R&D Engineer, Thermal hard coating

Valmet; Jyväskylä; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Valmet in Jyväskylä invites an R&D Engineer to own product development projects focused on thermal hard coatings. You will combine hands-on experimental work, material development, data analysis, and international collaboration to turn research results into practical solutions for global customers.

This role is based in our Jyväskylä office, with occasional travel to North America, China and the Asia region.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Materials Engineering or related field.
• +3 years' experience in product development, coatings or metallurgy.
• Strong analytical and documentation skills.
• Fluent English required; Finnish is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate thermal hard-coating development projects.
• Design and conduct coating trials and lab work in Jyväskylä.
• Analyze test results and document conclusions.
• Collaborate with suppliers, equipment makers, and product teams.
• Support global production units with coating methods and best practices.

Skills

Analytical skills

Fluent English

Documentation skills

Education

Master's degree in Materials Engineering

Job description

Are you ready for the next step in your career?

At Valmet, we are shaping the future of sustainable packaging and paper solutions through innovation, collaboration, and a seamless lifecycle approach. Join us in advancing the packaging and paper business, as we move forward with our renewed strategy to Lead the Way. This means pioneering smarter technologies, expanding our service capabilities, and delivering customer value across the entire lifecycle-from raw material to finished product. If you're ready to make a real impact on a dynamic, future-focused environment, we invite you to grow with us.

We are now looking for an R&D Engineer to take ownership of product development projects focused on thermal hard coatings. In this role, you will combine hands‑on experimental work, material development, data analysis, and international collaboration. You will act as the key specialist in your technology area, helping transform research results into practical solutions that support global business needs. Working in our well‑equipped research and testing facilities in Jyväskylä, you will have a direct impact on the future development of coating technologies.

This position is located in our Jyväskylä office.

Your responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate thermal hard-coating development projects from planning through implementation and evaluation.
• Design and conduct practical coating trials, laboratory work, and testing activities using research facilities in Jyväskylä.
• Analyze test results, draw technical conclusions, and prepare clear reports and documentation.
• Collaborate with material suppliers, equipment manufacturers, product owners, and product managers to develop new coating solutions.
• Support global production units in North America, China, and other locations in coating-related methods and best practices.

Expectations for you

• Master's degree in Materials Engineering or another relevant technical field related to materials, coatings, or metallurgy.
• +3 years' experience in product development, material development, coatings, metallurgy, or related technologies.
• Experience in practical coating trials and laboratory work is seen as advantage.
• Strong analytical and documentation skills with the ability to interpret results and communicate conclusions clearly.
• Fluent English language skills, both spoken and written.
• Finnish language is seen as an advantage.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to our production units in North America, China and Asia region.

To succeed in this role

You are a self-driven and hands‑on problem solver who enjoys combining practical experimentation with technical analysis. You can independently move development work forward, take ownership of your specialist area, and identify new opportunities for improvement. You are systematic, curious, eager to learn, and comfortable presenting findings to different stakeholders across a global organization. You collaborate and communicate positively to drive the results.

We also expect you to align with Valmet's Leadership Principles-practical behaviours that guide how we lead, collaborate, and succeed together:

• Take accountability - Act with ownership, set clear expectations, and follow through.
• Lead with courage - Champion change, try bold ideas, and learn quickly.
• Build on trust - Listen to understand, be open, and create psychological safety.
• Collaborate for growth - Work across boundaries, value diverse perspectives, and focus on customer value.

We offer

You will join our team of development engineers and specialists work across different material technologies. Thermal hard coatings are a dedicated area of expertise, and you will play a central role in their development. The position offers a rare opportunity to act as a lead expert within your technology field while working in a modern research and testing environment.

If you have any questions related to the role, you can contact Heikki Kettunen, Director, R&D, via email heikki.kettunen @ valmet.com.

We encourage our employees to a healthier lifestyle by being a smoke‑free Workplace.

Valmet is where the best talent from a wide variety of backgrounds comes together. We work together with our customers throughout the entire lifecycle, delivering cutting‑edge technologies and services as well as mission‑critical automation and flow control solutions. Backed by more than 225 years of industrial experience and a global team of over 19,000 professionals close to customers, we are uniquely positioned to transform industries toward a regenerative tomorrow. At Valmet, diversity of thought drives innovation. We are committed to a respectful and inclusive environment where people