Polymer Application Development Engineer

CT_Technology & Innovation-E122

Polymer Application Development Engineer - Full Time - Winterthur, Switzerland

Sulzer is a leading engineering company with a proud heritage of innovation. Join our global team to grow your expertise and develop innovative solutions that enable a prosperous and more sustainable society.

We are looking for a Polymer Application Development Engineer to join our CT_Technology & Innovation team in Switzerland.

In this role, you will engage with both internal teams and external partners - including customers and supply chain stakeholders - to drive the design and development of advanced polymer technologies. You will play a key role in identifying and creating new pipeline opportunities, fostering strong relationships with existing clients, and expanding our reach to new stakeholders.

Join our team if you are eager to contribute to cutting-edge projects applying novel materials and the advancement of sustainable polymer technologies!

Your main tasks and responsibilities:

• Leading R&D projects and creating innovative polymer and biopolymer solutions
• Creating and executing technical proposals in the areas of new polymers, formulation design, process optimization and scale-up
• Benchmarking novel technology against the state of the art
• Conducting primary market analysis by reaching out to potential clients
• Understanding current product specifications and performance gaps and determining new unique value propositions for key applications
• Screening and monitoring regulatory provisions in selected applications and geographies
• Setting up testing and characterization in a newly opened R&D center and team
• Collaborating internally with the PLA sales team, marketing and POFC units, creating pricing and implementation plans
• Providing technical expertise and introducing new solutions to external stakeholders via technical marketing
• Collaborating with customers to understand needs
• Coordinating application development opportunities collaborating with end users, universities, converters, etc.

To succeed in this role, you will need:

• PhD degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Material Science or a related field; an additional qualification in Management or Economics is a plus
• 5+ years of experience in polymer science with a strong understanding of basic polymer and biopolymer specifications (PLA, PCL, PBAT, PBS, PHA and others), processes and applications; experience in a commercial role is a plus
• Solid understanding of structure-process relationships and property behavior
• Excellent communication skills with a proven track record of engaging effectively with stakeholders at various levels and building strong customer relationships
• Competitive mindset and a positive, innovation-driven approach to process improvement and optimization
• Fluency in English, German is an advantage

What we offer you:

• An innovative, vibrant and agile culture
• Excellent social benefits (holidays, pension fund etc.)
• Attractive employment conditions
• Access to a wide range of discounts on Everyday Shopping, Entertainment and Lifestyle

No visa or work permit support can be provided for this role.

Do you have a question about the role?

Reach out to Sarina Studer at Sarina.Studer@sulzer.com. Our team is looking forward hearing from you!

Sulzer is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in the strength of a diverse workforce and are committed to offering an inclusive work environment.

We are proud to be recognized as a Top Employer 2025 in Brazil, China, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, South Africa, the UK and the USA.

About us

Sulzer is a global leader in critical applications for core infrastructure and processes for large essential industries around the world. We ensure the security, quality and durability of critical goods and services by supporting energy security, natural resource management and efficiencies in process industries. This in turn supports the transition to a circular economy. Our integrated solutions add significant value by enabling energy efficiency, carbon emissions and pollution reduction, and process efficiency improvements. Customers benefit from our commitment to innovation, performance and quality through our responsive network of 160 world-class manufacturing facilities and service centers across the globe. Sulzer has been headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, since 1834. In 2024, our 13'500 employees delivered revenues of CHF 3.5 billion. Our shares are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: SUN). www.sulzer.com