Chemical Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Chemical Engineer jobs in Tennessee are in steady demand, concentrated in chemical manufacturing, polymers and plastics processing, food and beverage production, and the energy sector, with openings at every level from entry-level process engineers through senior principal roles. Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis anchor the largest share of hiring, and established employers such as Eastman Chemical Company in Kingsport, Dow, and Bridgestone Americas maintain a consistent presence in the state. Specialty areas seeing the most consistent openings include process engineering, environmental compliance, and polymer chemistry. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive company, Eastman employs approximately 13,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2025 revenue of approximately $8.8 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.
Description
This position requires a systems thinker with strong engineering, manufacturing, and project leadership capabilities. The professional will be responsible for developing and executing scale-up strategies that enable successful implementation of new products, process technologies, and manufacturing opportunities across Eastman businesses.
The R&D Chemical Process Engineer serves as a technical and execution leader responsible for integrating activities across product development, manufacturing, engineering, quality, supply chain, procurement, and internal or external manufacturing partners to support successful scale-up and implementation efforts.
Projects may vary in scope from incremental process improvements to new products, manufacturing technologies, asset expansions, and toll manufacturing opportunities.
The individual will provide leadership in manufacturing readiness, technology transfer, trial execution, implementation planning, and tolling readiness while helping strengthen Eastman's overall scale-up capability. The role is expected to influence decisions across organizational boundaries and serve as a trusted resource for scale-up strategy and execution without direct authority over project team members.
This position is located on-site at our Kingsport, TN headquarters.
Responsibilities
- Ensure safety, environmental, quality, regulatory, and operational considerations are incorporated into scale-up planning.
- Develop both internal and external toll manufacturing readiness and scale-up plans for new products, technologies, and manufacturing opportunities by applying engineering fundamentals and practical manufacturing knowledge and maintaining integrates scale-up plans, critical paths, readiness assessments, and implementation timelines.
- Assess manufacturing readiness and execution risks with scaling up products and technologies by identifying technical, operational, supply chain, quality, and organizational risks and gaps that could impact successful implementation.
- Develop mitigation strategies and drive resolution of barriers to implementation.
- Lead technology transfer efforts between laboratory, pilot, demonstration, tollers, and commercial manufacturing environments.
- Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal stakeholders, tollers, suppliers, and external manufacturing partners.
- Coordinate and support cross-functional resources and activities required for successful trial, qualification, startup, or manufacturing readiness execution.
- Lead planning and execution of laboratory, pilot, demonstration, manufacturing, and qualification trials supporting scale-up objectives by defining trial objectives, success criteria, decision frameworks, and data collection requirements.
- Capture and communicate key learnings throughout the scale-up process to improve future implementation efforts.
- Develop recommendations that enable effective decision-making under uncertainty while balancing technical rigor, practicality, cost, schedule, and risk.
- Communicate project status, risks, key decisions, and recommendations to leadership and project teams.
- Contribute to the development and deployment of scale-up best practices, readiness frameworks, implementation methodologies, and project leadership capabilities;
- Proactively mentor less experienced scale-up leads;
- Support continuous improvement of Eastman’s scale up processes through lessons learned, technical documentation, and organizational knowledge sharing.
Qualifications
Education
- BS in Chemical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
- Minimum of 10 years of relevant industrial experience.
- Demonstrated experience in manufacturing, process development, process engineering, technology implementation, scale-up, project leadership, or related technical roles.
- Experience leading cross-functional technical projects.
- Strong interpersonal, facilitation, influence, and communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and effectively across organizational boundaries.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in ambiguous environments.
- Six Sigma Green Belt with knowledge of project management and risk management methodologies strongly preferred
- Experience planning and executing pilot, demonstration, startup, or qualification campaigns either internally and/or at a toll manufacturer.
- Experience working with external suppliers, tollers, or customers.
- Experience supporting manufacturing startup and operational readiness activities.
- Experience working across multiple businesses, functions, or global organizations.
Success in this role requires strong technical judgment, practical manufacturing perspective, project leadership skills, and the ability to identify and mitigate scale-up risks while navigating complex technical and organizational environments.
Benefits
Your total rewards go far beyond a competitive salary. When you join Eastman, you gain access to an exceptional suite of programs designed to protect your health, grow your wealth, and fuel your career.
- Base pay plus performance-based incentive opportunities that let you share in our success.
- Comprehensive medical, prescription-drug, and dental coverage—paired with a Health Savings Account option to help you save tax-free dollars for care today or in the future.
