Application Scientist Coatings & Inks

This is the role

•    Senior technical lead for water based coatings and inks across the EMEA region with primary responsibility for EU customers, regulations and market development.
•    Drive product development, scale up and application science for industrial and decorative water based systems; act as the principal technical resource for customers, sales and internal stakeholders.
•    Champion materials science driven solutions that accelerate commercialization and adoption of Eastman water based technologies.

This postion is based in the Eastman European Technolgy Center in Ghent - Zwijnaarde (Belgium) and requires regular on-site presence.

Key responsibilities are

Product development & scale up
o    Lead formulation development of water borne resins, pigment dispersions and full-system coatings/inks for industrial and decorative applications.
o    Plan and execute lab to pilot scale transfers; ensure reproducible manufacturing and commercial readiness.
o    Use DoE and data driven approaches to optimize performance, cost and sustainability metrics.
•    Application science & testing
o    Design and run application specific test programs: rheology, film formation, drying/cure kinetics, adhesion, hardness, chemical/abrasion resistance, gloss, color/opacity, weathering.
o    Correlate laboratory metrics with real world performance on substrates and processes common in EMEA/EU markets.
Customer engagement & technical leadership
o    Serve as senior technical contact for key accounts across EMEA (EU focus): run customer trials, on site troubleshooting, specification support and pilot plant activities.
o    Translate customer requirements into technical proposals, sample programs and commercialization plans.
Cross functional collaboration
o    Work closely with Sales, Product Management, Regulatory, Quality and Manufacturing to shape product roadmaps and ensure compliance with EU regulations (e.g., VOC limits, biocide rules, CLP/REACH considerations).
o    Provide technical input to marketing, tender responses and commercial contracts.
•    Documentation, training & knowledge transfer
o    Produce clear technical reports, specification sheets, application guides and training materials tailored for internal teams and customers.
o    Deliver technical workshops and training across regions and support sales enablement.
•    Continuous improvement & innovation
o    Identify opportunities for cost reduction, sustainability improvements and IP generation.
o    Standardize test methods, improve lab workflows and implement best practices for reproducibility and safety.

This is what you bring

•    Degree in Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or closely related discipline; advanced degree (MSc/PhD) preferred.
•    Minimum 5 years hands on product development experience with water based coatings and/or inks for industrial and decorative markets.
•    Proven track record of formulation development, pilot scale up and successful customer trials/commercialization.
•    Strong materials science understanding of film formation, polymer substrate interactions and colloidal systems.
•    Practical experience with key characterization techniques: rheology, particle sizing, gloss, adhesion, hardness, accelerated weathering, and dry/cure monitoring.
•    Prior experience supporting EU customers and familiarity with EU regulatory landscape (VOC, REACH, CLP, biocide/ preservative constraints).
•    Excellent problem solving, root cause analysis and experimental design (DoE/statistics).
•    Strong verbal and written communication; ability to present technical content to diverse audiences.
•    Commercial awareness and ability to translate technical outcomes into customer value and business opportunities.
•    Project management skills; ability to lead cross functional, multi site projects.
•    Comfortable with travel across EMEA (typical 30–50%, flexible based on business needs).
•    Multilingual: English required; proficiency in one or more European languages (Dutch, French, German, Spanish or Italian) highly desirable.
•    Familiarity with sustainability drivers (low VOC, bio based content, circularity) is an advantage.

Why choose Eastman?

It’s about growth and your long-term success. At Eastman, your career path can take many routes—each offering growth opportunities, competitive salary and benefits, and a globally growing work environment. Eastman fosters a culture of diversity steeped in teamwork and employee involvement, a place where dedicated individuals turn great ideas into materials that make a difference in everyday life. We support and encourage one another and believe that leveraging diversity in our thoughts and experiences allows us to excel in business.