R&D Material Development Chemist - Rubber Material

Working at Freudenberg: "We will wow your world!" This is our promise. As a global technology group, we not only make the world cleaner, healthier and more comfortable, but also offer our 52,000 employees a networked and diverse environment where everyone can thrive individually. Be surprised and experience your own wow moments.

We at Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies run the business operations of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies (FST) in the Americas. Being part of the global Freudenberg Group, our company is a leading producer of advanced sealing technologies for automotive and general industries. Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies is a joint venture between Freudenberg and NOK Corp. in Japan, is headquartered in Plymouth, MI, operates more than 20 facilities and employs about 4,700 people across the Americas.

Some of your Benefits

401K Match: Save for retirement with the company's help.

Health Insurance: Rely on comprehensive services whenever you need it.

Vacation: We offer time off to refresh and recharge.

Paid Holidays: With paid-time off, local holidays are all the way more relaxing.

Personal Development: We offer a variety of trainings to ensure you can develop in your career.

Plymouth, MI

On-Site

Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership

You support our team as

R&D Material Development Chemist - Rubber Material

Responsibilities

• Design, formulate, and test elastomer and polymer compounds through hands-on work with mixing, molding, and processing equipment.
• Spend significant time in the lab physically running batches, adjusting formulations, and evaluating material performance in real time.
• Partner directly with manufacturing teams to troubleshoot molding and mixing issues on the floor, driving scrap reduction and process improvements.
• Lead multiple material development projects, taking ownership from formulation through production implementation.
• Apply DOE and practical problem-solving methods to refine compounds and resolve production challenges.
• Work with suppliers to evaluate new raw materials and bring new technologies into active testing and development.
• Maintain a safe, organized lab environment and ensure accurate documentation of experiments, results, and development plans.
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical field.
• 2 years of hands-on experience in polymer, elastomer, rubber, or materials development (strong internships/co-ops considered).
• Demonstrated experience working directly with mixing, molding, extrusion, or similar processing equipment—not just theoretical or simulation-based work.
• Comfortable working in a lab and manufacturing environment, including standing, lifting, and actively running experiments.
• Experience with formulation and compounding, with an understanding of how materials behave during processing.
• Familiarity with DOE, Six Sigma, or structured problem-solving approaches.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate closely with operators, engineers, and technicians.
  
  

The Freudenberg Group is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion. Employment opportunities are available to all applicants and associates without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, genetic information, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.