Lead Application Engineer, Flexible Packaging

What you´ll do

• Acts as a trusted technical partner for customers by leading coatings-focused product and technology demonstrations, coating trials, troubleshooting, and training at customer sites, using pre- and post-trial documentation and visit reports to help customers succeed.
• Serves as the technical liaison between customers and internal teams—including product development, manufacturing, supply chain, sales, and marketing—to translate application needs into actionable product, process, and customer support requirements.
• Provides timely technical support for assigned regional customers, including product recommendations, substrate evaluations, complaint investigations, line issue diagnosis, and application-based problem solving.
• Plans, executes, and communicates laboratory and pilot-scale requests to support customer and market projects, including coating weight, appearance, adhesion, performance, and processability assessments.
• Prepares reports that summarize trial results, technical findings, conclusions, and recommended next steps, and communicates this information effectively to internal and external stakeholders.
• Provides market-specific coatings expertise through customer engagement, competitive and industry awareness, and involvement in professional societies, technical networks, and industry associations.
• Leads by example in Safety, completing all necessary site and field safety requirements.
• Develops technical and professional skills through ongoing learning, mentoring, and participation in internal and external technical communities.

What makes you a good fit

• BS in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science/Engineering, Chemistry, Polymer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or similar degree/experience required; coatings-related technical background strongly preferred.
• Typically, 5–10+ years of technical service, application engineering, process engineering, product development, or industry experience, with direct experience in coatings, coated substrates, converting, or flexible packaging strongly preferred.
• Willing to travel up to ~60%, primarily in the USA and occasionally MX/CAN; with advance planning and support to enable sustainable work-life balance.
• Hands-on experience with coating application methods and equipment, such as gravure, slot die, roll coating, rod coating, Mayer rod, reverse roll, pilot coater, laminator/coater, drying/curing conditions, coating weight control, and defect troubleshooting is highly valued.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot coatings performance and application issues, including adhesion, wet-out, film formation, blocking, curl, appearance defects, coat weight variation, viscosity/rheology, drying, curing, and substrate compatibility.
• Experience translating customer process conditions, substrate structures, and end-use requirements into practical coatings recommendations and trial plans.
• Excellent people skills; able to work effectively with a range of individuals from manufacturing operators and laboratory technicians through senior management both at customers and within Henkel.
• Strong organization skills with the ability to manage multiple customer coating trials, technical requests, and follow-up actions while maintaining clear documentation and communication.

Some benefits of joining Henkel

• Health Insurance: affordable plans for medical, dental, vision and wellbeing starting on day 1
• Work-Life Balance: Paid time off including sick, vacation, holiday and volunteer time, flexible & hybrid work policies (depending on role), and vacation buy / sell program
• Financial: 401k matching, employee share plan with voluntary investment and Henkel matching shares, annual performance bonus, service awards and student loan reimbursement
• Family Support: 12-week gender neutral parental leave (up to 20 weeks for parents giving birth), fertility support, adoption & surrogacy reimbursement, discounted child and elderly care, and scholarships
• Career Growth: diverse national and international growth opportunities, access to thousands of skills development courses, and tuition reimbursement

The salary range for this role is $105,000.00 and $125,000.00. This range represents the good‑faith minimum and maximum wages the Company reasonably expects to offer for this role at the time of posting. In addition to base salary, this position may be eligible for incentive pay or other forms of compensation, as applicable. The Company also offers a comprehensive benefits package as described above. Actual compensation will be based on factors such as the candidate’s skills, experience, education, training, and work location. This posting is intended to comply with all applicable state and local pay transparency laws.

Henkel does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or employment agencies. Unsolicited referrals and resumes are considered Henkel property and therefore, Henkel will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited referral.

At Henkel, we come from a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. We believe the uniqueness of all our employees is the power in us. Henkel is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.

JOB ID: 26099972

Job Locations: United States, CT, Rocky Hill, CT | United States, IL, Elgin, IL | United States, MI, Madison Heights, MI | United States, NJ, Bridgewater, NJ | United States, OH, Mentor, OH

Contact information for application-related questions: [email protected]

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