Application Development Engineer*

Job Description:

Job Title
Application Development Engineer

Collaborate with Innovative 3Mers Around the World

Choosing where to start and grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the company that you choose to work at, and its leaders, will support and guide you. With a wide variety of people, global locations, technologies and products, 3M is a place where you can collaborate with other curious, creative 3Mers.

This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military environments to a 3M career.

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role

As an Application Development Engineer, you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative people around the world. Here, you will make an impact by:

Key Responsibilities:

• Growth and Collaboration: Lead initiatives to drive growth by collaborating with customers, developing new applications, and commercializing new optical products. Work with global teams to implement impactful solutions across 3M’s diverse markets.
• Product Advancement: Work both independently and as part of a team to advance products in the market, ensuring they meet customer needs and industry standards through the development of data packages, industry group participation etc.
• Knowledge Utilization: Apply and enhance your knowledge of technical, product, market, and competitive information to support product development and market positioning.
• Network Engagement: Collaborate with and engage your internal and external interconnect network of resources to advance technical platforms and drive innovation.
• Technical Application Support: Apply advanced technical skills to support external customers and create new commercial opportunities.

This includes:

• Broadening the application space for existing EBO products.
• Developing a fundamental understanding of the application space
• Identifying product modifications or technical changes to enable sales in new applications and demonstrating feasibility
• Taking the initiative to develop new applications
• Providing significant support on products and their applications to customers, expanding opportunities and reducing risks
• Interfacing with a global team and contributing to new product development and support of existing platforms through frequent communication including phone calls, team meetings, and presentations both with customers and internally within 3M, etc.

Your Skills and Expertise 

To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in an Engineering or Science (completed and verified prior to start)
• Five (5) years of application development experience in a private, public, government or military environment
• One (1) year of hands-on laboratory work experience such as mechanical property testing and analytical testing

Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher with strong technical skills and ability to apply them in commercial context
• Seven (7) years of previous experience in optical application development and/or optical design
• Experience and knowledge with a variety of laboratory test equipment including optical fiber testing, microscopes, etc.
• Proven leader with ability to communicate clearly across functions, including lab, manufacturing, and business teams
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in diverse and global teams
• Innovative mindset with a focus on customer collaboration and market growth
• Ability to work independently and take initiative in developing new applications and solutions

Location: on site, Austin, TX

Travel: May include up to 10% domestic, international

Relocation Assistance: May be authorized

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).

Responsibilities of this position may include direct and/or indirect physical or logical access to information, systems, technologies subjected to the regulations/compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws.

 

U.S. Export Control laws and U.S. Government Department of Defense contracts and sub-contracts impose certain restrictions on companies and their ability to share export-controlled and other technology and services with certain "non-U.S. persons" (persons who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, lawful permanent residents of the U.S., refugees, "Temporary Residents" (granted Amnesty or Special Agricultural Worker provisions), or persons granted asylum.

 

To comply with these laws, 3M must help assess candidates' U.S. person status.

 

The questions asked in this application are intended to assess this and will be used for evaluation purposes only. Failure to provide the necessary information in this regard will result in our inability to consider you further for this particular position.

 

Supporting Your Well-being 

3M offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, 3M regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope. 

Resources for You 

For more details on what happens before, during and after the interview process, check out the Insights for Candidates page at 3M.com/careers. 

Applicable to US Applicants Only:The expected compensation range for this position is $141,150 - $172,517, which includes base pay plus variable incentive pay, if eligible. This range represents a good faith estimate for this position. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant knowledge, training, skills, work location, and/or experience. In addition, this position may be eligible for a range of benefits (e.g., Medical, Dental & Vision, Health Savings Accounts, Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Voluntary Benefits, Paid Absences and Retirement Benefits, etc.). Additional information is available at: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/.

Good Faith Posting Date Range 08/22/2025 To 09/21/2025 Or until filled

All US-based 3M full time employees will need to sign an employee agreement as a condition of employment with 3M. This agreement lays out key terms on using 3M Confidential Information and Trade Secrets. It also has provisions discussing conflicts of interest and how inventions are assigned. Employees that are Job Grade 7 or equivalent and above may also have obligations to not compete against 3M or solicit its employees or customers, both during their employment, and for a period after they leave 3M.

Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @3M.

Responsibilities of this position include that corporate policies, procedures and security standards are complied with while performing assigned duties.

Safety is a core value at 3M. All employees are expected to contribute to a strong Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) culture by following safety policies, identifying hazards, and engaging in continuous improvement.Pay & Benefits Overview: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/

3M does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Please note: your application may not be considered if you do not provide your education and work history, either by: 1) uploading a resume, or 2) entering the information into the application fields directly.

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