R&D Developer for Automotive Films

Company Description

Continental is a leading tire manufacturer and industry specialist that develops and produces sustainable, safe and convenient solutions for automotive manufacturers as well as industrial and end customers worldwide. Founded in 1871, the company generated sales of €39.7 billion in 2024 and currently employs around 95,000 people in 54 countries and markets.

ContiTech is one of the world’s leading industry specialists. The Continental group sector offers its customers connected, environment-friendly, safe and convenient industry and service solutions using a range of materials for off-highway applications, on rails and roads, in the air, under and above the ground, in industrial environments, for the food sector and the furniture industry. With about 39,000 employees in more than 40 countries and sales of some 6.4 billion euros (2024), the global industrial partner is active with core branches in Asia, Europe and North and South America.

Working in R&D in Winchester, VA offers the opportunity to work in a collaborative, hands‑on environment where Developers are responsible for the successful completion of development projects as technical experts, contributing to state‑of‑the‑art knowledge while driving novel ideas and innovations in close partnership with project teams, peers, and customers.

Job Description

HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

The Developer is responsible for the successful completion of development projects and serves as a technical expert within the development team. The role contributes to state‑of‑the‑art material knowledge, supports novel ideas and innovations, and provides technical consultation to project teams, peers, and customers. The position emphasizes hands‑on material, formulation, and product development, with direct involvement in execution, validation, and technical problem solving.

Key Targets of the Role

• Successful execution of assigned development projects within defined time, cost, and quality targets
• Technical ownership of material formulations, product constructions, and development results
• Contribution to regional product knowledge and development capability
• Support of customer‑ and market‑driven development activities

Internal & External Interfaces

Internal:
Research, Sales, Design, Operations, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Laboratories, Marketing, Human Relations, Management Systems

External:
Customers, suppliers, strategic technology partners, industry and regulatory bodies

Areas of Responsibility & Main Tasks

Strategy

• Contribute to new developments within the development team
• Maintain assigned aspects of the product portfolio
• Define standard constructions for customers and support transfer to other regions or technical centers
• Ensure fit‑for‑purpose solutions and time‑to‑market performance
• Perform product benchmarking
• Identify and support strategic technology partnerships

Development & Technical Execution

• Lead technical development projects
• Act as a technical expert within project teams
• Own material formulations and product constructions
• Perform and coordinate development testing and validation
• Ensure robust and repeatable development outcomes

Product Realization

• Complete product developments within defined quality, cost, and timing frameworks
• Safeguard product robustness and standardization requirements
• Support smooth product and construction launches
• Propose continuous optimization within the regional product lifecycle process

Innovation

• Contribute to innovation through cross‑functional collaboration
• Apply polymer and material expertise to solve technical challenges
• Support internal and external interfaces as a technical specialist

Quality & Compliance

• Work in compliance with quality guidelines, legal requirements, and safety regulations
• Ensure development results meet customer and product expectations
• Maintain appropriate technical documentation, approvals, and records

Customer & Commercial Support

• Provide technical support and consultation to cross-functional teams
• Support customer‑specific development requests
• Participate in customer discussions where technical input is required

Qualifications

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE ROLE

• Education: Master’s or Bachelor's in Chemistry (or equivalent)
• Professional Experience: Basic experience in development or technical projects
• Project Experience: Basic experience in Project management

Required Capabilities (Our Behaviors)

Core Behaviors:

• Quality
• Results Orientation
• Ownership
• Collaboration