Development Engineer

Job Title

This role requires a combination of technical product knowledge, strong cross-functional leadership, project management, and business judgment. The person will keep active work moving, manage technical and supplier risks, and help teams make clear, timely decisions. Direct paper manufacturing experience is preferred, but candidates with relevant experience in nonwovens, absorbent products, fiber-based materials, packaging, converting, or adjacent manufacturing industries may also be a strong fit.

• Support product development, quality improvement, supplier transitions, cost savings, and innovation projects across paper categories.
• Understand key product and manufacturing drivers, including material selection, product performance, specifications, testing, converting, and supplier capability.
• Review technical data, identify risks, challenge unsupported supplier claims, and recommend practical solutions.
• Distinguish between issues that require deeper technical work and those that can be resolved through sound judgment and timely decision-making.
• Partner with suppliers and internal technical experts to resolve product, manufacturing, and quality issues.

• Lead projects across product development, sourcing, merchandising, quality, packaging, supply chain, finance, and supplier teams.
• Create clarity around priorities, decisions, owners, risks, and next steps.
• Manage multiple work streams and focus attention on what is truly urgent and important.
• Navigate a large, matrixed organization and move work forward with speed.
• Escalate issues early when product quality, cost, timing, or supply is at risk.

• Understand the business context behind product decisions, including consumer needs, cost, margin, competitive positioning, and supplier economics.
• Balance product performance, cost, speed, sustainability, and supply risk.
• Assess supplier strengths, limitations, and ability to deliver against technical and business needs.

• Experience in paper products, tissue, towels, nonwovens, absorbent products, packaging, converting, or a related manufacturing field.
• Strong project management and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to translate technical information into clear business decisions.
• Experience working with suppliers and cross-functional teams.
• Strong judgment and the ability to prioritize effectively in an ambiguous environment.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of how product decisions affect the broader business.
• Clear, concise communication and a collaborative working style.
• Someone who listens carefully, learns fast, asks good questions, and builds alignment.

At Lance Soft, full time regular employees who work a minimum of 30 hours a week or more are entitled to the following benefits:

• Four options of medical Insurance
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• 401k Contributions
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Voluntary Permanent Life Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Other Employee Perks

Lance Soft is rated as one of the largest staffing firms in the US by SIA. Our mission is to establish global cross-culture human connections that further the careers of our employees and strengthen the businesses of our clients. We are driven to use the power of our global network to connect businesses with the right people, and people with the right businesses without bias.

We provide Global Workforce Solutions with a human touch.