ENGINEER - PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Position Summary

We are looking for a Textile Engineer to support the development and manufacturing of textile-backed adhesive tapes. The role covers woven cloth, knitted fabric, fleece, nonwoven and glass-cloth backings used in wire harness, electrical insulation and other industrial tapes. The engineer will work on material design, textile processing, testing, supplier development, plant trials and problem-solving.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and improve woven, knitted, nonwoven fleece and glass-cloth backings for adhesive tapes.
• Select suitable fiber, yarn, weave, GSM, thickness, porosity and surface finish based on product requirements.
• Improve tape performance, including hand tear, abrasion resistance, noise reduction, flexibility, flagging resistance, heat resistance and electrical insulation.
• Improve the compatibility of textile backings with acrylic, rubber, hot-melt and silicone adhesives.
• Work with suppliers on weaving, nonwoven bonding, dyeing, heat setting, calendaring, coating, impregnation, back-sizing and finishing processes.
• Plan and conduct laboratory, supplier and plant trials from concept stage to commercial production.
• Solve backing-related issues during coating, drying, slitting, winding and tape conversion.
• Investigate material variations such as GSM, thickness, width, bow, skew, shrinkage, fraying, curl, color and surface treatment.
• Investigate process defects such as adhesive strike-through, poor anchorage, wrinkles, web breaks, telescoping, poor slitting and uneven unwind.
• Prepare material specifications, test methods, trial reports, control plans and technical documents.
• Maintain technical data and learning for future product development.
• Identify new textile technologies and sustainable materials for business growth.
• Support supplier selection, technical evaluation, material qualification, corrective actions and localization.
• Work closely with Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, Product Management, suppliers and testing laboratories.

Qualification and Experience

• B.Tech./B.E. in Textile Technology, Textile Engineering, Fiber Science, Textile Chemistry or Technical Textiles, with at least 3 years of relevant industrial experience; or
• M.Tech /M.E. in any of the above fields, with relevant industrial internship or project experience.
• Experience in technical textiles, coated fabrics, automotive textiles, electrical insulation materials, nonwovens or adhesive-tape backings will be preferred.

Technical Knowledge

• Knowledge of fibers, yarns, weaving, knitting, nonwoven processing and textile finishing.
• Understanding cotton/polyester woven cloth, nonwoven fleece and glass-cloth materials.
• Hands-on experience in testing GSM, thickness, thread count, tensile strength, elongation, tear strength, abrasion, stiffness, air permeability and shrinkage.
• Basic understanding of pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes, coating, lamination, slitting and winding will be preferred.
• Knowledge of problem-solving tools such as 5-Why and Fishbone Analysis.

Soft Skills

• Practical knowledge of textile materials, processing and defect analysis.
• Good problem-solving and manufacturing troubleshooting skills.
• Ability to work with suppliers and cross-functional teams.
• Clear technical communication and documentation skills.
• Willingness to work at laboratories, supplier and manufacturing locations.