R&D- Associate Chemist

This position is responsible for the research and development of products in the GSC Commercialization Woodcare Lab (Thompsons, Cabot, Valspar, Minwax, Duraseal, Superdeck). This individual will provide technical leadership and support for the Woodcare Team with focus on both NPD and MOB projects. Other leadership and support opportunities may include Opportunity Rex, PTS, and Color Support.

This position is accountable for contributing to the execution of projects and/or the solution of problems of minimal to moderate complexity. This Individual may lead individual, or group projects and communicates effectively within the department and within a primary network of contacts. This individual demonstrates technical knowledge to achieve results. This individual seeks answers and provides project updates while also maintaining accurate and up to date project documentation. This individual manages daily work and demonstrates prioritization and organizational skills.  

Job duties include contact with other employees and access to confidential and proprietary information and/or other items of value, and such access may be supervised or unsupervised. The Company therefore has determined that a review of criminal history is necessary to protect the business and its operations and reputation and is necessary to protect the safety of the Company’s staff, employees, and business relationships.

This role is not remote/hybrid. This role will report to Sherwin-Williams Morikis Global Technology Center located at 6745 Miller Road, Brecksville, OH 44141.

10% Travel

Responsibilities include:

Lab Support/Product Development 
• Accountable for contributing to the reformulation, development, maintenance, enhancement and assessment of products through planning, executing and analysis of experiments with clear and accurate results. 
• Accountable for the solution of moderately challenging technical problems (product/process) and demonstrating knowledge and safe use of chemicals, raw materials, substrates, and instruments. 
• Designs and executes experiments, compares competitor products, compares new to old products, performs basic woodcare processes, creates/matches target colors, and participates in designs of experiments. 
• Follows standard internal Institutional Test Methods and Institutional Calibration Methods as well as ASTM International standards for Wood Coatings and Stains.

Communication
• Provides necessary project updates to manager/group leader. 
• Communicates effectively within a primary network of contacts. 
• Responsible for inputting data and data analysis. 
• Maintain accurate and up to date project documentation. 
• Gives group presentations, project related/update presentations and special request presentations. 
• Communicates detailed ideas concisely through written communication within the department. 
• Obtain a small network of resources but may still need manager’s advice on where to go when an issue arises.

Safety
• Complies with, and displays knowledge of, all safety and security regulations. 
• Demonstrates knowledge and safe use of chemicals, raw materials, substrates, and instruments. 
• Maintains a clean work area 
• Accountable for following chemical hygiene plan and safe laboratory practices

Operations Support
• Supports operations through raw material evaluation, quality investigations, continuous improvement projects and regulatory compliance.

Minimum Requirements
• Must be legally authorized to work in the country for which you are applying for employment (without now or in the future needing sponsorship for employment work visa and/or permanent residence status)
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must have a bachelor’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (“STEM”) field
• Experience accurately tracking/recording lab results and reporting out data to project lead and/or project team in timely manner

Preferred Qualifications
• Experience in a laboratory environment
• Experience developing products for interior and exterior wood coatings 
• Experience formulating water based and solvent based products

At Sherwin-Williams, our purpose is to inspire and improve the world by coloring and protecting what matters. Our paints, coatings and innovative solutions make the places and spaces in our world brighter and stronger. Your skills, talent and passion make it possible to live this purpose, and for customers and our business to achieve great results. Sherwin-Williams is a place that takes its stability, growth and momentum and translates it to possibility for our people. Our people are behind the strength