R & D Scientist - Coatings & Inks

Location Reading
Discipline: Chemicals, Coatings, Polymers
Job type: Chemist
Salary: £Highly Competitive
Contact name: Laura Merritt

Contact email: laura@merrittrecruitment.com
Job ref: 287
Published: 17 days ago

Contract: 18 Months Maternity Cover (Full Time)

Start: ASAP

Fantastic opportunity with a global coatings manufacturing company to develop new polymer technology, formulate and test coatings for customers and support scale-up into production. Ideally you will have some laboratory experience gained in industry such as paints, coatings, inks or adhesives.

Responsibilities

Working as part of the R&D team to:

  • Design and development of new coating materials

  • Formulation work preparing multiple samples of coatings to establish effects of formulation variations

  • Examining key properties of coatings - physical properties, chemical properties, electrical resistance properties.

  • Testing performance of new raw materials to establish usefulness in new formulations.

  • Use of Automated Selective Coating equipment to coat test specimens to check performance in environmental tests

  • Accurately record all Lab work in company note book and databases

  • Maintain organised work areas and work according to safety rules and advice.

  • Visits to customer sites to trial developmental materials

Working as part of cross-department project teams to:

  • Develop and validate new manufacturing processes:

  • Scale up of newly developed products

  • Improvements to manufacturing processes to reduce costs

  • Validate alternative sources of current materials

  • Test performance of existing and new coating products to assist with customer material qualifications

  • Assist Technical Support team to assist with customer technical enquiries

  • Contribute towards QA Processes (such as APQP / TS16949)

  • Take ownership of individual New Product Introduction projected:

  • Ownership of all stages of new product introduction

  • Preparation of customer technical reports and datasheets

  • Manage collaborations with other department teams

Candidate Profile

  • Educated with a BSc or PhD in Chemistry or Material Science is preferred

  • Experience of manufacture or testing of advanced chemical products such as coatings, adhesives, paints is preferred but not essential.

  • Good understanding & experience of laboratory test methods

  • Experience with Viscosity, Rheology, FTIR and related laboratory instruments advantageous

  • Must possess a keen eye for detail

  • Must be organised, methodical & able to prioritise

  • Must be used to working in Project

  • Must have the right to work in the UK, sponsorship is not available.

In return you will gain first class training and the opportunity for a permanent role within the international group. Attractive salary is on offer.