Innovation, creativity, innovative design and new product development are cornerstones of K-C's success. Because of this, we place a heavy emphasis on research and engineering disciplines. In fact, we invest $800 million each year into the development of new technology and new processes, and we are considered the foremost global leader in each of our core technologies, including absorbency, fibers and nonwovens. We're expanding our capabilities to include skin care/treatment, infection control, sensors/diagnostics, functional packaging as well as environmental sustainability. Our corporate innovation and business unit product and technology development professionals, which include the traditional research and engineering disciplines, have access to the resources and tools within an environment that fosters excellence and risk-taking.

For research and development positions, K-C recruits experienced professionals whose education and work experience come from a wide variety of backgrounds to meet our changing business needs, including apparel design, biochemistry, biology and microbiology, chemical engineering, chemistry, material science or polymer science. Engineering opportunities generally require a bachelor of science degree and relevant work experience in traditional engineering disciplines, or related fields.

Kimberly-Clark Research & Engineering (R&E) teams convert science and technology into advantaged products to represent the promise our brands make to consumers. R&E is valued at Kimberly-Clark as the engine to drive the innovation necessary for our success.

K-C R&E jobs typically have titles of technicians, scientists, and engineers. The positions within Kimberly-Clark may be generally categorized into several disciplines including:

• Fundamental Science
• Product
• Materials
• Process
• Electrical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Packaging Engineering

All of these disciplines can work in various businesses and organizations within Kimberly-Clark. These positions are generally related to one of the disciplines but have areas of specialization that make them unique. A short description of each area is provided to help explain the breadth of technical work that Kimberly-Clark employs.

• Fundamental Science Discipline - Utilizing fundamental science in key areas including biology, physiology, chemistry, mechanics, mathematical modeling, environmental science, electronics, and numerous others to explore new technologies to provide fundamental understanding of our products and processes and create breakthrough innovations.
  
  
• Product Discipline - The science of understanding fundamental consumer needs, translating these needs into product designs, and ultimately commercializing product opportunities to meet business objectives is part of the product discipline. Activities include conducting consumer research, exploring and evaluating design elements, evaluating manufacturing options, and providing follow-up support.
  
  
• Materials Discipline - The science of exploring, developing, and optimizing material components and systems to meet product and process performance expectations is part of the materials discipline. Activities include translating product needs to functional performance expectations, evaluating performance, materials selection and development, and process evaluations. Typical material development includes product materials such as films, formulations, nonwovens, fibers, adhesives, polymers, and elastics.
  
  
• Process Discipline - The field of research and/or engineering that provides and optimizes manufacturing options for new and improved products and product components is part of the process discipline. Activities include investigating and evaluating equipment options, understanding process capability to deliver product features, and optimizing process efficiency. This discipline provides an overall understanding of total process capability to produce products to specification as well as create new processes to improve product value.
  
  
• Electrical Engineering Discipline - The field of engineering that involves the application of a broad range of electrical engineering principles to design, manufacture, and optimize consumer product converting equipment is part of the electrical engineering discipline. K-C electrical engineers develop both hardware and software solutions for high speed manufacturing applications that include technologies such as control system theory, process and instrumentation design, motion control, machine vision, human machine interface programming, and data acquisition systems. Assignments include both staff and mill locations. Coordinating, overseeing, and providing technical direction to contracted engineers is often within the scope of a electrical engineer's role.
  
  
• Mechanical Engineering Discipline - The field of engineering that involves the application of science and physics for the analysis, design, manufacture, optimization, and maintenance of consumer product converting equipment, as well as developmental or pilot equipment is part of the mechanical engineering discipline. Assignments include both staff and mill locations. Coordinating and overseeing contracted engineers is often within the scope of a mechanical engineer's role.
  
  
• Packaging Engineering Discipline - The science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use is part of the packaging engineering discipline. Packaging also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages. Activities include the design and development of innovative primary and secondary packaging structures and materials for safe transport and distribution, the design and development of merchandising solutions for in-store displays, and the support of cost savings and productivity initiatives related to packaging.
  
  
• Specialized Roles - Additionally, there are several roles within R&E that are more specialized in nature including Medical Technology, Intellectual Property, Alliance Management, Consumer Services, Design, Environmental, Human Subject Testing, Knowledge Management, Materials Coordinator, Quality, Regulatory, and Safety.

North American R&E assignments exist at our two staff locations of Neenah, WI and Roswell, GA as well as all of our production sites. At the staff locations R&E roles are typically on a team involved in the development and implementation of new and improved products and processes. This work includes the gambit of work from fundamental research to equipment design and installation. Support functions are also provided from staff locations to optimize existing manufacturing processes and materials.

R&E assignments at a production facility differ slightly from staff roles as you are typically assigned to develop engineering expertise for a specific area in the plant. You would have responsibility to support operations and maintenance to achieve business unit objectives through identifying and implementing solutions to process limiters for continuous improvement of both production and safety. This involves working on capital and maintenance projects led by the production facility as well as enabling the transfer of technology between staff R&E and production personnel.

Bring your experience, education, and passion to learn to Kimberly-Clark and we'll provide the opportunities for you to continue to develop. Our Open Opportunities system allows you to control your career path while K-C provides the framework to help you succeed. Everyone's different and comes into the company at the level their education, background and experience has best prepared them. Typically, most employees develop their skills, competencies with time and progress to higher levels. Technical leadership positions at Kimberly-Clark are split into three areas and consists of team leader, program leader, and technical leader positions. Note that all leaders are empowered and responsible to drive strategies, deliver on goals, and motivate the Research & Engineering organization. The key difference is that the Technical Leader positions are primarily responsible for developing technologies, the Program Leader positions are primarily responsible on managing programs or complex projects, and that Team Leader positions are responsible for developing and managing resources.

Beyond progressing in a technical career, starting your career in a technical role at Kimberly-Clark can be a springboard to other rewarding career opportunities in K-C. There are many examples of former engineers and scientists being successful in other Kimberly-Clark functions including marketing, operations, sourcing, logistics, legal, and others.