Materials Application Development Engineer II

Avery Dennison Corporation; Miamisburg (OH); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & wellness benefits starting on

Paid parental leave

401K eligibility

Paid vacation and holidays

Job summary

Avery Dennison is seeking a Product Development Engineer II, Label Solutions to drive new label innovations, select materials, and work with cross-functional teams to deliver high‑impact products for customers. This role sits at the intersection of materials technology development and digital trigger applications, enabling the IL Enterprise and powering customer futures.

You will lead lab and pilot studies, translate Voice-of-Customer into technical requirements, partner with NPD and suppliers,

Qualifications

• Degree in Chemical Engineering or similar field.
• 3-4+ years of industrial NPD and performance testing experience.
• Knowledge of materials science, adhesives, coatings, inks, and packaging.
• Experience with Stage Gate process and project management.
• Ability to design test methods and work in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop labels by selecting materials, adhesives, coatings, and inks to meet requirements.
• Lead lab and pilot-scale research for technical solutions.
• Support introduction of new labels into production and solve issues.
• Collaborate with NPD teams and global product leaders; translate VOC to technical requirements.
• Plan and manage milestones through a stage-gate process.
• Provide technical support to sales, marketing, quality, and operations.
• Work with suppliers to identify correct materials and conduct supplier visits.
• Conduct experimental studies and communicate results with data.
• Ensure adherence to EHS standards and sustainability goals.

Skills

Materials science knowledge

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Effective communication

Education

Degree in Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, Chemistry, Materials Science, Organic Chemistry, or related field

Tools

Stage Gate process

Lab-scale testing equipment

Job description

• Full-time

Company Description

Avery Dennison Corporation (NYSE: AVY) is a global materials science and digital identification solutions company. We are Making Possible™ products and solutions that help advance the industries we serve, providing branding and information solutions that optimize labor and supply chain efficiency, reduce waste and mitigate loss, advance sustainability, circularity and transparency and better connect brands and consumers. We design and develop labeling and functional materials, radio-frequency identification (RFID) inlays and tags, software applications that connect the physical and digital and offerings that enhance branded packaging and carry or display information that improves the customer experience. Serving industries worldwide — including home and personal care, apparel, general retail, e-commerce, logistics, food and grocery, pharmaceuticals and automotive — we employ approximately 35,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Our reported sales in 2025 were $8.9 billion. Learn more at www.averydennison.com .

At Avery Dennison, some of the great benefits we provide are:

• Health & wellness benefits starting on day 1 of employment
• Paid parental leave
• 401K eligibility
• Employee Assistance Program eligibility / Health Advocate
• Paid vacation and paid holidays

Job Description

Avery Dennison is strengthening our dedication to disruptive technologies and solutions development. We are seeking a Product Development Engineer II, Label Solutions who will model passion and determination to a new product innovation organization, participate in cross-functional teams, and with dedication, drive their projects to meet business needs for incremental revenue, cost reduction, business continuity, and quality in a leading company where individual and team success are recognized and rewarded. The Product Development Engineer II will create market opportunities by harnessing all their technical and problem-solving skills while combining them with creative experimentation to arrive at novel label solutions. This role sits at an exciting intersection of materials technology development and digital trigger technology application that enables the IL Enterprise and will power our customer’s futures.

Primary Responsibilities:

Develop labels by selection of materials, adhesives, coatings, and inks to meet end use application requirements, printer compatibility requirements, and manufacturability targets; lead, plan, and execute laboratory and pilot scale research for the development of technical solutions that deliver the needed characteristics; translate needed characteristics into technical deliverables

Support the introduction of new labels and supplies into production and provide technical expertise to solve production issues; replicate manufacturing scenarios on a lab scale, support manufacturing and scale up

Research adjacencies and related disruptive technologies to imagine and discover new solution components

Possess and develop broad base of knowledge in labels technology ecosystem including RFID, thermal printers, and IoT devices

Conduct technical comparisons of Avery Dennison products vs. competitive products

Collaborate closely with local NPD (new product development) team and globally with product development leaders and validate Voice-of-Customer to commercialize products with superior performance

Translates Voice-of-Customer to technical requirements after careful consideration of all known facts

Lead the technical development planning and milestones as an input to NPD projects through a stage gate process; work collaboratively with a cross functional team and guide decisions based on technical conclusions

Effectively manage projects to drive deliverables towards meeting milestones and in fast-developing timetables

Provide technical support to commercial sales, marketing, quality, operations and other internal stakeholders; answer technical questions and conduct experiments where needed to arrive at appropriate answers

Experiment to determine suitable material substitutions where new materials are required

Possibly represent Avery Dennison as a technical expert in related projects customer meetings and visits

Plan and execute invention disclosure creation to apply for intellectual property

Work with suppliers to identify the correct materials for the desired products; conduct supplier visits; lead raw material components expertise development

Conduct experimental studies, communicate scientific approaches, convey results with data in technical reports

Contribute and adhere to EHS standards and policies and connect to Avery Dennison’s 2026 Sustainability Goals

Qualifications

Degree in Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, Chemistry, Material Science, Organic Chemistry, or a comparable field

3-4+ years industrial experience in new product development and in performance testing for various applications

Knowledge of materials science, paper materials, adhesives, coatings, inks, food packaging, flexo printing

Experience with component solutions development and testing; device compatibility studies

Experience with Stage Gate process and good project management skills

Ability to create analogous and novel test methods to simulate real world environments in the lab

Demonstrates agility in experimentation and adapts in a fast paced environment to iterate and discover solutions

Outstanding team player who actively communicates, supports, and drives towards team success

Takes ownership, leans in towards continuous learning, and open-minded curiosity

Able to characterize label material properties (both chemical and physical) and interpret results from testing instruments.

Experience working with many different functions within company while translating technical details

Self-directed with the ability to manage multiple projects at one time with high accuracy and attention to detail

Able to work with scale-up, manufacturing, and quality engineering team to scale and launch products in plant

Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with ability to communicate and influence all levels of the organization effectively

Travel availability up to 10% of time

Additional Information

Equal Opportunity Employer

Avery Dennison is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected status.

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Pre-employment Screening Notice

As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and productive work environment, Avery Dennison requires all final candidates to successfully complete a comprehensive background check and a drug screening. These checks are conducted post-offer and are a condition of employment. All results will be considered in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws.