PhD Polymer Scientist

Responsibilities

**Please note – This posting is for recent or upcoming PhD graduates to join our team in 2027. PhD graduation date must be in 2026 or anticipated graduation in 2027**

Eastman Chemical Company is seeking a recent 2026 or upcoming 2027 PhD graduate Polymer Chemist/Scientist with an experimental focus to join the Technology organization in Kingsport, Tennessee. As a member of a high-performing team, this individual will be responsible for developing innovative and sustainable solutions for new and existing processes and products. The selected candidate will work closely with a team of scientists, engineers and technicians at the lab, pilot and/or commercial scale to meet market demands.

Job Duties/Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with partner functions, such as applications R&D, manufacturing, marketing and business partners to understand customer needs and provide commercially viable technical solutions.
• Work in a fast-paced, results-oriented team environment to reduce application fitness-for-use criteria to fundamental polymer characteristics leading to design, preparation, and assessment of novel polymer compositions & architectures.
• Develop research plans and design experiments to prepare, characterize and evaluate polymers according to company’s timetable and translate into detailed technical work plans for safe and effective execution of process chemistry or new product or application development
• Elucidate and recommend process conditions and parameters for successful scale-up and manufacturing of new and existing polymer compositions.
• Anticipate technical difficulties and develop creative solutions
• Write patents, technical market support literature, technical presentations, and publications, including internal research for publication, and provide support/liaison for external research conducted in line with the organization’s research strategy
• Prepare and present written and oral reports to communicate with production, marketing, sales, and related functions
• Work in and lead multidisciplinary teams to execute on technical projects, including directing the work of technicians

Qualifications

• Required Degree: Ph.D. in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Polymer Chemistry, Macromolecular Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
• Safe execution of all laboratory processes with demonstrated ability to effectively identify hazards associated with chemistries being explored and take appropriate actions
• Demonstrated practical knowledge of polymer synthesis /mechanisms in organic chemistry or polymer engineering, and laboratory experimentation techniques.
• Effective working knowledge of structure - property relationships and polymer characterization techniques.
• General working knowledge of applications, processing methods, formulations and additives for engineering plastics, films, coatings and adhesives.
• Knowledge of physical properties, especially mechanical properties of polymeric materials
• Demonstrated creativity and desire to solve challenging and complex problems with hands-on approach
• Passion for understanding the fundamental aspects of complex chemistries and processes.
• Ability to lead and contribute as a member of multidisciplinary teams
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to distill data and effectively present key messages across the technical enterprise, as well as various groups such as marketing, manufacturing, regulatory, QA/QC, supply chain, customer service, sales and external customers and suppliers.
• Strong organizational/time management skills and ability to prioritize.
• Injection molding or extrusion experience preferred but not required.