A Perspective of Career Opportunities in Technical Consulting within Polymers and Manufacturing

AIM for Composites is a Department of Energy-sponsored Energy Frontier Research Center. The AIM webinar series introduces talks from world-renowned experts imparting key 21st-century skills as identified by the National Academies Press. These skills include critical thinking, problem-solving, analysis, reasoning, decision-making, adaptive learning, information literacy, oral and written communication, and active listening, all of which are essential for navigating the complexities of today’s research and development landscape. Additional talks on career paths in national labs, industry and consulting.
The world of material science and manufacturing has become increasingly data-driven. However, there is often a disconnect between the resin manufacturers generating and collecting data and those that need to use that data to design and manufacture parts. The limited applied and technical knowledge of many manufacturers and OEMs adds an additional level of difficulty. Within their evolving role, the modern technical consultant can fill those gaps during every stage of the product development process. The speaker will highlight his and others’ technical consulting career paths within manufacturing and polymer material science. He will also discuss traits that are critical for success in technical consulting and how to decide if consulting could be a good path for you now or in the future.