As part of the strategy to further grow as a specialty chemicals company, Eastman has created a personal and home care business unit and has the strategic intent to expand the business and the product portfolio significantly with adjacent and disruptive innovations. Changing regulation and sustainability needs represent important drivers for change in the personal and home care industry, leading to emerging innovation opportunities. For this purpose, Eastman is looking to complement the application development team with an application researcher with good insight in the regulatory and sustainability framework of the personal and home care industry.The group is located at the Eastman Technology Center in Ghent, Belgium, where also other application development groups are housed for Eastman. 

This is the role 

The main purpose of the Application Researcher is to develop detailed understanding of the current and future industry needs in the personal and home care industry under changing regulatory requirements and growing end-user desire for more sustainable products. Furthermore, the Application Researcher can translate such understanding in customer unmet needs, validate such needs together with the marketing department and ideate potential solutions based on Eastman’s entire product catalog (for application development) and technology platforms (for new product development).The application researcher will be responsible for executing and leading the technical parts of such projects from early development up to commercialization.

These are the responsibilities:

• Responds to technical inquiries, applying fundamental application, regulatory and sustainability experience to detect and resolve (future) customer problems.• Working closely together with marketing and sales, discover customer unmet needs, understand customer requirements and define fitness-for-use criteria for specific personal and home care applications. Translate the fitness-for-use criteria to fundamental Eastman material characteristics. Lead proposal of final solution to customers and follow up on application trials.• Demonstrates value of Eastman products and developmental products in personal and home care formulations (by testing or bench marking) and assist in building strong value propositions and customer offers.• Provides technical training on the safe and sustainable application of Eastman products in personal and home care• Evaluates and advocates position of Eastman products in light of changing regulations• Keeps track of the state-of-the-art, industry moves and regulation trends in the field of personal and home care• Develops and maintains a network with independent institutions and with the technical centers of key companies in the personal and home care industry. Actively participate in important industry events and conferences.• Actively steers direction of Eastman’s innovation activities in personal and home care• Seek, gather & distribute market intelligence, contribute to the global technical knowledge-base through sharing of relevant learning & experience via call reports.• Leads ideations & development projects in the innovation funnel, applying Eastman’s “Enabling Business & Marketing Excellence” methodology.• Works closely with process/product research, marketing and sales during development, and commercialization of relevant products. Within the ADTS team, collaborate with the application researchers, technical service managers and lab technicians.

is what you bring :

• Scientific ((bio-)chemistry, biology, environmental science,…) Bachelor's Degree required. Master or PhD preferred.• Experience in regulation frameworks is an asset, preferably in the personal and home care industry:- Understanding of eco-tox, human tox, biodegradation, microplastics,… requirements- Understanding of eco-labels and requirements/certification, LCA,…- Understanding of Product Information Files (PIF)- Following and analyzing customer sustainability goals- Or willingness to deepen understanding where experience is lacking• Good working knowledge of chemicals properties and chemical conversions.• Creative with initiative, good analytical and trouble-shooting skills.• Self-starting entrepreneur, can-do mentality• Team player adding value to local team bonds while also mastering the dynamics of working in international teams• Ability to influence and inspire on cross-functional and cross-regional teams.• Good project management capabilities• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.• High safety awareness and standard