Chemist

Nippon Paint Automotive Americas, Inc.•Lansing, IL

About The Position

This position performs customer-focused laboratory work as assigned by a supervisor, including paint and panel preparation, customer correlation work, record keeping, and other customer and product support activities. The role applies basic coatings chemistry and knowledge of formula raw materials to help analyze project results, identify technical issues, and determine next steps with supervisor guidance. It also supports customer needs, communicates technical results, and follows established business processes to transition paint from the laboratory to the plant and customer.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry or another science field.
Two years of relevant experience.
Willingness and ability to travel and work overtime as required.
Strong work ethic and ability to work well with minimal supervision.
Ability to adapt to shifting priorities.

Responsibilities

Prepare paint and panels, perform customer correlation work, maintain records, and provide other customer and product support.
Apply a general understanding of formula raw materials and component functions; recognize technical issues and work with a supervisor to analyze project results and establish a path forward.
Contribute ideas for internal and external problem solving and use product loading charts to formulate new colors.
Use hand-spray application equipment to generate consistent test and evaluation panels.
Learn customer application methods and automated spray equipment concepts, and develop understanding of spray correlation factors such as atomization, gun speed, and distance.
Spray according to existing correlations with limited assistance and create new customer correlations with assistance.
Modify products or application settings to improve workability with guidance.
Communicate technical information and project results to chemists, group managers, and the Technical Director.
Communicate with in-house representatives at assigned accounts and occasionally visit customers with the Field Technical Service Team.
Write monthly reports for the manager, maintain detailed laboratory notebook records, and prepare laboratory reports with conclusions, analysis, and supporting data.
Use Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to communicate ideas and data.
Travel with NPAA personnel to support customer needs, follow internal procedures for customer requests, adjust schedules as requested by management, and relay results to Field Technical Service with management review.
Use established business processes to transition paint from the laboratory to the plant and customer, including RMIF, TSCA/DSL, NMI, Test Lab/Spec Testing, Formula Holds, SAP, AS/400, EDS, Mass Change, Lab Notebooks, Customer Idios, Customer Correlations, and the Complaint Process.
Move waste from its generation point to the 90-day Storage Area.
Close and label waste containers according to NB Coatings procedures.