Applications Dev Engineer - Temporary role Textiles EMEA

The Role

This is a temporary Brand & Application Development position supporting the Naia™ platform within Eastman’s Fibers business. The role focuses on Naia™ filament and staple products for the textile industry and supports the development of applications and business opportunities with brands, mills, and internal partners.

The position reports to the Group Leader, Textile Technical Service, based in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA, and is part of a global team. The successful candidate will work closely with commercial, marketing, technical, and external partners across the textile value chain.

Responsibilities

• Support the commercial team in identifying and developing new business opportunities for Naia™ products.

• Assist with technical and design discussions with brands and mills, helping identify relevant product benefits and value propositions.

• Monitor textile, fashion, color, and material trends and support the preparation of design, trend, and seasonal concepts for customer presentations.

• Help translate design concepts into practical fabric constructions by working with mills and internal technical teams.

• Support the development of targeted fabric collections that demonstrate the performance, aesthetic, and sustainability benefits of Naia™ products.

• Apply developing knowledge of fiber properties, yarn blends, fabric designs, and fabric constructions to evaluate technical suitability and fitness for use.

• Collaborate with technical, commercial, marketing, and product development teams to identify opportunities and support ongoing projects.

• Gather information about customer needs, competitive products, market trends, and potential application areas, and share findings with the team.

• Build and maintain positive working relationships with textile mills, brands, suppliers, and internal stakeholders through regular technical and design interactions.

• Develop an understanding of brand positioning, pricing tiers, target customer segments, and regional market requirements.

• Support marketing activities, including trade shows, customer meetings, technical presentations, and the preparation of design and product materials.

• Help manage fabric libraries, including seasonal updates, organization, rotation, and archiving.

• Develop working knowledge of knitting, weaving, dyeing, finishing, and garment manufacturing processes.

• Attend relevant textile exhibitions and trade shows to build industry knowledge and stay informed about innovations and market trends.

• Provide technical and design support to internal functions by sharing information about fabric needs, textile applications, and market opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in textile design, fashion design, textile engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, textile chemistry, textile technology, or a related field is required. A master’s degree is a plus.
• Previous experience, internship, academic project, or practical training in textiles, apparel, fibers, materials, design, or a related field is preferred. Candidates with approximately one to three years of relevant industry experience are encouraged to apply.
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 20% to 30%, primarily within the EMEA region.
• Exposure to regional or international apparel brands is preferred.
• Exposure to textile mills, apparel sourcing, or textile manufacturing is preferred.
• Basic understanding of fabric design, fabric construction, yarns, fibers, and textile applications.
• Familiarity with knitting, weaving, dyeing, finishing, or garment manufacturing processes is beneficial.
• Customer engagement, presentation, or project experience is preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to organize and support short-term and long-term projects while working with cross-functional teams.
• Interest in marketing, commercial development, fashion, textiles, and consumer trends.
• Self-motivated, curious, and willing to learn new technical and commercial concepts.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a diverse, global team.
• Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills with internal and external partners.