Automotive Market Development Engineer

Openkrill; United States; Remote; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Audia Elastomers seeks a market-facing materials specialist to drive TPE development for automotive applications. You will manage development activities, identify markets, and collaborate with product development to deliver material solutions that meet customer needs.

The role emphasizes strong communication, project management, and strategic account development, with substantial travel and remote work options within the US.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or equivalent; 5-7 years in elastomeric or plastics in automotive.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage technical strength to develop new business.
• Ability to build and maintain strong, long-term customer relationships.
• Ability to collaborate with commercial and product development teams on strategies.
• Excellent communication, self-starter, urgency, personable, organized.
• Proficient with basic computer software (word-processing, spreadsheets).
• Self-sufficient in time management and support.

Responsibilities

• Manage development activities for TPE materials.
• Pursue new business opportunities through customer and market development.
• Identify strategic markets and customers; determine material requirements and specs.
• Collaborate with Audia Elastomers product development engineers on material solutions.
• Interpret sample results; provide data sheets and material property information.
• Coordinate and attend customer molding trials; provide feedback to direction of future work.
• Present data packages of developed materials for customer approvals.
• Interface with converters, Tier suppliers, and OEMs to document product approvals.
• Support non-automotive applications within geography where applicable.
• Promote Audia Elastomers products and capabilities.
• Submit call reports and monthly activity summaries as requested.
• Respond timely to customer inquiries and complaints.
• Perform duties safely and in compliance with quality systems.

Skills

Customer relationships

Business development

Project management

Teamwork

Organization

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering/science

5-7 years elastomeric experience

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