Development Chemist

As a Development Chemist, your primary responsibilities involve planning and executing laboratory projects, evaluating chemical options, and developing blends to meet specific physical property requirements. You'll perform essential testing such as viscosity and pH, as well as maintain a solid understanding of processing equipment and document your work to share with management.

To qualify for the Development Chemist role at our Plymouth, MI locations, candidates are required to have a Master's degree in Chemistry or Polymers, while a PhD is preferred. Additionally, one to three years of experience in a laboratory setting within the relevant industry is necessary to ensure you can hit the ground running upon joining the team.

Yes, as a Development Chemist, you may travel to manufacturing locations when needed. This allows for a hands-on approach to applying your lab findings to real-world scenarios and ensures that your knowledge and recommendations positively impact our processing operations.

In this role, you will perform various chemical property testing including viscosity, water content, pH, and refractive index. Additionally, you'll be responsible for reaction performance evaluations, which includes assessments like rise profiles and flow evaluations, crucial to understanding the materials you work with.

A Development Chemist at our Plymouth location will engage in a diverse range of projects involving the development of chemical formulations and conducting scale-up trials. You'll work on projects that are crucial for enhancing product performance and processing efficiencies, contributing directly to our company’s innovation strategies.

Talk about specific tests you've performed, such as viscosity or pH measurements. Highlight how those tests impacted your research projects or product development and be prepared to discuss any challenges you faced during testing and how you overcame them.

Explain your systematic approach, starting from initial research to formulation and testing. Discuss how you consider both chemical properties and desired performance outcomes, along with any collaboration experiences with colleagues or teams.

Emphasize the importance of clear documentation and effective communication. Describe the methods you use for documenting your results, such as lab notebooks or software, and share how you present findings to management to drive decisions.

Share a specific instance where you evaluated a chemical reaction. Describe the methods you used, the parameters measured, and the conclusions drawn from your evaluation, emphasizing problem-solving and analytical skills.

Discuss your commitment to safety by detailing specific protocols, such as wearing appropriate PPE, understanding material safety datasheets, and participating in EHS guidelines for a safe working environment.

Mention resources you utilize, such as industry publications, professional organizations, or online courses, illustrating your proactive approach to continual learning and how this benefits your work.

Talk about a specific challenge, whether technical, logistical, or team-related. Focus on your problem-solving skills and how you effectively collaborated with colleagues to reach a solution.

Express your enthusiasm for the role by aligning your career goals with the opportunities and challenges presented by the position. Highlight what excites you about working with the team and contributing to innovative projects.

Present a concise overview of a particular project, your role in it, and the outcomes achieved. Mention any challenges faced and the skills you utilized to ensure the project's success.

Describe your organizational skills and strategies, such as using task lists or scheduling priorities. Share an example of a time when you successfully managed multiple projects and met deadlines in a high-pressure situation.