Materials Engineer

Job description

At Emerson in Marshalltown, the Materials Engineer role offers the opportunity to drive innovation through advanced materials engineering across global product lines. This position works with both metallic and non-metallic materials—including polymers, elastomers, coatings, adhesives, and lubricants—to support product design, manufacturing, and performance. The role focuses on material selection, failure analysis, supplier qualification, and continuous product improvement while collaborating with teams and customers worldwide.

In this Role, Your Responsibilities Will Be: Provide technical leadership in the identification, development, application, and qualification of materials for the design, manufacture, and application of the product line. Lead projects and provide support in the areas of failure analysis, supplier qualification, material selection, and materials research. Collaborate with internal teams and customers on a global basis to understand their materials needs.

Create and document best practices for the application of appropriate technologies to current and future development projects. Development / maintenance of internal specifications and practices. Contribute to and interpret industry standards.

For this Role, You Will Need

Undergraduate degree in Material Science and Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Polymer Science, or Plastics Engineering. Candidates holding or pursuing an advanced degree or with 2+ years of relevant experience will be strongly considered.

Experience in applying materials technology to solving a broad range of problems

• Ability to quickly learn and apply new technology Self-motivated, self-sufficient, and capable of working with teams with competing interests and priorities
• Excellent oral and written communication skills as well an ability to present to large audiences
• Ability to follow standard operating procedures and safely perform experiments; growth opportunity to implement systems of experiments and test practices Supervisory Requirements: This is an individual contributor position with no initial responsibility for direct supervision of other full-time personnel.

Combination professional office and lab environment. Occasional off-hours work to coordinate projects with other world areas. Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required. Our Culture & Commitment to You ​ ​ At Emerson, we prioritize a workplace where every employee is valued, respected, and empowered to grow. We foster an environment that encourages innovation, collaboration, and diverse perspectives—because we know that great ideas come from great teams.

Our commitment to ongoing career development and growing an inclusive culture ensures you have the support to thrive. Whether through mentorship, training, or leadership opportunities, we invest in your success so you can make a lasting impact. We believe diverse teams, working together are key to driving growth and delivering business results. ​ ​ We recognize the importance of employee wellbeing. We prioritize providing flexible, competitive benefits plans to meet you and your family’s physical, mental, financial, and social needs.

We provide a variety of medical insurance plans, with dental and vision coverage, Employee Assistance Program, 401(k), tuition reimbursement, employee resource groups, recognition, and much more. Our culture offers flexible time off plans, including paid parental leave (maternal and paternal), vacation and holiday leave.