Senior Materials Engineer

Title: Senior Materials Engineer Location: Xiamen, China

Location: Xiamen, China Employment: Full time

At YETI, we believe that time spent outdoors matters more than ever and our gear can make that time extraordinary. When you work here, you’ll have the opportunity to create exceptional, meaningful work and problem solve with innovative team members by your side. Together, you’ll help our customers get the high-quality gear they need to make the most of their adventures. We are BUILT FOR THE WILD™.

About the Role

As a Senior Materials Engineer in the Operations department, you will have one of the most critical roles in the company. You will be a member of the team that produces the best-in-class, tough-as-nails product that YETI is known for. The role will be tasked to evaluate the strength, durability, and other characteristics of materials, troubleshooting and resolving issues related to material performance and manufacturing processes.

You'll work closely with Manufacturing, Design and Quality teams to ensure the materials used in the manufacturing process meet the necessary standards and specifications. This role will be focused on technical projects in a fast-paced environment including injection, extrusion, etc. forming products and beyond while pushing the envelope of what is possible for best manufacturing process, product cost, and product performance.

What You'll Do

• Partner closely with YETI’s material suppliers to ensure product requirements are clearly communicated, and minimum material performance criteria are defined, validated, and consistently met.
• Collaborate with Design Engineering teams to correlate material characteristics with product-level performance, enabling balanced, efficient testing strategies that reduce risk and improve quality.
• Lead the development and optimization of new and existing materials to meet evolving product specifications, durability expectations, and performance targets.
• Analyze the composition, physical properties, and processing behavior of materials used throughout the manufacturing lifecycle.
• Evaluate material strength, durability, stability, and other key performance attributes through structured testing and data-driven analysis.
• Work closely with Manufacturing Engineering, and Quality teams to ensure material selections support manufacturability, product reliability, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability.
• Troubleshoot material-related issues, identifying root causes and implementing corrective actions to improve material performance and process capability.
• Stay informed on emerging materials, processing technologies, regulatory trends, and innovations in materials science that can enhance YETI products or operations.
• Sustain, qualify, and continuously improve raw materials used in YETI products through data-driven decision-making, cross-functional collaboration, and proactive supplier engagement.

What You'll Bring

• Master’s degree or higher in Polymer Science and/or Compounding, Materials Engineering, or a related discipline within the plastics forming industry, especially in injection
• Minimum 8 years of experience in Engineering, Manufacturing, or relevant fields involving plastic forming processes; experience in consumer products is a plus.
• Strong working knowledge of plastic material properties, testing methodologies, and quality control practices.
• Demonstrated innovative thinking, strong problem-solving abilities, and exceptional attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Comfortable working in fast-paced environments with ambiguity; able to generate actionable solutions with limited guidance.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to distill complex information and tailor messaging to diverse technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven team player who builds strong working relationships across organizational levels, suppliers, and global partners.

YETI is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Benefits & Perks

Click here to learn about the benefits and perks we offer at YETI.

YETI is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Our commitment to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture is at the center of everything we do for our employees. We embrace all applicants looking to bring their authentic selves to YETI and contribute to our mission of keeping the wild WILD. Find out more about our commitment to DE&I at yeti.com/esg.html.

All applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws.

YETI Applicant Privacy Notice

YETI welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. If you require accommodation in order to apply for a job, please contact us at recruiter contact.