Automotive Market Development Engineer

Audia Elastomers; Detroit (MI); Remote; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Audia Elastomers is seeking a materials-focused business development and technology lead to identify product requirements and drive growth of TPE compounds. Strong plastics/rubber materials knowledge and customer-facing skills are essential.

You will collaborate with product development and engineering teams, manage development activities, pursue new opportunities, and support sales with technical data and certifications in automotive markets. Travel may be frequent to support customers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in engineering or science, with automotive elastomer experience.
• 5–7 years of elastomeric materials experience in the automotive industry.
• Ability to build long-term customer relationships.

Responsibilities

• Identify product requirements and drive technology development for TPE growth.
• Manage development activities for TPE materials.
• Pursue new business through customer and market development efforts.
• Coordinate with converters, tiers, and OEMs for product approvals.
• Promote Audia Elastomers products and capabilities.
• Submit reports and respond to customer inquiries with timely feedback.
• Ensure safety and quality compliance in all activities.

Skills

Engineering degree

Elastomeric materials

Automotive industry experience

Customer relationships

Project management

Teamwork

Communication skills

MS Word / Excel

Education

Bachelor’s degree (engineering / science) or higher

Tools

MS Word

MS Excel

Job description

Acceptable locations for this remote role are Michigan (ideally eastern Michigan), or northern Ohio.

Summary

This position is responsible for identifying product requirements and driving technology development projects related to business growth of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds. Requirements include strong plastics and/or rubber materials and technology skills and, excellent skills in customer relationships, business development, project management, teamwork, organization, and communication. This person is the materials subject matter expert for the customer-facing team.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for managing development activities associated with TPE materials.
• Pursues new business opportunities through diligent customer and market development efforts:
  • Identifies strategic markets and customers;
  • Determines material requirements and specifications for targeted applications;
  • Collaborates with Audia Elastomers product development engineers to develop material solutions to meet customer needs;
  • Interprets sample results and provides data sheets and other material physical property information to customers;
  • Coordinates and attends customer molding trials as necessary, providing feedback to product development regarding direction of future work;
  • Presents a formalized data package of developed material(s) for customer approval(s).
• Interfaces with converters, Tiers, and OEMs to achieve and document Audia Elastomers product approvals.
• May support non-automotive applications in the given geography where expertise allows, and/or where a converter serves multiple market segments.
• Effectively promotes Audia Elastomers products and organizational capabilities.
• Submits call reports and monthly activity summaries concerning customer-related activities as requested by manager.
• Provides timely response to customer inquiries and complaints to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Performs other duties and assignments as directed by manager.
• Performs all duties safely and in compliance with documentation outlined in the Safety, Health & Environmental and defined quality management systems.

Recommended Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in engineering, science, or equivalent, and/or 5-7 years of experience with elastomeric (preferred) or plastic (acceptable) materials in the automotive industry
• Demonstrated ability to leverage technical strength to develop new business.
• Ability to build and maintain strong, long-term customer relationships.
• Ability to work seamlessly with commercial and product development teams to develop appropriate strategies to address customer and/or market need(s).
• Excellent communication skills, self-starter, sense of urgency, personable, and well organized.
• Skilled in the use of basic computer software, including word-processing and spreadsheets.
• Self-sufficient in terms of time management and support.

Working Conditions

• Environment – Commercial and/or home office as appropriate.
• Travel – Frequent travel, generally over 50% and can include international travel.

Responsibility for Safety, Health & Environmental

• Individual is expected to perform job duties safely and in compliance with documentation outlined in the Safety, Health & Environmental system.

Responsibility for Quality

Individual is expected to perform job duties in compliance with defined management system requirements