Product Developer

Role details

Specialty Engineered Materials | Greenville, NC At Avient, our people power our performance. As a Product Developer , you turn customer and market needs into robust, manufacturable products, taking them from ideation and feasibility through development, scale-up, validation, and handover to the business. One week you may be developing a new product concept with a customer. The next, you may run a production trial, solve a manufacturing challenge, validate performance, or prepare a commercial launch. You will work directly with operators, engineers, scientists, suppliers, customers, and business stakeholders across a global organization.

What You'll Do

Own new and improved Dyneema® Composite Fabric developments from concept through commercial launch Translate customer and market needs into clear product requirements and practical development plans Plan, execute, and interpret trials on production equipment, working hands-on with operators and engineers Scale products from lab or pilot stage to robust, reproducible commercial production Define product and process specifications and support a disciplined handover to manufacturing and the running business Develop test plans and evaluate whether products meet application and customer performance requirements Engage directly with customers, support product evaluations, and translate feedback into improvements Coordinate cross-functional work involving manufacturing, technology development, quality, sourcing, and commercial teams Support complex production troubleshooting beyond routine operational support Identify innovation and intellectual property opportunities and contribute to patent activities Work safely and consistently follow applicable SHE and company requirements, especially during plant trials What You Bring Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD degree in engineering, materials science, chemistry, physics, or a related technical field 3-7 years of experience in product development, manufacturing, engineering, process development, technical consulting, or applied R&D A demonstrated record of taking ownership and delivering meaningful results Strong analytical, conceptual, and practical problem-solving ability Clear communication and effective stakeholder management skills Strong personal drive, initiative, and ambition to make a visible impact An ownership mindset: you identify what is needed, take action, communicate proactively, and follow through Curiosity and learning agility, with the ability to build expertise quickly in unfamiliar areas Structured problem solving, sound judgment, and comfort making progress with incomplete information Resilience when experiments, trials, or projects do not go as planned A hands-on and pragmatic approach: you want to make things work, not stop at theory Confidence working with customers and colleagues at different levels, functions, and locations The ability to balance technical rigor with speed, practicality, and business priorities A collaborative style combined with the willingness to challenge assumptions constructively Preferred, Not Essential Experience in manufacturing, scale-up, product development, or process improvement Experience planning or executing trials on production equipment Experience working directly with customers or translating application needs into technical requirements Knowledge of composites, polymers, textiles, or advanced materials Familiarity with statistics, experimental design, or data analysis Experience leading cross-functional projects across multiple sites or functions Responsibility and Decision-Making Propose and execute product development projects, including required investments Plan and execute development trials Engage suppliers for critical raw materials and new equipment, coordinating with sourcing and technology teams Initiate and support new patent work Why Avient • Visible impact across multiple sites and businesses • Strong partnership with business and enterprise leadership • Opportunity to lead change • Growth-focused culture that values innovation, collaboration, and accountability #CA-KV