Women in Science: Jaylynn Walker’s Journey from Engineering to Data Innovation

Jaylynn Walker is kicking off our five-post series celebrating women across Kuraray America, Inc. for International Day of #WomenInScience.

Currently an Application Development and Data Architecture Supervisor in our IT department, Jaylynn’s path didn’t begin in tech. She started her career at Kuraray America, Inc. as a production engineer, where curiosity and hands-on problem-solving set the foundation for a cross-functional journey that continues to evolve.

That curiosity began in an unexpected place. During an early internship, Jaylynn toured a manufacturing facility where a guide mentioned working with the engineer behind a familiar cookie container. The detail stuck with her.

“It’s something so many people use and don’t even think twice about,” she says. As she moved through college, she began to see just how versatile a chemical engineering degree could be, and how often chemistry quietly shapes everyday life.

That realization ultimately led Jaylynn to Kuraray America, where she interned in 2017 and 2018 before joining full-time as a production engineer. Over the next five years, she learned alongside colleagues with decades of experience at the EVAL plant, drawing inspiration from their depth of knowledge, curiosity, and openness to new challenges.

When a routine process consideration came up, Jaylynn proposed an approach that hadn’t been tried before. The idea proved effective and became a moment that reflected Kuraray America’s culture of trust, collaboration, and openness to new ways of thinking.

“That definitely showed the culture at Kuraray America,” she says. “A new, young engineer can offer out-of-the-box ideas, and they are welcomed.”

That same curiosity later sparked Jaylynn’s interest to transition into IT. With support from Kuraray America’s tuition reimbursement program, she earned her master’s in data analytics and made the move, backed by a manager who actively championed her growth. “There aren’t many people who make that switch,” she says. “He pushed for me to step into an IT role and made sure there was an opportunity for me to continue developing my career.”

Today, Jaylynn serves as a bridge between disciplines, translating complex technical concepts into practical applications that support teams across the company.