Chemicals & Materials OPT Jobs in Tennessee
Chemicals and materials F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Tennessee are concentrated around the state's established industrial base, with employers like Eastman Chemical in Kingsport, DuPont operations in Memphis, and major plastics and specialty materials manufacturers hiring OPT candidates in research, process engineering, and quality roles across East and Middle Tennessee.
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Get Access To All JobsJob Requisition ID: 57605
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.
Responsibilities
This is an office-based position located at Eastman’s corporate headquarters in Kingsport, Tennessee.
- Collaborate with global, cross-functional deal teams supporting mergers and acquisitions and other strategic initiatives.
- Work with internal stakeholders to develop and maintain a pipeline of potential corporate development opportunities aligned with Eastman’s strategic priorities.
- Analyze the external environment, including industry structure, demand drivers, competitors, customers, market trends, and other relevant factors.
- Evaluate internal capabilities, including technologies, people, products, and business platforms, to support strategic assessments.
- Develop and own financial analyses, Excel-based models, valuation analyses, forecasts, scenarios, and business cases to evaluate strategic alternatives.
- Apply appropriate modeling and valuation techniques, including discounted cash flow, comparable company and transaction analysis, accretion and dilution, return analysis, and other relevant methods.
- Develop insights, analyses, and recommendations and communicate them through clear, accurate, and high-quality presentation materials.
- Present findings and recommendations to project teams, business and functional stakeholders, and management to support alignment and decision-making.
- Coordinate assigned project activities, including work plans, timelines, action tracking, information gathering, status updates, and issue resolution.
- Support due diligence activities by coordinating information requests, organizing findings, identifying issues, and preparing internal due diligence updates.
- Support integration planning and other transaction-related activities in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
- Work with target companies, advisors, investment bankers, and other external service providers as appropriate and under the direction of the deal lead.
- Assist with transaction negotiations and other deal execution activities as assigned.
- Serve as a resource to teammates by sharing knowledge, analytical approaches, and best practices related to corporate development activities.
- Lead smaller projects or workstreams with manageable risk and resource requirements.
- Work collaboratively across the global Eastman organization to support successful project and transaction outcomes.
Qualifications
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university required.
- Five or more years of relevant experience in corporate development, investment banking, private equity, consulting, internal corporate strategy, finance, accounting, or a related business function. Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.
- Demonstrated experience using Excel for financial modeling, analysis, forecasting, valuation, or business case development.
- Demonstrated project management experience coordinating work across multiple stakeholders, functions, or business areas.
- Demonstrated experience contributing to alignment and advancing strategic or business projects with cross-functional stakeholders.
- Corporate finance or accounting coursework required through formal education or an applicable job training program.
Occasional travel may be required based on business and transaction needs.
Eastman is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a highly engaged workforce, where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential each day.
Nearest Major Market: Asheville
Nearest Secondary Market: Knoxville
Job Segment: Investment Banking, Private Equity, Financial, Corporate Finance, Application Developer, Finance, Technology
Job Requisition ID: 57605
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.
Responsibilities
This is an office-based position located at Eastman’s corporate headquarters in Kingsport, Tennessee.
- Collaborate with global, cross-functional deal teams supporting mergers and acquisitions and other strategic initiatives.
- Work with internal stakeholders to develop and maintain a pipeline of potential corporate development opportunities aligned with Eastman’s strategic priorities.
- Analyze the external environment, including industry structure, demand drivers, competitors, customers, market trends, and other relevant factors.
- Evaluate internal capabilities, including technologies, people, products, and business platforms, to support strategic assessments.
- Develop and own financial analyses, Excel-based models, valuation analyses, forecasts, scenarios, and business cases to evaluate strategic alternatives.
- Apply appropriate modeling and valuation techniques, including discounted cash flow, comparable company and transaction analysis, accretion and dilution, return analysis, and other relevant methods.
- Develop insights, analyses, and recommendations and communicate them through clear, accurate, and high-quality presentation materials.
