Application Engineer - Adhesive Dispensing and Processing

3M is hiring an Application Engineer - Adhesive Dispensing and Processing. It pays $99k-$121k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on 3M.

Level's read on this job

Level rates this role Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
Tools and skills the posting cites include application engineering, adhesive dispensing and process optimization.
Level classifies it as a mid-level role.
Level lists 788 other open roles at 3M.
The role was posted within the past two weeks.

AI in this role

3M is hiring an Application Engineer to develop and optimize adhesive dispensing processes and conduct application trials.

application-engineeringadhesive-dispensingprocess-optimizationrheologyautomation

Job Description:

Adhesive Dispensing and Processing Application 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 diversity 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 experience to a 3M career.

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role

As an Advanced Application Engineer for 3M’s Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division global Adhesives and Electronics Bonding businesses, you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative and diverse people around the world. Here, you will make an impact by:

Developing and optimizing adhesive dispensing processes for New Product Introduction programs from concept development through production launch.
Designing and executing application trials, feasibility studies, and proof-of-concept evaluations to assess adhesive materials, dispensing methods, equipment configurations, and process performance.
Establishing and documenting engineering process parameters for adhesive dispense applications, including flow rate, bead geometry, shot size, placement accuracy, cure conditions, environmental controls, and manufacturing process windows.
Applying engineering knowledge of rheology, viscosity, thixotropy, cure behavior, and material flow characteristics to improve dispense performance, process robustness, product quality, and manufacturability.
Collaborating with product development, manufacturing, quality, automation, and customer-facing teams to translate application requirements into scalable adhesive dispensing solutions and technical recommendations.

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 science or engineering (completed and verified prior to start) from an accredited institution.
One (1) year experience in process development, application engineering, precision dispensing, fluid handling systems, automation, robotics, electronics manufacturing, or manufacturing process optimization in a private, public, government or military environment.

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

Experience working with adhesives, sealants, coatings, encapsulants, or similar fluid materials in application development, manufacturing, or product development environments.
Technical understanding of how rheology, viscosity, thixotropy, cure behavior, and material flow characteristics influence dispensing performance and final application quality.
Experience developing, validating, or optimizing process parameters, process windows, equipment settings, or manufacturing recommendations.
Experience with dispensing equipment and systems, including valves, pumps, nozzles, controllers, robotic dispense platforms, automated dispensing systems, or related manufacturing equipment.
Familiarity with cure mechanisms including UV cure, thermal cure, moisture cure, two-part mixing, or room-temperature cure adhesive systems.

Work location:

This role follows an on-site working model, requiring the employee to work at least four days a week in Maplewood, MN

Travel: May include up to 20% 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).

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.

Chat with Max

For assistance with searching through our current job openings or for more information about all things 3M, visit Max, our virtual recruiting assistant on 3M.com/careers.

Applicable to US Applicants Only:The expected compensation range for this position is $98,964 - $120,957, 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 10/29/2026 To 11/28/2026 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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How we rate this

Application Engineer - Adhesive Dispensing and Processing at 3M rates 0 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Little AI. AI is not part of the work.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Key facts

Application Engineer - Adhesive Dispensing and Processing is an open job at 3M.
Level rates this role AI Level 1 of 4: Little AI.
The listed salary is $99k-$121k a year.
The role is based in US, Minnesota, Maplewood.
The job was posted on October 29, 2026.
Seniority: mid.
Applications are handled by 3M. Apply on 3M

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

Application EngineeringAdhesive DispensingProcess OptimizationRheologyAutomation

Questions you could be asked

Tell me about a project where application engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where adhesive dispensing was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where process optimization was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where rheology was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where automation was part of your work. What did you do?

Adapt your resume

List these exact terms on your resume: Application Engineering, Adhesive Dispensing, Process Optimization, Rheology, and Automation. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.

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