Development Engineer Research (f/m/x)

Kautex is a global company with over 30 plants in 13 countries. As a leading Tier One automotive supplier, we are a pioneer in the design and manufacturing of plastic fuel systems and beyond. From battery enclosures for use in hybrid and full battery electric vehicles to autonomous cleaning systems, we are advancing solutions for the era of new mobility. Our portfolio also covers high-quality industrial packaging and cast camshafts. Embracing the transformative venture, Kautex offers highly advanced technologies and services worldwide.

We foster career growth, drive groundbreaking talent programs, and champion equal opportunities and sustainability in our business practices and products. By working together as one team and supporting one another, amazing things happen. We push the boundaries of what’s possible, soar to new heights and reach for the extraordinary, being recognized by prestigious awards such as Fair Company, Great place to work (Silao), MINT minded company, or Ecovadis Platinum. We look forward to getting to know you and sharing more about our values and local benefits.

What awaits you:

• Drive new material, process & product pre-development activities with focus on thermoplastic & composite technologies for Pentatonic battery systems and new product opportunities
• Develop and evaluate innovative thermoplastic, composite, and metal-plastic hybrid concepts through material selection, process development (primarily injection molding & composite lamination), prototyping and validation
• Lead R&D projects including cooperation with external partners, planning, execution, documentation, budget/capacity tracking, and regular project reviews
• Support customer-driven development activities and new product evaluations by providing material, process, and application expertise to cross-functional project teams
• Initiate and manage public funded research projects in cooperation with external partners, universities, institutes, and suppliers
• Contribute to the development of material characterization strategies and generation of CAE-relevant material data
• Translate research results into practical engineering guidelines, specifications, design recommendations, and internal knowledge assetsDrive innovation through ideas, inventions, IP contributions, prototyping, sampling, and business-case-oriented technology assessments
• Support digitalization, AI-enabled engineering, and knowledge-management initiatives within Innovation-Research
• Mentor students, interns, trainees, and new colleagues, and supervise selected undergraduate or thesis projects
• Support EHS activities to ensure a safe workplace and adoption of safe working practices

What you'll need to succeed:

• Technical University Degree (M. Sc.) in Plastics Technology, Polymer Engineering, Material Sciences or a comparable field
• Strong practical experience and in-depth technical understanding of thermoplastic materials, fiber-reinforced composites, metal-plastic hybrid structures, and plastics processing, with particular emphasis on composite injection molding technologies
• Experience in technical project management, including project planning, coordination of work packages, stakeholder alignment, risk management, and documentation of results
• Experience with development, testing, or industrialization of automotive, battery, structural, or thermoplastic composite components is preferred
• Experience with publicly funded projects, external research partners, universities, institutes, or suppliers is preferred
• Affinity for digitalization and AI tools in engineering, knowledge management, or data-supported development workflows is preferred
• Network in the plastics, composites, automotive, or battery-related industry is preferred
• International experience and ability to work in cross-functional, global teams is preferred
• Fluent German and English language skills.