Application Development Specialist - Pergormance Building Solutions R&D (m/f)

DuPont's Performance Building Solutions (PBS) business is a global leader in value-added building envelope solutions for the building and construction
industry. PBS brings together trusted, market leading brands such as Tyvek®, AirGuard® and Insta Stik™ into one customer focused portfolio. PBS is an
active leader in advancing building science, developing solutions to improve construction productivity and fostering the use of more sustainable and
resilient building materials and practices.
The global PBS Applications Development R&D team is a diverse, collaborative and dynamic group of technical professionals including engineers,
architects, code compliance specialists, project leaders and building scientists. This team leverages customer and market influencer feedback to drive the
innovation pipeline, guide new product development, and deliver advanced technical support for existing products. The Applications Development R&D
team plays a key role in developing and executing test plans to expand viable applications for existing products, to qualify new products and to
demonstrate products meet building code requirements. The team works in close partnership with strategic marketing, field marketing/sales, product
management, the Building Knowledge Center (BKC), and manufacturing technology.
This Application Development Specialist role involves serving as a project technical lead and/or as one of several technical team members to optimize
existing products (e.g. cost out opportunities, raw material changes, etc.), develop line extensions and create and commercialize novel new products. The
Application Development Specialist constructs test plans, executes the test plans in partnership with labs, analyzes test results and communicates
recommendations. Testing may be conducted in internal labs or coordinated through external third-party labs. In addition, this role often involves
collecting voice of the customer data to shape CTQs (critical to quality), supporting contract manufacturing trials and helping design and collect installer
data from market pilot field trials.
The Application Development Specialist must have strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to process and effectively
communicate both technical and business information across a spectrum of stakeholders. The ability to prioritize work in alignment with business needs
is critical to success. A strong customer mindset and the ability to communicate up and across the organization are essential.
This position is based at DuPont's Luxembourg. A significant percentage of this role is aligned with membrane products and accessories for the building
envelope. Travel is expected to be < 20 %.
Key Responsibilities
Generate new product ideas and champion initiatives:
- Connect VOC data, a working knowledge of the building & construction industry and technology to propose and develop novel solutions to unmet
needs
- Identify opportunities to produce products more efficiently
- Generate concepts that offer IP protected solutions.
Lead and/or be a technical team member on projects, working to advance the project(s) through a stage gate process. Including:
- Partnering productively as needed with experienced scientists and engineers to address complex problems.
- Accessing project risks and developing testing plans to effectively de-risk projects.
- Communicate results, insights and project progress through clear oral and written presentations to technical teams, management and business
leadership.
- Coordinating testing with internal and external laboratories, including analytical testing.
Use the scientific method to develop solutions. PBS R&D practices are centered on securing evidence to support or disprove technical hypotheses, with a
strong emphasis on formally documenting experimental work and results in a timely manner in internal technical reports, patent disclosures and external
publications as appropriate.
Work effectively both independently and as part of cross-functional project teams.
Practice the highest level of commitment to safety.
Qualifications
This role requires:
- Fluency in English
- B.S. Degree in a technical field (engineering, chemistry, material science, etc.)
- Demonstrated understanding of the scientific method
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Strong multi-tasking, time management and organization skills
- Demonstrated ability to lead technical projects and/or initiatives
- Proven ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary team environments
- Demonstrated initiative and delivery against defined goals in work environments with minimal management daily oversight
Additional preferred qualifications
- Fluency in German and/or French
- Experience with Tyvek® technology
- Familiarity with building science, EMEA construction practices and the building & construction industry.
- Exposure to fire testing and building code requirements for buildng envelop products.
- Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt
- Advanced Degree (e.g. MS, PhD) in a technical field
- Solid related work experience