR 3.0 billion and we employ some 7,000 people.

Learn more at www.ahlstrom.com