Ainsley Search Group is Hiring a Lead R&D Chemist with experience in surface treatment and coating application of Polymer based materials for a Global Manufacturer of specialty Chemical products based in North Chicago area. This Chemist will report to VP of R&D and support the application research, support the development and formulation of existing and new products, troubleshoot and research root cause customer complaints, provide technical support on product application with customers, resolve customer complaint on product as needed. This is a full-time, permanent opportunity with lucrative compensation, bonus, benefit, and career advancement path.
Responsibilities:
- Report to VP of R&D and support the new product development projects of Polymer, Polymeric Materials, Compound, Coating products; develop and research for application and investigate customer complaints on product application and quality issues.
- Lead and develop a Technical Service and Product Development Engineering Team, engage in staffing planning and develop performance KPI to promote team performance output.
- Based on customer requirements to test, develop, evaluate, and design new product formulation, apply statistic and analytical chemistry to establish product validity, cost effectiveness, and reproduce-ability.
- Based on existing product formulation, apply data analysis on production process, quality issues, application to evaluate product validity, identify improvement opportunity to re-formulate or modify existing formulation and further drive cost saving and process improvement.
- Perform lab bench work, use analytical instruments, and document formulation process; provide scale-up activities of final design, establish raw materials, production process, and finalized production specification, ensure formulation and development process in compliance with quality regulation.
- Define project timeline, budget, oversee project progress to ensure product development project is within timeline and apply cost control, trouble bottleneck during project life cycle.
- Work closely with 3rd party suppliers and laboratory on sample manufacturing, sample testing, sample approval, materials; work cross functionally with engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, quality, customers, and suppliers to ensure formulation and commercialization process.
- Support field testing on products at customer or supplier sites; provide data analysis on new product formulation to ensure application and validity.
- Work cross functionally with sales and marketing, quality, manufacturing, engineering, procurement, supply chain, provide technical resource on product application to sales, testing, quality control, production process, provide technical manual and resource to marketing channels.
- Travel to customers as need to research, investigate, and resolve customer complaints on product, quality, and applications.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, polymer sciences, Chemical Engineer, Material Engineering, Materials Sciences, higher education desired.
- 5+ years of tenure as R&D Chemist, Product Development Engineer, Lead R&D Chemist with experience in formulation of polymer-based coating and surface treatment products.
- People and project management experience
- Proven Chemistry Analytical Skills is a must.
- Project management skills, able to define project scales on timeline and cost.
- Excellent communication and people skills.
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skill, strong at problem solving skill.
Compensation & Benefit:
- Competitive compensation
- Lucrative performance bonus
- 401k with match
- Yearend bonus
- PTO and Paid holidays
- Life insurance
- Long-term/short-term
- Generous relocation assistance