We are seeking a Product Specialist to join our Product Management team supporting the Materials & Plastics business within UL Solutions' Engineered Materials organization. This is a hybrid position based in Northbrook, Illinois, providing opportunities for in-person collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, Sales, and Marketing teams while also working with global colleagues across multiple regions.
This role serves as a bridge between technical expertise and business strategy, helping translate market needs and customer challenges into impactful products, services, and growth opportunities. The Product Specialist will support the development, enhancement, and expansion of product and service offerings while working closely with Product Management, Engineering, Sales, Marketing, and other key stakeholders.
Please note: This is not a laboratory or engineering execution role. The position focuses on product management, business strategy, market analysis, customer engagement, and cross-functional collaboration rather than performing technical testing, laboratory work, or engineering design activities.
Responsibilities
Product Strategy & Business Growth
- Support the development, enhancement, and growth of Materials & Plastics product and service offerings.
- Contribute to initiatives designed to drive business growth and expand market opportunities.
- Assist in identifying emerging trends, new technologies, and evolving customer needs within the industry.
- Support the creation and maintenance of product roadmaps aligned with business objectives and market demand.
- Participate in business case development and strategic proposals for new services, capabilities, and solutions.
Market & Customer Insights
- Conduct market research to identify opportunities, competitive trends, customer challenges, and industry developments.
- Monitor competitor capabilities and compare them to UL Solutions' offerings.
- Gather customer feedback and market intelligence to support product enhancement initiatives.
- Translate customer needs and industry insights into actionable business recommendations.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Product Managers, Engineers, Sales, Marketing, and other stakeholders to support product initiatives.
- Facilitate communication and collaboration across multiple teams to achieve shared objectives.
- Assist in aligning business priorities, technical capabilities, and customer requirements.
- Support internal and external communication regarding product strategy, value propositions, and market positioning.
Product Lifecycle Support
- Gain exposure to the full product lifecycle, from concept development through launch and continuous improvement.
- Help prioritize features, service enhancements, and business initiatives.
- Track product goals, outcomes, and performance metrics to support future decision-making.
- Contribute to go-to-market planning, including messaging, positioning, differentiation, and value propositions.
Continuous Learning & Industry Knowledge
- Develop a strong understanding of UL Solutions' Materials & Plastics portfolio and related industries.
- Build knowledge of key market segments, customer applications, and emerging technologies.
- Continuously learn and adapt to changing industry trends and business opportunities.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Marketing, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related discipline.
- 0–2 years of professional experience in a technical, commercial, business, product management, or related role.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills.
- Demonstrated ability to learn new concepts, technologies, and industries quickly.
- Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams in a collaborative environment.
- Self-starter who is comfortable working with ambiguity and proactively identifying opportunities.
- Interest in business strategy, product development, customer needs, and market analysis.
Preferred Qualifications
- Exposure to Materials & Plastics industries, including plastics, additive manufacturing, recycling, electrical insulation systems, marking and labeling, tape, tubing, sleeving, coatings, refrigerants, fluids, liquids, gaskets, seals, or related product categories.
- Degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Materials Engineering, or similar technical discipline.
- Exposure to product management, business development, marketing, or market research activities.
- Formal training or certification in Product Management, Project Management, or related disciplines.
- Experience working with global or geographically distributed teams.
- Experience preparing strategic recommendations, business cases, or market analyses.
Total Rewards: We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. The estimated salary range for this position is $81,800 and $90,000 and is based on multiple factors, including job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, as well as other factors. This position is eligible for annual bonus compensation with a target payout of 5% of the base salary. This position also provides health benefits such as medical, dental and vision; wellness benefits such as mental and financial health; and retirement savings (401K) commensurate with the standard rewards offered in each individual location or country. We also provide full-time employees with paid time off including vacation (15 days), holiday including floating holidays (12 days) and sick time off (72 hours).
#LI-Hybrid
#LI-BD1
A global leader in applied safety science, UL Solutions (NYSE: ULS) transforms safety, security and sustainability challenges into opportunities for customers in more than 110 countries. UL Solutions delivers testing, inspection and certification services, together with software products and advisory offerings, that support our customers’ product innovation and business growth. The UL Mark serves as a recognized symbol of trust in our customers’ products and reflects an unwavering commitment to advancing our safety mission. We help our customers innovate, launch new products and services, navigate global markets and complex supply chains, and grow sustainably and responsibly into the future. Our science is your advantage.
Plastic is everywhere. There’s no avoiding it. That’s why we’re working to help our customers create sustainable plastics that don’t compromise on safety or performance. As a team, we bring encyclopedic knowledge, innovative testing strategies and world-class expertise for materials including liquids, coatings and 3D printables. Our reputation means that customers around the world look to us as the experts. Join our team, break the mold and make your mark at a recognized industry leader.
