Technical Leader - Packaging

Eastman; Kingsport, Northern (TN, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Eastman is seeking a Senior Technical Leader for its Specialty Plastics business, focusing on extrusion and thermoforming applications in medical/healthcare, consumer goods, food packaging and civil construction markets. You will drive technology adoption, enable commercialization, and partner across Sales, Marketing, R&D, Manufacturing and Quality teams.

The role requires advanced degree with 15+ years of industry experience in polymers, plastics and application development.

Qualifications

• Experience with extrusion and thermoforming processes.
• Proven ability to lead technical teams and drive commercialization.
• Strong collaboration with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, R&D and Manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical leader for extrusion and thermoforming in Specialty Plastics segments.
• Support global/regional strategies through application-focused leadership and customer engagement.
• Develop and maintain deep technical relationships with OEMs, brand owners and processors.
• Collaborate with commercial teams to differentiate products via technical value creation.
• Identify market trends and opportunities to support growth.

Skills

Extrusion & thermoforming

Technical leadership

Customer engagement

DOE

Problem solving

Education

PhD or Master’s degree in Materials Science or Engineering

Job description

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Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive company, Eastman employs approximately 13,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2025 revenue of approximately $8.8 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit www.eastman.com .

Description

The Technical Leader serves as the primary technical authority supporting global and regional business strategies for Eastman’s Specialty Plastics business, with a strong focus on extruded and thermoformed applications across plastic packaging markets including medical/healthcare packaging, consumer goods packaging, food packaging, and civil construction etc. This role is responsible for driving technology adoption, enabling commercialization, supporting strategic growth initiatives, and delivering world‑class technical service and development across the value chain.

The leader develops and maintains deep technical relationships with downstream customers and industry partners while collaborating closely with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, R&D, Manufacturing, and Quality organizations. Through advanced expertise in polymer science, extrusion & thermoforming process, application development, and commercialization, this role helps accelerate innovation launches, protect existing business, identify new growth opportunities, and strengthen Eastman’s market position.

Responsibilities

Technology Leadership and Business Development

• Serve as the technical leader for extrusion and thermoforming applications within the Specialty Plastics business, with emphasis on ridge and flexible plastic packaging in medical/healthcare packaging, consumer goods packaging, food packaging, and civil construction etc. markets.
• Support execution of global and regional business strategies through application-focused technology leadership and customer engagement.
• Develop and maintain strong technical relationships across the value chain, including OEMs, brand owners, extruders, thermoformers, converters, and industry influencers.
• Partner with commercial teams to position Eastman’s technologies and differentiate product offerings through application expertise and technical value creation.
• Identify emerging market trends, unmet customer needs, application drivers, and technology opportunities to support future business growth.

Customer Engagement and Commercialization

• Engage proactively with customers to drive solution adoption and accelerate commercialization opportunities.
• Support opportunity management processes by prioritizing, tracking, and advancing new business, growth, and protect opportunities.
• Utilize consultative selling and value-based communication techniques to effectively demonstrate technical and commercial benefits.
• Translate customer requirements into actionable development activities that enable business growth and market expansion.

Technical Problem Solving and Development

• Serve as the subject matter expert in Extrusion & Thermoforming processes and polymer application development.
• Lead resolution of complex technical challenges involving product performance, processing, application failures, and customer concerns.
• Conduct root cause investigations, failure analyses, process optimization activities, and implementation support to ensure sustainable solutions.
• Design, execute, and interpret laboratory, pilot, and field validation trials to support product adoption and commercialization.
• Translate technical findings into scalable recommendations, specifications, and best practices that improve customer success.

Industry Leadership and External Engagement

• Represent Eastman as a senior technical expert during customer visits, audits, technical reviews, and commercialization discussions.
• Deliver customer training programs, technical seminars, conference presentations, and industry workshops.
• Develop and maintain strong external networks that enhance Eastman’s technical reputation and market influence.

Qualifications

Education Requirements:

• B.S. with 15+ years of relevant industry experience. PhD or Master’s degree and 10+ years industry experience strongly preferred. Degree must be in Materials Science or Engineering, Polymer Science and/or Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or a closely related field.

Experience Requirements:

• Extensive experience with extrusion & thermoforming processes, processing optimization, and commercialization of products. Medical packaging and consumer goods packaging application experience is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise in polymers, plastics, material selection, and application development within commercial markets.
• Experience with Design of Experiments (DOE), structured problem solving, root cause analysis, and technical troubleshooting methodologies