- A robust menu of voluntary benefits—including vision, optional life, critical-illness protection, and more—so you can tailor coverage to fit your life.
- Holistic wellness support: financial-planning tools, family-building assistance (adoption, pregnancy, and fertility resources), parental leave, and confidential Employee Assistance Program counseling.
- 401(k) with a company match—plus an additional annual retirement contribution from Eastman to accelerate your long-term savings.
- Eleven paid holidays, one personal day, paid time off, and paid vacation to recharge, celebrate, or handle life’s moments.
- Access to mentorship, learning resources, and leadership programs that empower you to thrive in your current role and chart the next steps in your career.
At Eastman, we invest in the whole you—so you can bring your best self to work every day and build a future you’re proud of.
Eastman Chemical Company is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, pregnancy, veteran status or any other protected classes as designated by law.
Eastman is committed to creating a powerfully engaged workplace, where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential each day.
Nearest Major Market: Asheville
Nearest Secondary Market: Knoxville
Job Segment: R&D Engineer, R&D, Process Engineer, Chemical Research, Supply Chain, Engineering, Research, Operations
Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive company, Eastman employs approximately 13,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2025 revenue of approximately $8.8 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.
Description
This position requires a systems thinker with strong engineering, manufacturing, and project leadership capabilities. The professional will be responsible for developing and executing scale-up strategies that enable successful implementation of new products, process technologies, and manufacturing opportunities across Eastman businesses.
The R&D Chemical Process Engineer serves as a technical and execution leader responsible for integrating activities across product development, manufacturing, engineering, quality, supply chain, procurement, and internal or external manufacturing partners to support successful scale-up and implementation efforts.
Projects may vary in scope from incremental process improvements to new products, manufacturing technologies, asset expansions, and toll manufacturing opportunities.
The individual will provide leadership in manufacturing readiness, technology transfer, trial execution, implementation planning, and tolling readiness while helping strengthen Eastman's overall scale-up capability. The role is expected to influence decisions across organizational boundaries and serve as a trusted resource for scale-up strategy and execution without direct authority over project team members.
This position is located on-site at our Kingsport, TN headquarters.
Responsibilities
- Ensure safety, environmental, quality, regulatory, and operational considerations are incorporated into scale-up planning.
- Develop both internal and external toll manufacturing readiness and scale-up plans for new products, technologies, and manufacturing opportunities by applying engineering fundamentals and practical manufacturing knowledge and maintaining integrates scale-up plans, critical paths, readiness assessments, and implementation timelines.
- Assess manufacturing readiness and execution risks with scaling up products and technologies by identifying technical, operational, supply chain, quality, and organizational risks and gaps that could impact successful implementation.
- Develop mitigation strategies and drive resolution of barriers to implementation.
- Lead technology transfer efforts between laboratory, pilot, demonstration, tollers, and commercial manufacturing environments.
- Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal stakeholders, tollers, suppliers, and external manufacturing partners.
- Coordinate and support cross-functional resources and activities required for successful trial, qualification, startup, or manufacturing readiness execution.
- Lead planning and execution of laboratory, pilot, demonstration, manufacturing, and qualification trials supporting scale-up objectives by defining trial objectives, success criteria, decision frameworks, and data collection requirements.
- Capture and communicate key learnings throughout the scale-up process to improve future implementation efforts.
- Develop recommendations that enable effective decision-making under uncertainty while balancing technical rigor, practicality, cost, schedule, and risk.
- Communicate project status, risks, key decisions, and recommendations to leadership and project teams.
- Contribute to the development and deployment of scale-up best practices, readiness frameworks, implementation methodologies, and project leadership capabilities;
- Proactively mentor less experienced scale-up leads;
- Support continuous improvement of Eastman’s scale up processes through lessons learned, technical documentation, and organizational knowledge sharing.
Qualifications
Education
- BS in Chemical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
- Minimum of 10 years of relevant industrial experience.
- Demonstrated experience in manufacturing, process development, process engineering, technology implementation, scale-up, project leadership, or related technical roles.
- Experience leading cross-functional technical projects.
- Strong interpersonal, facilitation, influence, and communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and effectively across organizational boundaries.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in ambiguous environments.
- Six Sigma Green Belt with knowledge of project management and risk management methodologies strongly preferred
- Experience planning and executing pilot, demonstration, startup, or qualification campaigns either internally and/or at a toll manufacturer.
- Experience working with external suppliers, tollers, or customers.
- Experience supporting manufacturing startup and operational readiness activities.
