Product Developer – Polymer & Electrical Materials

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Job Description

Product Developer – Polymer & Electrical Materials

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced and innovative Product Developer – Polymer & Electrical Materials to lead the development, optimization, industrialization, and lifecycle management of polymer-based products and materials for Medium Voltage (MV) cable accessories and electrical applications .

This role will be responsible for translating customer and application requirements into innovative material and product solutions, with a strong focus on polymer formulation, product development, process development, manufacturing scale-up, validation, and continuous improvement .

The ideal candidate will bring strong technical expertise in polymer science, formulation, processing, and product development , along with an understanding of electrical insulation and MV cable applications.

Key Responsibilities

Product & Material Development

• Lead the development and optimization of polymer and elastomeric formulations for electrical applications.
• Develop materials based on cross-linked polyolefins, EPDM/EPR, silicone, thermoplastic and thermoset systems, polymer blends, and composites .
• Develop and optimize materials to achieve required electrical, mechanical, thermal, and environmental performance .
• Design and develop products for MV cable accessories, including:
• Heat-shrinkable insulation tubes
• Stress-control tubes
• Anti-tracking components
• Breakout systems
• Cable joint and termination components
• Busbar insulation products
• Other specialized electrical insulation products
• Develop and improve specialty materials such as hot-melt adhesives, pressure-sensitive adhesives, sealants, mastics, water-blocking compounds, semi-conductive compounds, and stress-control materials .
• Conduct material characterization, formulation optimization, product validation, and technical failure investigations.

Process Development & Manufacturing Scale-Up

• Develop, optimize, and validate manufacturing processes for polymeric and elastomeric products.
• Establish process parameters and operating windows for:
• Polymer compounding
• Twin-screw and single-screw extrusion
• Co-extrusion and multilayer extrusion
• Injection and compression molding
• Crosslinking processes
• Tube expansion technologies for heat-shrinkable products
• Adhesive coating and lamination
• Lead scale-up activities from laboratory and pilot development through commercial manufacturing .
• Establish robust process windows to achieve consistent product quality, high yields, and improved manufacturing efficiency.
• Conduct process capability studies and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Troubleshoot manufacturing issues related to materials, tooling, equipment, and process variation .

Electrical Product & Application Development

• Apply materials and polymer expertise to medium voltage cable systems, cable joints, terminations, and electrical insulation applications .
• Develop products to meet requirements for:
• Dielectric strength
• Electrical insulation performance
• Tracking and erosion resistance
• Thermal endurance
• Thermal conductivity
• Mechanical properties
• Environmental resistance
• Support product development involving stress control, electrical field grading, and insulation coordination .
• Collaborate with electrical, application, manufacturing, quality, and other technical teams to ensure product performance meets application requirements.

Product Industrialization & Lifecycle Management

• Lead product development activities from concept, formulation, prototype, and validation through industrialization and commercialization .
• Ensure successful technical transfer of new products and processes from R&D to manufacturing.
• Identify opportunities to improve existing products in terms of performance, quality, reliability, cost, and manufacturability .
• Provide technical support throughout the product lifecycle.
• Lead technical investigations related to product failures, customer complaints, and manufacturing issues.

Technical Documentation & Compliance

• Develop and maintain product specifications, formulations, manufacturing instructions, process specifications, and technical reports .
• Prepare and maintain Design FMEAs, Control Plans, validation documentation, and other technical records .
• Ensure products and processes comply with applicable quality, environmental, health, safety, regulatory, and industry requirements .
• Support testing and qualification activities against relevant electrical and cable industry standards.

Innovation & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Identify and evaluate new materials, technologies, processes, and product opportunities .
• Lead cross-functional product development projects involving R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, Sourcing, and Commercial teams .
• Apply Design of Experiments (DoE), statistical analysis, SPC, root-cause analysis, and structured problem-solving to accelerate product development and improve process robustness.
• Communicate technical findings, project progress, risks, and recommendations effectively to technical and business stakeholders.

Qualifications

Education

Master's degree in one of the following disciplines

• Polymer Engineering / Polymer Science
• Plastics Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Materials Science / Materials Engineering
• Rubber Technology
• Electrical Engineering with strong experience in polymers/materials

A Ph.D. or relevant postgraduate qualification will be an advantage.

Experience

• 10+ years of relevant industrial experience in product development, polymer formulation, materials development, or process development.
• Strong hands-on experience in polymer formulation, processing, product development, and manufacturing scale-up .
• Experience in one or more of the following industries is highly desirable:
• Heat-shrinkable products
• Medium/high-voltage cable accessories
• Wire and cable
• Electrical insulation products
• Polymer compounding
• Rubber and elastomer products
• Specialty adhesives, sealants, or mastics
• Electrical materials

Technical Expertise

Required

• Polymer formulation and material development
• Polyolefin and elastomeric systems
• Polymer compounding and processing
• Extrusion technologies
• Product development and validation
• Manufacturing scale-up and industrialization
• Root-cause analysis and technical problem solving
• Cross-functional project management

Preferred

• Heat-shrinkable product technology
• Crosslinking technologies
• MV cable accessories
• Cable joints and terminations
• Electrical insulation materials
• Stress-control materials
• Anti-tracking materials
• Adhesives, sealants, and mastics
• Electrical field grading
• DoE and statistical process control
• FMEA and Control Plans

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability
• Innovation and product development mindset
• Strong understanding of polymer/material science
• Hands-on approach to technical problem solving
• Ability to translate material science into commercial products
• Strong project and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to work effectively across R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, and Commercial teams
• Excellent technical communication, report writing, and presentation skills

Impact of the Role

This role will play a critical part in developing next-generation polymeric and electrical material solutions for MV cable accessories and related electrical applications.

The successful candidate will be expected to innovate materials, develop products, establish manufacturing processes, lead scale-up and commercialization, and continuously improve the product portfolio to deliver high-performance, reliable, and manufacturable solutions.

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