Job Title:

Lead Scientist- Release Agent Specialist

Summary:

Are you a passionate scientist eager to drive innovation in product development? Join our dynamic Agriculture & Process Industries technology team as a Product Development Scientist! In this role, you'll spearhead cutting-edge programs focused on high-performance additives for mold release agents. You'll have the opportunity to shape the future of our renowned process aids brands, including Indusil™, Silwet™, and Sag™, which are instrumental in enhancing efficiency, reducing waste, and optimizing product quality across diverse industries such as food & beverage, agriculture, textiles, paper, metalworking, and chemical processing.

As a key player, you will:

• Lead the development and enhancement of core products and pioneering technologies to address evolving customer needs.
• Advance the understanding of surface and interfacial behaviors across various applications.
• Collaborate with cross-functional and global teams including marketing, sales, applications development, procurement, quality, and production.
• Be actively involved in every stage of the product lifecycle, from innovative concept creation to successful commercialization.

We’re seeking a versatile Surface Scientist or Polymer Scientist with expertise in formulation and new product development, particularly in mold release agents. If you’re ready to make an impact and drive technological progress, apply now to become a vital part of our forward-thinking team!

Responsibilities Include:

• Propose and design new products and platforms of strategic business significance. This includes understanding the underlying causes of customer un-met needs, analyzing problems from multiple points of view and creating innovative solutions and concepts.

• Lead, plan and execute product development projects/platforms, from definition of customer needs through assistance with the scale-up and commercialization.  Assess program needs and identify resource needed. Set appropriate targets and milestones. Provide technical mentoring to junior employees.  Write project reports.

• Improve and develop advanced characterization techniques and application methods to understand product performance. Investigate property-structure relationship, analyze product failure mode, and study process parameters. Distill high-level theoretical concepts into practical, useful product platforms, features, and innovations.

• Acquire and maintain insights into technology trends for the development of advanced antifoam innovations. Leverage technical network to collaborate across organizations and to create business opportunities.

• Communicates effectively to influence stakeholders on new projects with high global impact. Drives communication at all levels of the business.

• Support the process technology and quality teams to ensure successful product scale up and robust quality control.

• Collaborate with global product and application development teams as well as with marketing and business functions to ensure that projects are aligned globally and meet customer/market needs.

• Gain thorough understanding on patent landscape of all the projects involved. Lead IP generation. 

• Completes other duties as assigned

Travel:

• 10% with potential international travel

Qualifications:

The following are required for the role

• Ph.D. in Chemistry, physical chemistry, polymer science or chemical engineering with 4+ years industrial experience, M.S. with 7+ years industrial experience, or B.S. with 10+ years of industrial experience.

• Demonstrated track record of new product development and creative independent research.

• Expertise and experience in design and formulation of release agents for various applications and chemistries (thermosets, thermoplastics, rubber, composites, etc.)

• A high level of knowledge/understanding of coatings, resins, curing chemistries, and polymer processing technologies.

• Demonstrated understanding of structure – property relationship and the ability to design new molecular structures/materials based on performance needs.

• Strong team player with the ability to lead teams successfully. Sufficient knowledge to guide others in laboratory research. Willing to coach and mentor others in program development upon gaining experience.

• Proven problem solving and project execution skills. Excellent organizational skills. Demonstrated ability to prioritize and handle multiple projects simult