Chemicals & Materials STEM OPT Jobs in Michigan
Michigan's chemicals and materials sector spans automotive coatings, specialty polymers, and advanced composites, with major employers like Dow, BASF, and Huntsman operating facilities across Midland, Saginaw, and the Detroit metro. F-1 STEM OPT candidates in chemical engineering, materials science, and polymer chemistry find meaningful sponsorship pathways here, particularly at manufacturers tied to Michigan's deep automotive and industrial supply chains.
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ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Advanced engineering of vehicle sealing system(s).
- Assist Program Manager in program planning.
- Lead in completion of ADVP&R.
- Customer contact on engineering issues and technical support.
- Follow product/process validations.
- Identify internal or external risks in terms of Quality, Cost, timing, product definition and processes.
- Develop the DFMEA’s and PFMEA’s.
- At each program phase, ensure that all the required Design and Engineering actions are executed on time, according to the program milestones.
- Develop program lessons learned at each phase of the program.
- Maintain and update drawings and parts list.
- Maintain liaison with Hutchinson Manufacturing.
- Participate in design reviews.
- Assist in creating program documentation (ie, Design Requests, FEA, Technical Definition Sheets, Feasibility reviews, PCA’s, board reviews…).
- Publish regular technical reports (build issues & resolutions, studies…).
- Follow key dates and prototype shipments up to PPAP.
- Assist with program launch at OEM assembly plant (occasional trips during build events).
- May assist with tooling development at supplier location (design buy off).
- Other customer warranty duties as assigned.
- May participate in part reviews with customers to analyze, identify root cause of warranty issues and define responsibilities.
- Document lesson learned resulting from warranty issues.
The “Project Engineer II” is responsible for tracking and resolving Engineering issues which may arise while developing a product. Design issues which cannot be resolved at the Project Engineer level in a timely manner because of product knowledge, training or extraordinary circumstances should be immediately reported to the Engineering Manager or Director of Engineering for resolution. Severe issues which may impact/jeopardize program timing or require additional fund should be immediately reported to the Engineering Manager/Director of Engineering and Vice President of Engineering.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
The Project Engineer II should have a bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university in engineering or equivalent and 4-8 years of directly related professional level automotive experience.
- Knowledgeable in product design and development.
- Knowledgeable in the sealing manufacturing processes.
- Knowledgeable in automotive body engineering.
- Knowledgeable in GD&T.
- Solid knowledge of sealing materials, purchased components, sealing performance and design requirements.
- Basic understanding of CAD design.
- Good planning abilities.
- Good knowledge of Excel and PowerPoint.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Should have participated in, at least, one full program cycle from RP0 to launch.
- Willingness to travel to Hutchinson plants, to customer locations and vendors as needed.
QUALIFICATIONS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Qualifications may be waived by management. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:
Valid Driver's License.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
None.
TEAM SKILLS:
Hutchinson is built around teamwork. This position requires the use of good team skills such as cooperation, information sharing, task sharing, timely completion of assignments, good listening and communication skills and overall respect for other team members.
LANGUAGE SKILLS:
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format. Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups and/or boards of directors.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:
Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
COMPUTER SKILLS:
Ability to use word processing, spreadsheet applications. Must be familiar with internet research, Microsoft Office software, and the use of e-mail.
REASONING ABILITY:
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts. The employee is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Must actively support our Health Safety and Environmental policy, immediately report all Safety hazards and correct them when able to safely do so, participate in all required Safety Training, meetings, inspects, and use all required PPE.
We are 40,000 men and women who meet the challenges faced by our automotive, aviation, defence and industry customers every day. Our passion for challenge and our enthusiasm encourage us to imagine, design and produce high performance and innovative fluid, sealing system and anti-vibration solutions. Working at Hutchinson means being curious about everything, contributing to the evolution of mobility and reducing carbon emissions.
Join us and show what drives you!
A French company with an international presence (25 countries): 170 years of history and passing on our know-how. 5 billion in turnover, with 5% invested in R&D.
STEM OPT Chemicals & Materials Job Roles in Michigan
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Search Chemicals & Materials Jobs in MichiganChemicals & Materials STEM OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Michigan: Frequently Asked Questions
Which chemicals and materials companies sponsor F-1 STEM OPT visas in Michigan?
Michigan hosts several large chemicals and materials employers with documented F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship activity, including Dow (headquartered in Midland), BASF's Michigan operations, Huntsman, Kuraray America, and automotive coatings suppliers such as PPG and Axalta. Tier-one automotive suppliers with advanced materials divisions, including those serving the EV battery supply chain, also actively hire STEM OPT candidates in materials engineering and polymer science roles.
Which cities in Michigan have the most chemicals and materials F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs?
Midland is the densest hub given Dow's global headquarters there. The Detroit metro, including Auburn Hills, Warren, and Dearborn, concentrates automotive-adjacent coatings and adhesives roles. Saginaw and Bay City have established chemical manufacturing facilities. Grand Rapids attracts specialty materials and plastics employers, and Ann Arbor draws R&D-focused materials science positions tied to University of Michigan industry partnerships and startup spinouts.
How do I find chemicals and materials F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs in Michigan?
Migrate Mate filters chemicals and materials job listings by visa type, letting you see Michigan roles where employers have active F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship history. Because STEM OPT requires employer E-Verify enrollment, Migrate Mate surfaces only compliant employers, saving you time. Focus searches on titles like process engineer, materials scientist, polymer chemist, and applications engineer to surface the most relevant Michigan postings in this sector.
What types of chemicals and materials roles typically qualify for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship in Michigan?
Roles that qualify must fall under a STEM-designated Classification of Instructional Programs code tied to your degree. In Michigan's chemicals and materials sector, qualifying positions commonly include process engineer, materials engineer, polymer chemist, coatings scientist, quality engineer, and R&D chemist. Employers must also be enrolled in E-Verify. You can cross-reference your degree's SOC occupation alignment using O*NET to confirm a given role qualifies before applying.
Are there state-specific or industry-specific considerations for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship in Michigan's chemicals sector?
Michigan's chemicals and materials hiring is heavily tied to automotive production cycles, so sponsorship activity often peaks when automakers expand EV and lightweighting programs. Many Michigan facilities are unionized manufacturing sites; most F-1 STEM OPT positions are in engineering or R&D functions rather than production floor roles. Candidates should verify that their prospective employer is E-Verify enrolled, as USCIS requires this for all STEM OPT extensions, and Michigan has no state-level overlay that changes this federal requirement.