- Experience working across multiple businesses, functions, or global organizations.
Success in this role requires strong technical judgment, practical manufacturing perspective, project leadership skills, and the ability to identify and mitigate scale-up risks while navigating complex technical and organizational environments.
Benefits
Your total rewards go far beyond a competitive salary. When you join Eastman, you gain access to an exceptional suite of programs designed to protect your health, grow your wealth, and fuel your career.
- Base pay plus performance-based incentive opportunities that let you share in our success.
- Comprehensive medical, prescription-drug, and dental coverage—paired with a Health Savings Account option to help you save tax-free dollars for care today or in the future.
- A robust menu of voluntary benefits—including vision, optional life, critical-illness protection, and more—so you can tailor coverage to fit your life.
- Holistic wellness support: financial-planning tools, family-building assistance (adoption, pregnancy, and fertility resources), parental leave, and confidential Employee Assistance Program counseling.
- 401(k) with a company match—plus an additional annual retirement contribution from Eastman to accelerate your long-term savings.
- Eleven paid holidays, one personal day, paid time off, and paid vacation to recharge, celebrate, or handle life’s moments.
- Access to mentorship, learning resources, and leadership programs that empower you to thrive in your current role and chart the next steps in your career.
At Eastman, we invest in the whole you—so you can bring your best self to work every day and build a future you’re proud of.
Eastman Chemical Company is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, pregnancy, veteran status or any other protected classes as designated by law.
Eastman is committed to creating a powerfully engaged workplace, where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential each day.
Nearest Major Market: Asheville
Nearest Secondary Market: Knoxville
Job Segment: R&D Engineer, R&D, Process Engineer, Chemical Research, Supply Chain, Engineering, Research, Operations
See All 8 Chemical Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Chemical Engineer JobsChemical Engineer Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Chemical Engineer Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Chemicals & Materials
What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in chemical engineer jobs across Tennessee.
- Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering or a closely related engineering discipline required
- Professional Engineer license from the Tennessee State Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners preferred for senior roles
- Hands-on experience with process simulation software such as Aspen Plus or HYSYS
- Familiarity with Tennessee environmental regulations and EPA compliance reporting standards
- Demonstrated ability to lead process improvement, yield optimization, or scale-up projects
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional collaboration and regulatory documentation
Chemical Engineer Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a chemical engineer in Tennessee?
Becoming a chemical engineer in Tennessee starts with earning a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from an ABET-accredited program. For roles requiring a Professional Engineer license, you register with the Tennessee State Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners, pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, accumulate qualifying work experience, and then sit for the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam. Many industry positions in manufacturing and production hire without a PE license, but obtaining one broadens your advancement options significantly.
Which companies hire chemical engineers in Tennessee?
Employers hiring chemical engineers in Tennessee right now include Eastman Chemical, Parsons, and Elite Medical, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Tennessee's concentration of chemical manufacturing, polymer production, and advanced materials companies means demand for chemical engineers is distributed across both large multinationals and mid-size specialty producers throughout the state.
Which Tennessee cities have the most chemical engineer jobs?
Kingsport, Bartlett, and Oak Ridge have the most chemical engineer openings in Tennessee. Nashville's broad manufacturing and healthcare-adjacent industries drive the metro's volume, Knoxville benefits from proximity to Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the chemical and materials sector anchored along the I-75 corridor, and Kingsport and Johnson City attract significant hiring through Eastman Chemical Company, one of the largest chemical employers headquartered in the state.
Are there remote chemical engineer jobs in Tennessee?
Yes, but they're uncommon. Chemical engineering work is largely hands-on, tied to plant operations, lab environments, and process equipment that require physical presence. About 50% of chemical engineer openings tied to Tennessee are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, which is low relative to office-based professions. The roles most likely to carry remote or hybrid flexibility are regulatory compliance, technical sales support, and process modeling positions that don't require direct plant access.
How can I get hired as a chemical engineer in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a co-op or internship completed before graduation, ideally with a Tennessee manufacturer such as Eastman Chemical, which runs structured co-op programs through regional engineering schools including the University of Tennessee and Tennessee Technological University. New graduates without that experience should target process technician or engineering associate roles at chemical or polymer plants, where on-the-job training bridges into full engineer positions. Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and completing OSHA process safety coursework gives entry-level candidates a concrete edge in screening.
Where can I find and apply to chemical engineer jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to chemical engineer jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current Tennessee openings updated regularly. Find the roles that fit your experience and specialization, then apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 8 Chemical Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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