Research Engineer – Transportation

Yoh,-A-Day-; Cuyahoga Falls (OH); On-site; USD 98,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Prescription, Dental & Vision

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Life & Disability Insurance

MetLife Voluntary Benefits

Employee Assistance Program

401K Retirement Savings Plan

Direct Deposit & weekly pay

Referral Bonus Programs

Certification and training

Job summary

Yoh, a Day & Zimmermann company, seeks a Research Engineer – Transportation to advance thermoplastic compounds from concept to market. This onsite role partners with customers and cross-functional teams to deliver production-ready polymer solutions for North American transportation segments.

Qualified candidates bring 5+ years in developing and commercializing thermoplastic polymers, hands-on processing, and strong DOE/data analytics skills.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience developing and commercializing thermoplastic polymer compounds/masterbatches for transportation markets.
• Hands-on polymer processing, compounding, and formulation development.
• Ability to support R&D from concept through commercialization, including scale-up.
• DOE, statistical analysis, and data-driven product development experience.
• Strong communication, presentation, and cross-functional collaboration; lead projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead development programs from concept through scale-up and commercialization.
• Collaborate with customers and cross-functional teams to deliver production-ready solutions.
• Drive timelines, deliverables, and quality in transportation materials.

Skills

Thermoplastic compounds

Masterbatches

R&D to commercialization

Polymer processing

Thermoplastics manufacturing

DOE & data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Project leadership

Communication skills

Education

M.S. preferred in Polymer Science or related field

Bachelor’s degree with strong hands-on industry experience

Ph.D. or advanced degree valued

Tools

Twin-screw extrusion

Job description

Location Cuyahoga Falls, United States Sector Engineering

Research Engineer – Transportation (Thermoplastics & Product Commercialization)

Join a collaborative, highly technical team focused on bringing next-generation polymer-based materials to market across North American transportation segments. In this role, you’ll lead development programs that take thermoplastic compounds and masterbatches from concept through scale-up and commercialization- partnering closely with customers and cross-functional teams to solve real performance challenges and deliver differentiated, production-ready solutions. This is a fully onsite position, with the opportunity to make a direct impact on strategic growth priorities in transportation markets.

Required Skills

• Proven experience developing and commercializing thermoplastic polymer-based compounds and/or masterbatches (aerospace high-performance polymer development experience is also relevant)
• Ability to support R&D from concept development through commercialization, including scale-up and manufacturing support
• Strong hands-on knowledge of polymer processing, compounding, and formulation development
• Understanding of thermoplastics manufacturing processes and automation
• Working knowledge of DOE (Design of Experiments), statistical analysis, and data-driven product development
• Strong communication, presentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills (internal teams and customers)
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects and drive timelines, deliverables, and quality expectations

Nice to Have Skills

• Experience with engineering thermoplastics, polyolefins, and twin-screw extrusion
• Background in transportation material qualification
• Familiarity with automotive and/or aerospace OEM specifications
• Experience with weatherable materials, flame-retardant systems, and/or color-critical applications
• Exposure to stage-gate or structured innovation/product development systems
• Interest or experience integrating sustainability targets (e.g., recyclability, bio-based content, durability)

Preferred Education and Experience

• M.S. preferred in Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related field (Ph.D. or advanced degree also valued)
• Bachelor’s degree considered with strong, hands-on industry experience
• 5+ years of experience developing and commercializing thermoplastic polymer compounds/masterbatches for transportation markets (e.g., automotive, aerospace, defense, recreational, utility vehicles)

Bring your formulation expertise and commercialization mindset to a role built for real ownership—help deliver the next wave of transportation materials from lab to market.

Estimated Min Rate: $98000.00

Estimated Max Rate: $140000.00

What’s In It for You?

Benefit eligibility is in accordance with applicable laws and client requirements.

• Medical, Prescription, Dental & Vision Benefits (for employees working 20+ hours per week)
• Health Savings Account (HSA) (for employees working 20+ hours per week)
• Life & Disability Insurance (for employees working 20+ hours per week)
• MetLife Voluntary Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 401K Retirement Savings Plan
• Direct Deposit & weekly epayroll
• Referral Bonus Programs
• Certification and training opportunities

Note: Any pay ranges displayed are estimations. Actual pay is determined by an applicant's experience, technical expertise, and other qualifications as listed in the job description.

Yoh, a Day & Zimmermann company, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Visit https://www.yoh.com/applicants-with-disabilities to contact us if you are an individual with a disability and require accommodation in the application process.

For California applicants, qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. All of the material job duties described in this posting are job duties for which a criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

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