R&D/PRODUCT DVL TECHNICIAN III

TE Connectivity; Fremont (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 93,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k)

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Employee stock purchase plan

Paid time off

Voluntary benefits

Job summary

TE Connectivity in Fremont, CA is seeking a hands-on Plastics Processing & Materials Development Technician to support development, evaluation, and scale-up of polymer materials and processing technologies. You will collaborate with materials development and processing teams to run material trials, operate processing equipment, prepare samples, and document results.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years in plastics processing or related lab work, strong mechanical aptitude, and experience with

Qualifications

• Associate degree or technical certification, or equivalent industrial experience.
• 3+ years hands-on experience in plastics processing, materials testing, manufacturing, or lab development.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and ability to operate manufacturing or laboratory equipment.
• Experience with measurement equipment such as micrometers, calipers, gauges, digital microscope.
• Experience with material testing equipment such as Instron, UL, capillary rheology, etc.
• Basic Microsoft Excel and data-recording skills.
• Willingness to learn new AI documentation protocols.

Responsibilities

• Set up, operate, and troubleshoot plastics processing and laboratory equipment.
• Support extrusion, molding, compounding, and polymer material development activities.
• Prepare, dry, blend, and process polymer materials and experimental formulations.
• Conduct engineering trials and adjust processing parameters.
• Produce prototype samples and test specimens for engineering evaluation.
• Perform basic material and mechanical testing, dimensional measurements, and visual/microscopic inspection.
• Support DOE, material evaluations, process optimization, and root-cause investigations.
• Identify and communicate material and processing abnormalities or defects.
• Accurately document processing conditions, observations, measurements, and test results.
• Maintain development equipment, tooling, materials, and lab areas and follow safety procedures.
• Support evaluation and development of thermoplastic materials, polymer compounds, additives, fillers, colorants, and material formulations

Skills

Mechanical aptitude

Independent worker

Team collaboration

Willingness to learn AI documentation

Education

Associate degree or technical certification

Tools

Instron

UL

Capillary rheology

Micrometers

Calipers

Digital microscope

Job description

At TE, you will unleash your potential working with people from diverse backgrounds and industries to create a safer, sustainable and more connected world.

Job Overview

The Corporate Technology Center (CTC) Materials Process & Design group at TE Connectivity in Fremont, CA invites applicants for a Technician III. TE Connectivity is the home of well-known brands of electric and electronic components with a wide span of applications from automotive to appliance. The CTC Materials Process & Design group plays an integral role within the company through supporting and developing leading edge polymer formulation and manufacturing technologies related to polymeric material and plastics processing innovation. Our team of experts offers tremendous opportunities for innovation and advancement of original knowledge in the field. TE Connectivity is seeking a hands‑on Plastics Processing & Materials Development Technician to support the development, evaluation, and scale‑up of polymer materials and plastics manufacturing processes. This position will collaborate closely with other team members from the material development and processing teams to execute material trials, operate plastics processing equipment, prepare test samples, characterize materials and prototypes, troubleshoot processing issues, and document experimental results. The ideal candidate combines strong mechanical aptitude with practical experience in polymer processing and is comfortable working in a development environment where equipment setups, materials, tooling, and processing conditions may change frequently. The technician will play a vital role in accelerating new material and process development from initial laboratory evaluation through pilot-scale trials and manufacturing implementation.

Job Requirements

• Set up, operate, and troubleshoot plastics processing and laboratory equipment.
• Support extrusion, molding, compounding, and polymer material development activities.
• Prepare, dry, blend, and process polymer materials and experimental formulations.
• Conduct engineering trials and adjust processing parameters such as temperature, screw speed, line speed, pressure, cooling conditions, and material feed rates.
• Produce prototype samples and test specimens for engineering evaluation.
• Perform basic material and mechanical testing, dimensional measurements, and visual/microscopic inspection.
• Support Design of Experiments (DOE), material evaluations, process optimization, and root‑cause investigations.
• Identify and communicate material and processing abnormalities or defects.
• Accurately document processing conditions, observations, measurements, and test results.
• Maintain development equipment, tooling, materials, and laboratory areas and follow applicable safety procedures.
• Support evaluation and development of thermoplastic materials, polymer compounds, additives, fillers, colorants, and material formulations

What Your Background Should Look Like

• Associate degree, technical degree/certification, or equivalent relevant industrial experience.
• 3+ years of hands‑on experience in plastics processing, materials testing, manufacturing, laboratory development, or a related technical environment.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and ability to operate manufacturing or laboratory equipment.
• Experience with measurement equipment such as micrometers, calipers, gauges, digital microscope, and laboratory equipment.
• Experience with material testing equipment such as Instron, UL, capillary rheology, etc.
• Basic Microsoft Excel and data‑recording skills.
• Willingness to learn new AI documentation protocols.
• Ability to follow experimental procedures and work effectively with engineering teams.
• Hands‑on and mechanically inclined with strong troubleshooting skills.
• Detail‑oriented, organized, and comfortable working with experimental processes and equipment.
• Able to work independently while following engineering direction.
• Strong commitment to safety and accurate documentation.
• Demonstrate ability to work within a team environment.
• A strong team player with a positive, proactive, and professional attitude.

Competencies

Values: Integrity, Accountability, Inclusion, Innovation, Teamwork

About Te Connectivity

TE Connectivity plc (NYSE: TEL) is a global industrial technology leader creating a safer, sustainable, productive, and connected future. As a trusted innovation partner, our broad range of connectivity and sensor solutions enable the distribution of power, signal and data to advance next‑generation transportation, energy networks, automated factories, data centers enabling artificial intelligence, and more.

Our more than 90,000 employees, including 10,000 engineers, work alongside customers in approximately 130 countries. In a world that is racing ahead, TE ensures that EVERY CONNECTION COUNTS. Learn more at www.te.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, WeChat, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Compensation

• Competitive base salary commensurate with experience: $74,500 - $93,100 (subject to change dependent on physical location)
• Posted salary ranges are made in good faith. TE Connectivity reserves the right to adjust ranges depending on the experience/qualification of the selected candidate as well as internal and external equity.
• Total Compensation = Base Salary + Incentive(s) + Benefits

Benefits

• A comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, 401(k), disability, life insurance, employee stock purchase plan, paid time off and voluntary benefits.

EOE, Including Disability/Vets

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING RECRUITMENT FRAUD

TE Connectivity has become aware of fraudulent recruitment activities being conducted by individuals or organizations falsely claiming to represent TE Connectivity. Please be advised that TE Connectivity never requests payment or fees from job applicants at any stage of the recruitment process. All legitimate job openings are posted exclusively on our official careers website at te.com/careers, and all email communications from our recruitment team will come only from actual email addresses ending in @te.com. If you receive any suspicious communications, we strongly advise you not to engage or provide any personal information, and to report the incident to your local authorities.