Process Development Engineer

Process Development Engineer - Team Lead

Sunstar Engineering is a global leader in adhesives, sealants, and coatings serving automotive, construction, and electronics markets. With over 95 years of innovation, we are focused on developing the next generation of materials and technologies. Our Process R&D engineering team is focused on turning new materials into real, scalable manufacturing processes.

We are looking for a hands-on process engineer ready to step into a leadership role. In this role, you will lead from the floor while mentoring a small team. You will work at the intersection of R&D and manufacturing, taking new formulations and turning them into reliable, scalable processes. You'll lead a team of 3 engineers/technicians (4 total including you) while staying actively involved in process development and troubleshooting.

This role is ideal for someone who:

• Has early career industry experience (typically 3–8 years)
• Enjoys solving real-world processing challenges
• Wants to grow into people leadership while staying hands-on

• Develop and scale manufacturing processes for new materials

• Translate lab formulations into pilot and production-ready processes

• Lead and mentor a small process development team

• Troubleshoot and improve mixing, dispensing, and handling of complex materials

• Collaborate with R&D, manufacturing, and quality teams

• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, cost, and robustness

Required:

• Degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Materials Engineering, Chemistry, or related field
• 3–8 years of experience in process development, scale-up, or manufacturing support
• Experience working with complex materials (e.g., filled systems, polymers, pastes, slurries)
• Strong problem-solving and data-driven mindset
• Interest in mentoring and guiding others
• Ability to communicate across technical and operations teams

Preferred:

• Experience with adhesives, sealants, coatings, or similar materials
• Familiarity with pilot-scale equipment or plant trials
• Experience with DOE tools (JMP, Minitab), machine learning, or continuous improvement methods

• 401(k) matching

• Dental insurance

• Health insurance

• Life insurance

• Paid time off

• Retirement plan

• Vision insurance

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