Head of Compound Engineering - Polymer Science & Engineering

At a glance:
Take the leap and redefine the future of sports good production with us. Lead the compound engineering team in Vietnam and build a strong and reliable operation in Vietnam and Indonesia.

Your Team:
The Innovation team is responsible for On’s future products, out-of-the-box thinking and athlete-informed technology that differentiates On’s products in the market. Within the Innovation team you will join the Polymer Science and Engineering team which is focused on polymer and compound development with a scope covering long term innovation to inline production. You will have the opportunity to be part of an agile and interdisciplinary department of engineers and scientists. We foster a fast-paced environment with direct decision making and the freedom to design projects and processes.

Your Mission:

Your mission will be to lead the inline and innovation compound engineering team, developing, and implementing cutting-edge compound technologies to create high-performance, sustainable materials that redefine underfoot sensation. 

You will drive the efforts of manufacturing excellence and putting in place documentations and processes and contribute to our operations more robust and transparent. You will be in charge of bringing on board state of the art partners and through continuous innovation, you’ll push the boundaries of materials, technology, and processes, while keeping the big picture in mind.

Polymer Innovation & Development

• Lead the development and validation of innovative polymer compounds (midsole , outsole, speed board) for footwear applications, from concept through to inline production and ensure the scalability of new development
• Integrate sustainable materials into polymer development, aligned with On’s sustainability goals.
• Explore novel technologies, processing methods, and cross-industry innovations to future-proof product pipelines.

Manufacturing Excellence & Process Implementation

• Evaluate current material and manufacturing processes to identify opportunities for improved performance, efficiency, and sustainability.
• Define and maintain chemical engineering documentation, including:
• Compound formulation documentation
• VOC reduction guidelines and data frameworks
• Process audit frameworks for compound production
• Drive standardization of bonding processes and engineering guidelines to support consistent, high-quality production.
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Cross-functional Leadership & Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with internal teams (Innovation, Product Development, Operations) and external partners (material suppliers, factories).
• Support costing team on price negotiation with suppliers.
• Lead knowledge-sharing and upskilling initiatives around polymer materials, compliance, and best practices.

Your Story:

• MSc (or higher) in Polymer Science, Material Science,  compound engineering or a related discipline.
• 10 years of hands-on experience in compound engineering and leadership, with a strong focus on innovation, performance materials, and sustainability.
• Deep understanding of manufacturing processes like IM , CMP , SCIF, SCF, high pressure injection molding
• Proven experience in driving complex projects collaborating with diverse stakeholders to scale up novel material solutions from concept to global supply chain integration.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with fluency in English required; additional language skills are a plus.

What we offer:
We offer a dynamic, challenging and sportive environment that has been ranked as the ‘fastest growing sports company’ of its time. With offices across the globe, we are an international team that is hungry to innovate and build something incredible. We foster an active environment where each individual thrives for excellence and can achieve its full potential. This is where your work matters, you’re hands-on and your team members are amongst the very best in their respective disciplines and fields. If you are driven to bring On to the next level, curious about the opportunity and want to be part of our growing team send us your application, and join the ONiverse!