Sr. Market Development Engineer

Title:

Sr. Market Development Engineer

Location:

Pasadena, TX

Who we are:

Voted one of the Nation's Best and Brightest Companies to Work for, Kuraray America, Inc. (KAI) is a global leader in specialty chemical, fiber, and resin production. With top-of-the-line research and production facilities and a vast network of supplies from around the world, Kuraray leads the industry in specialty dental, fiber, resin, and elastomer products. Kuraray America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuraray Company, Ltd.

Based in Tokyo, Japan. Kuraray has operations in 32 countries and employs more than 12,000 employees, including over 800 in the United States.

Why Kuraray:

Kuraray is building a better tomorrow, today. Our team members are dedicated to expanding our business with committed professionals who share essential values such as integrity, excellence, teamwork, and accountability.

As a part of Kuraray America, Inc., our team shares the advantages of working for the leader in specialty chemicals, resins, and fibers. Our international presence and resources allow us to be a world-leading innovator in the industries we service. Yet, despite our size, our people are more than just a number. As a new team member, you can expect to earn responsibility quickly.

Our commitment to our people is visible in our comprehensive benefits package. As a Kuraray team member, you will have the opportunity to enjoy competitive salaries and benefits, incentive opportunities, and an excellent work environment.

Position Summary:

We are seeking an experienced Market Development Engineer to drive the growth of EVAL across the Americas within our Technical Service & Development (TS&D) organization. This role emphasizes business development and sits at the intersection of packaging technology, brand-owner engagement, and food science. Those skills are critical to expanding the adoption of sustainable, high‑oxygen‑barrier solutions in food packaging, among other applications.

The candidate will identify and develop new market opportunities for EVAL, work with brand owners (mainly food manufacturers in the US) to promote high-performance, sustainable solutions, and partner with the rest of the value chain (converters, polymer processors, and equipment and resin suppliers) to accelerate the adoption of innovation. The candidate will leverage their skills and industry network to bridge our technical expertise to deliver commercialized solutions.

This role requires experience in food packaging, the ability to develop and deploy market-facing technical tools, and the skills to work with cross-functional teams (sales, R&D, sustainability, innovation, and marketing).

Responsibilities:

Market & Business Development

* Research global market trends, consumer demands, benchmark studies, recycling standards, and sustainability drivers.

* Actively engage with brand owners, particularly in the US market, to understand packaging pain points, sustainability targets, and commercialization constraints.

* Leverage industry relationships and network with brand owners to identify early-stage opportunities and influence material and structure selection.

* Support new product introductions through market analysis, application demonstrations, and compelling customer presentations.

* Identify and develop new market opportunities for EVAL in food packaging (primary focus), as well as pharma and selected industrial applications.

* Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams: with TS&D to develop viable technical solutions, with Sales to advance and close opportunities, and with Marketing Communications to document and publish successes.

* Work across the value chain (brand owners, converters, processors, equipment suppliers, resin suppliers, and food manufacturers) to develop case studies demonstrating sustainability, performance, and business value

Technical and Environmental Support

* Conduct extrusion trials on pilot-scale equipment to process EVOH in blown or cast film structures.

* Execute or coordinate forming, filling, and sealing trials to evaluate packaging performance under realistic conditions.

* Interpret oxygen and moisture barrier data, mechanical properties,…