- Present findings and recommendations to project teams, business and functional stakeholders, and management to support alignment and decision-making.
- Coordinate assigned project activities, including work plans, timelines, action tracking, information gathering, status updates, and issue resolution.
- Support due diligence activities by coordinating information requests, organizing findings, identifying issues, and preparing internal due diligence updates.
- Support integration planning and other transaction-related activities in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
- Work with target companies, advisors, investment bankers, and other external service providers as appropriate and under the direction of the deal lead.
- Assist with transaction negotiations and other deal execution activities as assigned.
- Serve as a resource to teammates by sharing knowledge, analytical approaches, and best practices related to corporate development activities.
- Lead smaller projects or workstreams with manageable risk and resource requirements.
- Work collaboratively across the global Eastman organization to support successful project and transaction outcomes.
Qualifications
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university required.
- Five or more years of relevant experience in corporate development, investment banking, private equity, consulting, internal corporate strategy, finance, accounting, or a related business function. Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.
- Demonstrated experience using Excel for financial modeling, analysis, forecasting, valuation, or business case development.
- Demonstrated project management experience coordinating work across multiple stakeholders, functions, or business areas.
- Demonstrated experience contributing to alignment and advancing strategic or business projects with cross-functional stakeholders.
- Corporate finance or accounting coursework required through formal education or an applicable job training program.
Occasional travel may be required based on business and transaction needs.
Eastman is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a highly engaged workforce, where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential each day.
Nearest Major Market: Asheville
Nearest Secondary Market: Knoxville
Job Segment: Investment Banking, Private Equity, Financial, Corporate Finance, Application Developer, Finance, Technology
OPT Chemicals & Materials Job Roles in Tennessee
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Search Chemicals & Materials Jobs in TennesseeChemicals & Materials OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
Which chemicals and materials companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in Tennessee?
Eastman Chemical Company, headquartered in Kingsport, is one of Tennessee's most active sponsors for F-1 OPT candidates in chemistry and materials engineering roles. Other employers with a history of hiring OPT workers include Chemours, PPG, and specialty coatings and polymer manufacturers operating in the Memphis and Nashville corridors. Research universities with affiliated materials science programs also employ OPT students in lab and development positions.
Which cities in Tennessee have the most chemicals and materials F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
Kingsport leads due to Eastman Chemical's large campus and its concentration of supplier and partner companies in the Tri-Cities area. Memphis has refining, agricultural chemicals, and materials distribution employers along the Mississippi River corridor. Nashville and Chattanooga also have growing advanced materials and coatings manufacturing presence, supported by proximity to research institutions and interstate logistics infrastructure that attracts chemicals sector employers.
What types of chemicals and materials roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship?
Roles that align directly with STEM degree fields qualify most cleanly for OPT and the 24-month STEM OPT extension. These include process engineer, analytical chemist, materials scientist, polymer research associate, quality control chemist, environmental health and safety specialist, and R&D formulation scientist. Positions requiring a degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or environmental engineering at the bachelor's level or above are well-suited to OPT authorization in Tennessee's chemicals sector.
How do I find chemicals and materials F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Tennessee?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa type, state, and industry, making it straightforward to browse chemicals and materials roles in Tennessee that are open to F-1 OPT candidates. Rather than sorting through general job boards, you can search within Migrate Mate's curated listings to identify Tennessee employers actively recruiting OPT workers in chemistry, materials engineering, and related fields, saving significant time during a period when your OPT clock is running.
Are there any Tennessee-specific or industry-specific considerations for F-1 OPT sponsorship in chemicals and materials?
Tennessee's chemicals sector includes a high proportion of manufacturing and plant-based roles, which means OPT candidates should confirm their authorized work location matches the employer's listed worksite, as OPT authorization is tied to your specific employer and role. Many chemicals positions also require background checks or involve regulated substances, which can extend onboarding timelines. F-1 students pursuing the 24-month STEM OPT extension should verify their employer is enrolled in E-Verify, a common requirement at large Tennessee chemicals manufacturers.