Chemical Engineer

Position Summary

Supports and works closely with Sr. Materials Manager in the development of new outsole, midsole, and sockliner formulas, reviewing and making necessary formula updates or changes, and through regular process and quality audits, helps ensure factory partners are making and delivering cost-competitive sole materials according to established lead times and could meet quality testing requirements. Continuously reviews factory partners capacity and efficiency to early identify possible supply constraints and to timely suggest alternate suppliers as needed.

Responsibilities

• Supervises and closely works with factory partners the development of new formulas and making formula updates or changes and ensures that progress & results are properly communicated to all concerned teams or people

• Ensures smooth transition of newly developed formulas and processes from development to production stage through closely coordinated confirmation or production trials and laboratory testings

• Reviews existing sole materials or compounds and continuously searches on possible material or chemical substitutes that could give comparative quality at a lower cost

• Carries out regular process audits to ensure that manufacturing SOPs and best practices are being followed by factory partners and communicates issues or problems to all concerned department/people making sure proper and prompt execution of action plans is taken

• Regularly reviews quality, production capacity, output, and efficiency of factory partners and their reliability in delivering on time and of-right-quality sole products and suggests recommended course of action in case necessary

• In-charge of tracking, checking and ensuring all outsole, midsole, and sockliner materials meet RSL requirement and free of any hazardous or banned chemicals

• Research sustainable, eco-friendly materials and identify suggestions

• Coordinates and monitors necessary tests to ensure all new material development meet testing standards

• Supports headquarter’s material team with outsoles, midsoles, or sockliners-related information requests, physical samples, etc. and providing any technical support as needed

Education/Credentials

• College or University degree, major in Chemical Engineering or Chemistry

Minimum Years of Experience

• 3 years working experience at footwear factory or shoe material suppliers/ vendors is preferable.

Required Knowledge, Skills or Abilities

• Spoken and written English

• Strong communication internally with in Asia team and with headquarters team in Newton, MA USA and externally with material suppliers and factories

• Experience and knowledge on rubber, EVA, PU sole formulas and processes as well as adhesives is preferable

• Microsoft Office – Intermediate excel skills, email, word etc

• Team player, results and detail oriented

• Experience with PLM – Enovia or PTC is preferable