Recycling Process Improvement Engineer

Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables.

As a globally inclusive company, Eastman employs approximately 14,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2024 revenue of approximately $9.4 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information,

Our experts are pioneering the shift to circular materials. Right. Now. We’re revolutionizing our materials to give them an infinite life and richer purpose using our two Advanced Circular Recycling technologies—carbon renewal and polyester renewal. This takes passionate problem-solving, world-class technologies, and a willingness to advocate for smart legislation.

The time to act—and advocate—is now. Our goal is to transform tomorrow by revolutionizing the materials that shape it today.

Help us create a more circular economy.

This position is for a Recycling process improvement engineer reporting into the Polyester Renewal Technology platform. This position will be supporting the recycling operations and feedstock preparation for the Methanolysis facility in Kingsport, TN. This person will work closely with procurement to understand the market and will work very closely with our manufacturing partners to ensure feed stocks can be handled safely and processed efficiently into the Methanolysis process.

• Serve as expert in recycling operations and provide mentorship to others in the recycling department.
• Work with maintenance teams to ensure robust reliability process to maximize equipment uptime.
• Work with operations teams to improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
• Serve as strategic thought partner on asset choices and strategies
• Work with feedstock technical leaders to understand and implement new screening protocols.
• Identify and improve processes to enable robustness of MPP assets and any pre-processing operations
• Serve as division rep for capital projects to enable improvements of MPP or pre-processing operations
• Awareness of external technologies and capabilities to enable broader feedstock portfolio
• Manage trials of new technologies at 3rd party facilities

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or other related field required
• 5+ years of direct manufacturing supporting recycling operations (PET wash lines, etc) required
• 15+ years of experience preferred
• Ability to make decisions with limited information
• High level of adaptability
• Comfortable with giving external presentations
• Ability to engage with external parties, suppliers, customers, etc.
• Must be a self-starter with a focus on results. Ability to lead and drive challenging projects forward despite uncertainties
• Confident in working within a matrixed environment with multiple stakeholders
• Comfortable challenging peers and supervision to develop creative solutions
• Excellent written, listening, and verbal communication skills

• Base pay plus performance-based incentive opportunities that let you share in our success.

• Comprehensive medical, prescription-drug, and dental coverage—paired with a Health Savings Account option to help you save tax-free dollars for care today or in the future.
• A robust menu of voluntary benefits—including vision, optional life, critical-illness protection, and more—so you can tailor coverage to fit your life.
• Holistic wellness support: financial-planning tools, family-building assistance (adoption, pregnancy, and fertility resources), parental leave, and confidential Employee Assistance Program counseling.

• 401(k) with a company match—plus…