Sr. R&D Engineer/Chemist - Process Development

Overview

About Us

Afton Chemical Corporation is part of the NewMarket Corporation (NYSE: NEU) family of companies, and is one of the largest global suppliers of lubricant additives and offers a broad line of fuel additives worldwide. 

 

Develop and employ practicable approaches to support scale-up, manufacturing, optimization, and trouble-shooting activities around the production of Afton components.  Collaborate with other R&D teams on the components’ characterization and performance evaluations to meet the stated objectives. Support a cross functional integration of activities with R&D, business, procurement, manufacturing, or supply chain at a global scale.  Responsible for multiple projects of varying complexity independently or under general direction.

Responsibilities

• Development and optimization of manufacturing processes from laboratory investigations to the first-time manufacturing success at plant scale.  Design and support the plant trials for the directed purposes. Evaluation and recommendation of facilities for handling raw materials, manufacturing, and product storage according to requirements from perspective of chemistry and engineering. 

• Perform process conceptualization and techno-economic feasibility studies. 

• Develop fundamental understanding of Afton’s manufacturing process, including the understanding of characterization and quality/performance relationships of components, reaction kinetics, influence of manufacturing equipment, and other mechanistic tools to deepen our understanding of the manufacturing processes. 

• Evaluate and interpret characterization data, performance results, and other deliverables. Provide recommendations to R&D and project leaders regarding results, deliverables, progress and challenges. 

• Participate in technical and/or project reviews and presents findings as appropriates. Engage with assigned teams and cross-functional stakeholders, such as business, process, marketing, etc. 

• Complete data collection, final interpretation, test reports, and manufacturing process. Consult with other teams as necessary to review and explain results, offer insight and analytical perspective and ensure that project goals are met. 

• Champion safe and efficient process research. 

• Support stage-gate processes to develop opportunities for product and process improvement.  

• Provide guidance for R&D during early conceptualization of components and their processes, and support to form a testing plan consistent with the manufacturing process.  

• Assure that complete ISO documentation is maintained on all ISO or quality related activities. Participate in ISO related activities and maintain an up-to-date understanding of the ISO function.

Qualifications

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE MINIMUMS:           

• Master/PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, or equivalent.

 

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE PREFERRED:

• PhD in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering.
• Knowledge and experience on manufacturing techniques and engineering requirements, synthesis/production of organic and organometallic materials, kinetic and mechanism studies, and organic material characterizations.
• Background and experience in industrial applications of organic and organometallic materials (especially as petroleum additives).
• Experience of applying theory and mechanism to drive inquiry and find applicable solutions.
• Ability to establish structure, properties, and performance relations in complex systems
• Experience of using statistical analysis software for analyzing large data sets.

 

For NewMarket or Afton employees, an appropriate combination of experiences that will support the required skill base may replace one or more of the specific experience requirements above.

 

 

            SKILLS/ABILITIES:

• Decision Making - Decision making in a timely manner based upon a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment; sometimes with incomplete information, under tight deadlines and pressure, while based upon appropriate risk and authority
• Business Insight - The understanding of the basis for our business model and how that is realized in the market. The understanding of how business and operations are intimately linked. The ability to utilize information, practices & trends, affecting the business to engage and drive new strategies and tactics work in the marketplace.
• Analysis and Problem Solving - Solves difficult problems with eff