R&D as a career
Engineers have two extreme types of role. One is to ensure the quality of conventional devices and structures, the other is to develop wholly new things. In fact, engineering jobs are probably evenly spread between the two ends of this spectrum but the balance is continually shifting to the R&D end as manufacturing moves offshore and software picks up more and more of the conventional roles.
In New England in particular, R&D accounts for a great fraction of the economic activity, much of it spread through many small- and medium-sized companies as well as research institutions. Some research engineers spend their whole careers with one company, but many move several times as businesses mature and move on to manufacturing. In an area where there are many such businesses, new companies are often fighting for the available talent.
Regional companies and organizations
Textiles Sciences works with many local and national companies in many ways. Take a look at some of these websites to get an idea of where soft materials are involved.
- Donaldson
- Cortek, Dedham MA
- Boston Scientific, Natick MA
- Albany International, Mansfield, MA
- US Army Natick Labs, Natick, MA
- Lawson-Hemphill, Pawtucket, RI
- Kimberly Clark
- Emerson & Cuming, Billerica, MA
- National Starch, Bridgewater, NJ
- Bureau Veritas, Brockton, MA
- Acushnet Company (Titleist), Fairhaven, MA
- Foster-Miller, Waltham, MA
- Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport, RI
- Velcro, Manchester, NH
- Engineered Yarns, Fall River, MA
- Dupont, Willmington, DE
- US Surgical, Norwalk, CT
- Genzyme BioSurgery, Fall River, MA
- Rubicor Medical Inc., Redwood City, CA
- American Flock Association, Boston, MA
- Precix (Acushnet Rubber), New Bedford, MA
- Catalytic Materials (Carbon nanotubes), Holliston, MA
- Hope Global Engineered Textile Solutions, Cumberland, RI
- New England Ropes, Fall River, MA
- Concordia Manufacturing, West Warwick, RI
