Material Technology Engineer – Comfort
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 5, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 2, 2026. IKEA scores B on the Alion truth index.
Help create the next generation of comfort solutions
Are you passionate about textiles, comfort, and material innovation? Do you want to influence how millions of people experience comfort in their everyday life?
We're looking for a Material Technology Engineer - Comfort to drive the development of innovative materials, technologies, and manufacturing solutions within our Textile & Comfort area. You will combine deep material expertise with a strong understanding of customer needs, sustainability, and industrial production to create better products at an affordable price. Based on the responsibilities and competence requirements described for the Material Technology Engineer role.
Your mission
As part of the Material & Engineering team, you will lead innovation and development projects focused on textiles, soft materials, comfort constructions, and related manufacturing technologies.
You will work closely with product developers, suppliers, innovation teams, and external partners to identify opportunities and transform ideas into scalable solutions.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Leading material and technology development projects within textile and comfort categories.
- Exploring new textile materials, fibers, constructions, fillings, foams, nonwovens, and comfort solutions.
- Evaluating emerging technologies and their potential application in future products.
- Supporting material roadmaps and identifying innovation opportunities that contribute to quality, sustainability, affordability, and customer value.
- Working early in the product development process to ensure optimal material and comfort solutions.
- Collaborating with suppliers, universities, startups, and industry experts to bring external innovation into the business.
- Developing and maintaining material specifications, quality requirements, and technical documentation.
- Driving knowledge sharing and capability building within Textile & Comfort.
- Supporting the implementation of new materials and technologies in industrial production.
Who you are
You are curious by nature and genuinely excited about understanding how materials influence comfort, functionality, durability, and sustainability.
We believe you have:
- A degree in Textile Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Product Development, or a related field.
- Experience working with textiles, soft materials, comfort products, upholstery, mattresses, bedding, furniture, automotive interiors, or related industries.
- Strong knowledge of textile materials, fiber technologies, fabric constructions, nonwovens, foams, fillings, or comfort systems.
- Experience leading development projects and working cross-functionally in complex environments.
- The ability to translate customer needs into material and technology solutions.
- A strong interest in sustainability, circularity, recycled materials, and future material innovations.
- Excellent stakeholder management and collaboration skills.
- Strong communication skills in English.
We think you'll thrive if you are
- Passionate about textiles and comfort.
- Curious about future materials and emerging technologies.
- Able to combine technical depth with commercial understanding.
- Analytical and comfortable working with both data and hands-on testing.
- Energised by collaboration across functions, cultures, and external networks.
- Motivated by creating products that improve everyday life for the many people.
Why this role?
This is an opportunity to shape the future of comfort. You will work with material innovation from idea to implementation, influencing everything from next-generation textile materials to sustainable comfort solutions that reach customers around the world.
If you are excited about combining material science, textile expertise, innovation, and customer insight, we would love to hear from you.
Please see we will have this position open on several locations ( Älmhult, Warsaw, Shanghai and Ho Chi Minh City), it is however same position that we are looking for to be placed in one of these locations.
Apply now and help us create better comfort through better materials. Please send us your application - CV and letter of motivation - in English latest by 13 October 2026.
We wish for you to answer the following question:
- How do you see you could contribute as an MTE to the Textile and Comfort material innovation?
If you have questions about the role, please contact Material & Engineering Manager Catarina Englund at [email protected]
If you have questions about the recruitment process, please contact People & Culture Specialist Femina Karlsson at [email protected].
We always recruit based on values, competence, potential and diversity. We will first consider co-workers employed at Inter IKEA Group impacted by organizational changes provided competence requirements are met for the role.
Welcome with your application!