Application Specialist - Wood & Composite Adhesives

As the largest pureplay adhesives company in the world, H.B. Fuller's (NYSE: FUL) innovative, functional coatings, adhesives and sealants enhance the quality, safety and performance of products people use every day. Founded in 1887, with 2024 revenue of $3.6 billion, our mission to Connect What Matters is brought to life by more than 7,500 global team members who collaborate with customers across more than 30 market segments in over 140 countries to develop highly specified solutions that enable customers to bring world-changing innovations to their end markets. Learn more at www.hbfuller.com.

Position Overview

This individual is independent for basic support needs and is learning from others to develop skills in more complex areas. They co-own an area (W&C applications) with guidance and are responsible for troubleshooting basic problems within assigned tasks, with assistance. The role consistently develops skills to meet scope and ownership responsibilities and includes travel to customers without technical support in focus areas (e.g., product trials at customer sites or in-house).

Primary Responsibilities

Customer Focus

• Proactively maintain a safe work environment by following company guidelines, industry safety rules, and using proper protective equipment.
• Build strong relationships with customers, influence decisions, and gain alignment.
• Apply application and equipment expertise to solve unmet customer needs, troubleshoot process problems, support claim investigations, and recommend products or process improvements based on data-driven conclusions.
• Train and educate customers on H.B. Fuller products and services, including product specifications, application, and equipment.
• Conduct manufacturing audits at customer locations, where applicable.
• Perform preventative maintenance and equipment repair of H.B. Fuller-manufactured equipment, where applicable.
• Utilize equipment and application expertise to construct new apparatus or modify existing equipment based on customer and equipment capabilities.

Performance Excellence

• Develop expertise in H.B. Fuller products and applications in the markets served.
• Stay current with industry trends by attending conventions, trade shows, and visiting key equipment manufacturers, machinery partners, institutes, and substrate suppliers.
• Maintain knowledge of customers, competition, market forces, and product/application needs.
• Analyze and interpret data to prepare and deliver technical reports and presentations internally (sales, marketing, R&D) and externally (customers).
• Conduct successful product demonstrations, including planning, preparation of tools, and post-demonstration reviews with customers.

Teamwork

• Actively participate in developing and executing account plans for key customers and opportunities.
• Train and educate commercial leaders on H.B. Fuller products and services, including competitive comparisons and value quantification.
• Participate in regular laboratory, sales, and marketing meetings; share best practices and success stories.
• Collaborate with commercial teams to define roles with key equipment and material manufacturers.

Innovation

• Drive innovation by identifying new product and service opportunities and being among the first trained on new H.B. Fuller technologies.
• Work closely with Marketing to launch new products, train sales teams, and identify market trends.
• Collaborate with R&D to provide application expertise for new product development and troubleshooting.

Minimum Requirements

• High School Diploma and at least 5 years of relevant work experience OR
• Associate or technical degree in a related area and at least 2 years of relevant work experience OR
• Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Material Science, or related field
• ASC TAC certification
• At least 1 year of training in adhesives, applications, machinery, or substrates

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, and geographic location.

The salary for this role is $71,000.00 - $91,000.00.

In addition to your salary, H.B. Fuller offers employees a competitive total rewards package including comprehensive benefits, incentive and recognitions programs, health & wellness benefits, 401K contributions, paid time off and paid holidays. Eligibility may vary.

H.B. Fuller is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and proud to have created a collaborative culture where employees around the world are seen, heard, and respected. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, or marital status or status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected classification.

H.B. Fuller does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with H.B. Fuller, a written service agreement must be executed by Human Resources prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed service agreement, H.B. Fuller shall not be obligated for payment of any fee or compensation.