Mechanical Engineer Entry - 2027

Job Title: Mechanical Engineer - Entry 2027

Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive company, Eastman employs approximately 13,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2025 revenue of approximately $8.8 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.

Responsibilities

Entry Level Engineering Rotational Program

This entry-level engineering role is designed to develop future technical and leadership talent for Kingsport Plant Engineering and partner organizations at Eastman’s Kingsport site. This role participates in a 3-year duration structured onboarding and development program that builds foundational technical competency, expands organizational awareness, and prepares engineers for long-term career placement across multiple engineering and operational disciplines. The role is designed such that the individual will complete 3 distinct placements.

The program bridges the gap between initial onboarding and full role readiness by combining formal training, hands-on experience, and cross-functional exposure. Upon completion of the program, the individual will have the opportunity to apply for other roles or be placed based on business need.

What To Expect:

• Technical Development – structured technical onboarding through the OBD2 program
• Interpersonal Development – structured growth in professional and communication skills
• Opportunities to explore potential career paths through structured rotations
• Exposure to manufacturing operations in staff, maintenance, reliability, and other capacities
• Mentorship – formal mentor relationship to help train and equip for each rotation
• Performance Feedback and career development

Potential Placements

Plant Engineering 

• Provide day-to-day mechanical engineering support for Manufacturing, Maintenance, and Technology projects. 
• Apply a broad range of mechanical skills to systems including rotating equipment, piping systems, mechanical components, machine design, project estimating, and materials handling.  
• Project management and engineering support for small to mid-sized capital projects including scope definition, estimation, design, specification, installation, and startup. 
• Support operations by troubleshooting equipment, improving reliability, and solving general mechanical problems. 
• Embedded in a manufacturing area for proximity to manufacturing partners and to develop area specific knowledge. 

Process Engineering

• Work with a team of Subject Matter Experts to lead or support projects related specific expertise area, examples include: Mechanical Utilities, Rotating Equipment, Piping Systems, Pressure Vessels, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Material Selection, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). 
• Support Eastman manufacturing sites around the globe, and provide design support for capital projects of all sizes
• Provide modeling and analysis services, troubleshooting, and failure investigation 
• Develop and maintain Corporate and site-specific mechanical engineering standards. 

            Maintenance Engineering

• Support maintenance activities by troubleshooting, diagnosing, and resolving equipment issues within assigned areas 
• Assist in the development and execution of preventive and predictive maintenance programs to optimize equipment reliability 
• Collaborate with operations and maintenance teams to identify and implement process improvements and equipment upgrades 
• Participate in root cause analysis and follow-up corrective actions to prevent recurrence of equipment failures 
• Support asset management initiatives, including spare parts management, documentation, and maintenance planning 

Supplemental Rotations

• Placement determined by business need

May include working at other Eastman sites, targeted efforts to improve plant reliability, support maintenance turnarounds, or drive efforts that are mission-critical to company

Qualifications

Desired Skills, Attributes, Experience, and Education

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering from an ABET accredited college or university. 
• This position is for an entry-level Mechanical Engineer. Less than 2 years of post-graduate experience is preferred.  

Eastman will not accept applicants for this offered position who require visa sponsorship, including those whose status is F-1 visa OPT who subsequently would require ongoing visa sponsorship.

Eastman Chemical Company is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, pregnancy, veteran status or any other protected classes as designated by law.

Eastman is committed to creating a highly engaged workforce, where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential each day.