Senior Scientist – Product Development

DuPont Group; Richmond, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

DuPont seeks visionary leaders to drive Tyvek® product development, partnering with cross-functional teams to turn material science into market-ready innovations. The role requires translating science into business value, guiding experiments, and coordinating commercialization through manufacturing and engineering collaborations.

The ideal candidate will have a PhD or Master’s in a technical discipline, strong communication skills, and a track record of leading development programs in an

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical discipline.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute product innovation programs that strengthen the value proposition and market position of Tyvek® products.
• Partner with Marketing, Product Management, Application Development, Manufacturing, and Engineering teams to identify growth opportunities.
• Translate manufacturing capabilities into differentiated product features and customer value propositions.
• Develop deep mechanistic understanding of material structure, processing conditions, and product performance.
• Design and drive experimental programs involving flash-spinning tech, polymers, additives, and advanced material systems.
• Lead scale-up and commercialization efforts across manufacturing and engineering teams.

Skills

Product development leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Strong communication

Customer focus

Education

PhD or Master’s in Chemistry/Polymer Science/Materials Science/Chemical Engineering/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Statistical experimentation

Intellectual property development

Job description

At DuPont, our purpose is to empower the world with essential innovations to thrive. We work on things that matter. Whether it’s providing clean water to more than a billion people on the planet, producing materials that are essential in everyday technology devices from smartphones to electric vehicles, or protecting workers around the world. Discover the many reasons the world’s most talented people are choosing to work at DuPont.

Why Join Us

The Tyvek® business within Healthcare & Water Technologies is a global leader in advanced materials, serving healthcare packaging, personal protective equipment, and a broad range of consumer and industrial applications. Through the trusted Tyvek® brand, we help protect critical products, enable innovation, and improve safety worldwide.

How You’ll Make an Impact

• Lead and execute product innovation programs that strengthen the technical value proposition and market position of Tyvek® products.
• Serve as a product technology leader, partnering with Marketing, Product Management, Application Development, Manufacturing, and Engineering teams to identify growth opportunities and develop market participation strategies.
• Translate manufacturing process capabilities into differentiated product features and customer value propositions.
• Develop deep mechanistic understanding of the relationship between material structure, processing conditions, and product performance.
• Design and drive experimental programs involving flash-spinning technology, polymers, additives, and advanced material systems to support new product development.
• Advance laboratory, pilot-scale, and manufacturing capabilities that accelerate innovation and commercialization.
• Apply scientific and engineering principles to solve complex technical challenges and enable data-driven business decisions.
• Lead scale-up and commercialization efforts, working across manufacturing and engineering organizations to successfully launch new products and technologies.
• Build, protect, and leverage intellectual property portfolios that support strategic business objectives.
• Monitor competitive, regulatory, and technology trends and shape proactive technical strategies that position Tyvek® for future growth.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with customers, suppliers, external research partners, and industry experts.
• Coach and mentor scientists and engineers, fostering technical excellence and helping build organizational capability.

What We’re Looking For

Required Qualifications

• PhD or Master's degree in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Demonstrated experience leading product development, technology development, or commercialization programs in an industrial environment.
• Strong ability to connect scientific understanding with business and customer needs.
• Experience influencing cross-functional teams and driving results through collaboration.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience spanning product development, manufacturing, process scale-up, technical service, regulatory, quality, or commercial-facing technical roles.
• Expertise in several of the following areas: product development, polymer processing, materials science, process scale-up, intellectual property development, quality systems, regulatory compliance, project leadership, or statistical experimentation.
• Experience engaging directly with customers and translating market needs into technical solutions.
• Knowledge of nonwoven materials, membrane technologies, selective barrier materials, or related applications.
• Experience leading technology commercialization and manufacturing implementation efforts.
• Demonstrated track record of intellectual property generation, innovation leadership, and technology strategy development.
• German language capabilities are a plus.

Additional Information

Travel up to 25% may be required based on business and project needs.

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DuPont offers a comprehensive pay and benefits package. To learn more visit the Compensation and Benefits page.

DuPont is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected class. If you need a reasonable accommodation to search or apply for a position, please visit our Accessibility Page for Contact Information.

DuPont is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected class. If you need a reasonable accommodation to search or apply for a position, please visit our Accessibility Page for Contact Information.