Product Development Technician

You have a choice of where you want to work! We invite you along on our journey to Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World. We aim to attract, retain, and energize passionate people, like you, by investing in your professional development and providing opportunities for personal growth.

Do your values align with ours? Accountability, Growth mindset, One team, Care and a fair and inclusive work environment for everyone, everywhere!

We strive to meet the highest standards of corporate citizenship by protecting the health and safety of our team, safeguarding the environment, and creating a long-lasting, positive impact on the communities where we do business. Are you with us?!?

Background information on FOOD Business Unit and its missions

The BU Food develop, produce and sell specialty fiber-based materials supporting a wide variety of Food applications and some Non-Food: grease resistance paper for QSR, heat resistance and release paper for baking, functionalized paper for sustainable packaging on Pet Food, Food Processing, Confectionary and Non-Food, coated paper for labels and some other industrial applications.

The plants are in Rottersac and Saint Severin (France), and in Rhinelander and Nicolet (US).

The BU Food has been actively working on Food Packaging market transformation.

We are looking for a Product Development Technician for a six‑month temporary contract.

Main Mission / Responsibilities

The Product Development Technician plans, performs and reports experimental programs aligned with the technical targets agreed with the technical manager responsible of the New Product Development project or the Technical Assistance study, in compliance with our internal policy instructions (safety, sustainability, confidentiality).

Including technical tasks

• Acquire and study information and procedures necessary to carry out experiments
• When needed develop and set up new test methods
• Prepare lab samples or manage industrial prototypes and carry out characterizations
• Check relevance and pertinence of the results
• Analyze & interpret data and results

Reporting

• Keep rigorous written notes on the experimental work
• Present the result with data supported conclusions to the technical manager
• Draft detailed and illustrated written reports (usually power point, with tables, graphs)
• Share results to larger audience

Organizational tasks and safety

• Verify raw material availability and their safety requirements prior to experimental work; complete the supply when needed
• Respect planning and deadlines of experimental work and other project missions
• Manage raw material storage and destruction according to the relevant procedures
• Report working hours/participation in projects and other missions in the time/project management tools
• Respect working hours, internal procedures and best practice of internal organization and safety
• Able to travel to production plants to attend/assist trials with NPD engineer (when necessary, a priori limited to French plants) - able to travel to CRA research center when needed, in autonomy
• Provide tutoring and support for trainees
• Participate and contribute to various safety actions of the site

Competencies And Qualifications Required In The Role

• Education : preferred BSc in Paper Making, Chemistry, Polymeric Materials or close Scientific Area
• Experience in R&D in Paper making, Chemistry or Polymeric Materials would be appreciated, ideally in the paper industry (formulation, composition, manufacturing- converting and / or testing…)
• Working in research laboratory environment and in cross functional project teams
• Flexibility to learn new technical subjects and adapt to organizational demands & priorities
• Working knowledge in French; good skills in English (read, wrote, ideally spoken Technical English)
• Microsoft office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint…)

Ahlstrom is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal opportunity is a sound and just concept to which we are firmly bound. Ahlstrom will not engage in discrimination against, or harassment of, any person employed or seeking employment with our company based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, non-disqualifying disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law.

About Us. Ahlstrom is a global leader in combining fibers into sustainable specialty materials. Our purpose is to Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World. Our vision is to be the Preferred Sustainable Specialty Materials Company for all our stakeholders.

Our three divisions, Filtration and Life Sciences, Food and Consumer Packaging, and Protective Materials, address global trends with safe and sustainable solutions. Our net sales in 2024 amounted to EUR 3.0 billion and we employ some 6,800 people.

Learn more at

Ahlstrom’s manufacturing and hygiene processes, procedures and policies, must be adhered to, as applicable, to the position’s areas of responsibility, in order to meet and maintain the safety, quality, and regulatory compliance requirements for each grade of paper.