Raw Material Development Specialist

About Us: We are Yokohama TWS, a leading global supplier of tires and complete wheels for the agricultural, material handling, construction, motorcycles segments. We design and manufacture tire and wheel solutions made for the future. With a combination of value, safety and ease, our solutions provide a more productive and sustainable performance our customers demand. We pair the expertise and power of our global reach with the care and knowledge of local proximity. This brings innovation, technology and sustainability together to answer the specific needs of our customers. All while continuing to reduce our and their impact on the planet. Our people take ownership to deliver on this promise every day. We are a global Company with a local reach, operating in more than 50 Countries worldwide with 5.300 employees of 40 different nationalities, 12 state-of-the-art plants and 4 innovation centers. We are part of Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., a global leader in the tire industry with 1094 billion yen in revenues (approx. 6.7 billion euro), approximately 34,000 people around the globe and with operations in more than 120 countries. If you have an entrepreneurial mindset, enjoy taking responsibilities and getting things done in the right way, join us! We are plenty of opportunities to grow and develop in a truly dynamic and easy-going environment.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The role requires strong technical knowledge and practical experience in rubber technology, polymer science, material development, and tire compounding, with responsibility for developing and evaluating compounds and raw materials for solid and pneumatic tires. The Compounding Specialist will focus on improving product quality, processability, cost efficiency, performance, and environmental sustainability through new compound formulations, raw-material qualification, testing, and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate should possess strong analytical and R&D capabilities, together with the ability to collaborate closely with Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing, and Product Development teams to ensure consistent product performance and compliance with technical standards.

YOUR ROLE AND IMPACT

• Lead the development of sustainable tire compounds and raw materials to improve product performance, quality, cost efficiency, and sustainability.
• Develop new compound formulations and process improvements for solid and pneumatic tire applications.
• Establish technical specifications and process-control standards for compounds and raw materials.
• Coordinate raw-material qualification activities with Purchasing and relevant suppliers.
• Manage R&D laboratory testing, evaluation, validation, and compound-development activities.
• Maintain accurate formulation and technical data within the ERP system.
• Support product development and continuous improvement through material research, testing, and root-cause analysis.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing, and Product Development teams to achieve technical and business objectives.
• Ensure compliance with company, customer, regulatory, and sustainability requirements.
• Provide technical support for compounding and material-related issues during product industrialization.

YOUR ELIGIBILITY

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Polymer Science, Chemistry, Materials Science, or an NDT qualification specializing in Polymer Science and Technology.
• A background in Rubber Technology or Polymer Engineering will be highly preferred.
• Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in a manufacturing environment involving similar processes or material-development activities.
• Practical exposure to compound development, raw-material evaluation, material testing, process improvement, and laboratory-to-production scale-up.
• Experience in Design of Experiments (DOE), statistical analysis, root-cause analysis, quality improvement, and technical problem-solving.
• Good working knowledge of Excel, with exposure to statistical tools such as Minitab or JMP.
• Familiarity with rheology or data-analysis software, LIMS, or laboratory information systems will be advantageous.
• Knowledge of MATLAB or Python for advanced R&D and data-analysis applications will be an added advantage.
• Experience in the tire manufacturing industry or a comparable rubber/polymer manufacturing environment will be considered an advantage.

ESSENTIAL KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Compounding & Material Development: Strong knowledge of rubber compounding, polymer science, formulation development, raw-material substitution, and performance improvement.
• R&D & Analytical Skills: Experience in DOE, statistical analysis, root-cause analysis, benchmarking, and laboratory-to-production scale-up.
• Software & Data Tools: Proficiency in Excel, with knowledge of Minitab/JMP, rheology or data analysis software, and LIMS; MATLAB or Python will be an advantage.
• Quality & Process Improvement: Strong capability in quality enhancement, cost reduction, process optimization, and continuous improvement.
• Professional Competencies: Strong analytical, problem.

WHAT WE OFFER

A competitive remuneration in line with industry standards, coupled with comprehensive personal and family health insurance. Our commitment extends beyond compensation, as we provide clear learning and development pathways to support your personal and career growth, including exposure to tire compounding, polymer and material development, R&D laboratory activities, raw-material evaluation, and sustainable product innovation, hands-on experience in compound formulation, statistical analysis, process improvement, testing, validation, and laboratory-to-production scale-up, and opportunities to strengthen your expertise in rubber technology, technical problem-solving, quality enhancement, and cross-functional collaboration. Moreover, we foster a healthy working environment, ensuring a positive balance between work and life.

HOW TO APPLY

If you are a dynamic and proactive professional looking to contribute to our organization’s success, we’d love to hear from you. Send in your resume along with a cover letter detailing how you can contribute to our team’s success to [[email protected]].

ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Our application process takes pride in transparency and fairness. Besides remote and physical interviews, candidate selection is based on aptitude tests. Yokohama-TWS is an equal-opportunity employer. We rejoice in diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.