Advanced Materials Engineer, Global Materials Science

Join Amazon's Global Materials Science (GMS) organization as we pioneer the future of sustainable e-commerce packaging. As an Advanced Materials Engineer based in the EU, you'll serve as the critical link between our European and North American materials science operations—driving materials development tailored to the EU supplier base while harmonizing global materials strategies across regions. Embedded alongside our automation hardware development teams, you'll ensure that packaging materials and automation systems are co-developed for seamless integration. This is a hands-on, technically broad role spanning pulp and paper manufacturing, packaging converting operations, tape and adhesive systems, coatings, and packaging automation equipment. You'll conduct laboratory research, characterize materials properties, establish specifications, and work directly with EU-based suppliers to bring novel materials from concept to production—while serving as the conduit to align materials globally, simplify where possible, and solve for region-specific requirements driven by regulation, material supply availability, and operational differences. Key job responsibilities Materials Development & Innovation: - Lead laboratory research and development of packaging materials including paper substrates, adhesives, tapes, coatings, and alternative fiber technologies, with deep understanding of pulp and paper manufacturing processes and converting operations. - Design and execute experiments to optimize material formulations and processing parameters, applying the materials science triangle framework (processing-structure-properties) across the full range of packaging materials and converting processes. - Develop next-generation materials solutions that unlock step-change improvements in performance, cost, sustainability, and automation compatibility—with specific focus on EU supplier capabilities and regional material availability. - Advance materials innovations from concept, pilot, and deployment phases, ensuring solutions are compatible with EU packaging automation hardware and converting equipment. - Evaluate and develop tape, adhesive, and coating systems that meet the unique performance demands of automated packaging lines, considering substrate interactions, machine speed requirements, and environmental conditions. EU Materials Strategy & Global Alignment: - Serve as the primary conduit between EU and NA materials science teams, driving global alignment on materials specifications while identifying opportunities to harmonize and simplify across regions. - Develop and maintain a comprehensive understanding of the EU supplier base—including paper mills, converters, adhesive manufacturers, tape producers, and coating suppliers—and how it differs from the North American supply landscape. - Identify region-specific materials requirements dictated by EU regulations (e.g., REACH, EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation), regional material supply constraints, and operational differences in EU fulfillment networks. - Balance global standardization with regional customization—driving simplification where materials can be harmonized and developing tailored solutions where regional requirements demand differentiation. - Build and maintain a materials roadmap for EU that aligns with global GMS strategy and EU automation hardware development timelines. Automation Hardware Integration: - Work closely with EU-based automation hardware development teams to ensure packaging materials are co-developed with automation equipment, optimizing for machine runnability, reliability, and throughput. - Provide materials expertise during automation system design, commissioning, and optimization—translating materials properties into actionable equipment parameters. - Develop deep understanding of packaging converting equipment (folders, gluers, sealers, tape applicators, labelers) and how materials properties influence machine performance at