Junior Coatings Scientist

Ashland Specialty Ingredients, GP

Are you the kind of person that is always thinking, sketching, seeking, and adjusting? Who needs to understand how things work and then figure out how they can work better? Are you a passionate, tenacious, solver who loves to work with others who share your drive? Are you positive, constructive, and ingenious?

Are you always solving?

Then we’d like to meet you and bet you’d like to meet us.

Ashland has an exciting opportunity for a Junior Coatings Scientist to join our Specialty Additives business at our Wilmington, DE location. This is a very visible, significant role within the Company and the R&D function. This position will report to Senior / Staff Scientist for Specialty Additives Wilmington lab.

The responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Plan & execute experiments to evaluate additive performance across representative coating systems (e.g., acrylic, alkyd, epoxy, PU dispersions)
• Prepare/apply coatings via drawdown, spray, and roller; control film build and application conditions
• Characterize performance: rheology/viscosity, gloss/DOI, particle size, opacity, wetting/leveling, foam/air entrainment, adhesion, scrub/abrasion.
• Analyze & document procedures, data, and observations in lab notebook/spreadsheets; author concise reports and presentations
• Collaborate with senior scientists on project milestones, customer trials, and scale up handoffs; communicate results clearly and on time
• Follow EHS & quality practices (SOPs, PPE, chemical hygiene, waste handling, 5S); maintain a clean, audit ready lab
• Actively contribute to the organizational goals by taking initiative, executing on goals and focusing on performance and safety
• Improve the organization capacity and capabilities through building collaborative relationships, optimizing diverse talent and utilizing positive communications and influence with others

In order to be qualified for this role, you must possess the following:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials/Polymer Science  or equivalent years of experience
• 0–3 years experience in coatings, polymers, or specialty chemicals
• Familiarity with lab instrumentation and basic data analysis; strong organization and attention to detail
• Effective teamwork and communication with a positive, constructive approach
• Demonstrated responsible and ethical behavior at all times
• The ability to help the company drive greater value through understanding the business, making complex decisions and creating the new and different

The following skill sets are preferred by the business unit:

• Foundational understanding of coating formulation and additive functions in waterborne systems (wetting/flow & leveling, defoaming, dispersion, rheology)
• Hands on evaluation of surfactants, defoamers, dispersants, and rheology modifiers in waterborne coatings
• Exposure to DOE/statistics (e.g., Minitab/Design Expert) and reproducibility planning
• Familiarity with ASTM/industry test methods for coatings

In more than 100 countries, the people of Ashland LLC. (NYSE: ASH) provide the specialty chemicals, technologies and insights to help customers create new and improved products for today and sustainable solutions for tomorrow. Our chemistry is at work every day in a wide variety of markets and applications, including architectural coatings, automotive, construction, energy, personal care and pharmaceutical. Visit www.ashland.com to see the innovations we offer.
 
At Ashland our vision is to be a leading, global specialty chemicals company whose inspired and engaged employees add value to all we touch. In fact our people, employees, customers and vendors define who we are. They are the driving force behind everything we do.
 
Not only do we value our customers but we value our employees, and we work to offer them a dynamic and challenging environment. We hold ourselves to high standards at Ashland, and we value integrity and honesty.
 
Ashland has a history of attracting the best people and keeping them. The reasons are simple: industry competitive salary and benefits, pay-for-performance incentive plans and a diverse work environment where employees feel challenged and valued. People come to Ashland and stay. As a growing Fortune 500 specialty chemicals company, we offer opportunities for development and advancement throughout our global organization. Our values define who we are and what we care about as a company. If you are looking for a relationship with a company instea