Sustainability Engineer for Product Development

HNI Corporation is seeking a Sustainability Engineer for Product Development in Des Moines, IA. The role involves developing and implementing sustainability strategies aligned with corporate ESG objectives, managing product certifications, and collaborating with various teams to enhance product sustainability. Candidates should have a relevant degree and at least one year of experience in product sustainability. Relocation assistance may be available, but the position is not remote.
HNI Corporation is a global family of brands dedicated to enriching the environments where we work, live, and socialize. We are committed to fostering a culture of integrity, inclusion, and belonging, and we want you to be a part of that mission.

Your Impact Begins Today!

What We Are Looking For: Join our HNI Workplace Furnishings team as a Sustainability Engineer focused on product development. This role plays a crucial part in developing, implementing, and maintaining a comprehensive sustainability program that aligns with our corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives. Relocation assistance may be offered for qualified candidates. Please note that this position is not currently eligible for sponsorship.

Key Responsibilities:
• Contribute to the creation and execution of sustainability strategies that support our ESG goals and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Develop and maintain a structured sustainability framework that ensures all new products integrate important environmental considerations, including carbon footprint, energy efficiency, material selection, and circular economy practices.
• Collaborate with internal teams such as Sustainability, Product Engineering, Marketing, and Supply Chain to manage a comprehensive sustainability materials database and product certification processes.
• Ensure thorough data management to support product certifications like Full Material Disclosures (FMDs), Health Product Declarations (HPDs), and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), among others.
• Create and maintain Sustainability Scorecards for real-time tracking of progress toward our sustainability goals.
• Work with external partners like Sphera and 3E to ensure timely and accurate project deliverables and material data.
• Explore and implement innovative technologies, materials, and solutions to enhance product sustainability, benchmarking against industry best practices.
• Manage projects to ensure compliance with regulatory and corporate sustainability requirements.
• Collaborate with global teams to advance our sustainability initiatives and align with our global sustainability goals.
• Support consulting projects focusing on Life Cycle Assessment and product sustainability strategies.
• Continuously assess emerging best practices and regulatory changes in product sustainability to identify improvement opportunities.
• Engage in activities that contribute to the overall success of HNI Corporation.

Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Sustainability, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Environmental Engineering, or a related discipline is preferred.
• Relevant professional credentials such as LEED AP or related sustainability certifications are a plus.
• A minimum of one year of experience is required; three years of experience in product sustainability or environmental compliance within product development, design, or manufacturing is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with BIFMA standards, chemical compliance databases, and product sustainability compliance is advantageous.