R&D Chemist

Intertape Polymer Group (IPG)•Marysville, MI

41d

About The Position

The R&D Chemist leads customer-focused new product development, identifying unmet customer needs and designing solutions that meet those needs while improving product performance at a competitive cost. The role partners with Marketing and Product Management to identify and document opportunities and contribute to business cases. It uses methods such as QFD, VOC, or New Product Blueprinting to establish product performance factors, properties, appearance, and other qualities. The chemist develops and tests product designs using laboratory and pilot facilities, then works with Operations to translate designs into commercially viable processes. The position ensures products meet end-use requirements, coordinates commercialization information with relevant teams, and follows products into the field with Technical Service and Sales to support customer acceptance and identify deficiencies. The role also supports product development and improvement at customer facilities, manages projects and resources, oversees team members’ experimental work, and prepares reports for the company’s electronic database and hard-copy library. The R&D Chemist actively supports safety and 5S housekeeping programs. This is a salaried exempt position reporting to the R&D Director. Travel is approximately 25% to IPG plants, headquarters, and customer and supplier locations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher in a science or engineering discipline.
2–4 years of experience in Research & Development.
Proven project leader with a high success rate.
Innovative, organized self-starter with good problem-solving skills.
Collaborative interpersonal style and experience leading project teams.
Proficiency in the MS Office suite and working knowledge of Smartsheet or other project planning software.
Knowledge of DOE principles and statistical analysis software.
Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to write executive-level reports and present results and updates to team members, executives, and customers.
Demonstrated customer focus and commitment to company values.
Ability to manage time without consistent day-to-day interaction with a supervisor.
Ability to travel approximately 25% to IPG plants, IPG headquarters, and customer and supplier locations.

Responsibilities

Identify unmet customer needs and design product solutions that meet them while differentiating and improving performance at a competitive cost.
Work with Marketing and Product Management to identify, explore, and document new product opportunities and contribute to their business cases.
Use QFD, VOC, or New Product Blueprinting to determine the performance factors, physical properties, appearance, and intangible qualities to incorporate into new products.
Develop solutions that exceed customer requirements at a competitive cost and within an acceptable timeframe.
Develop innovative product designs using laboratory and pilot facilities and work with Operations to create commercially viable processes.
Ensure products meet the end-use application needs of intended customers.
Provide completed project information through the new product commercialization meeting to Production, QC, Scheduling, Purchasing, Product Management, and Marketing.
Follow new products into the field and work with Technical Service and Sales to gain customer acceptance and identify product deficiencies.
Travel to customer facilities to support new product development and product improvement efforts.
Manage new product development projects, including preparing and maintaining tracking tools such as Smartsheet or Gantt charts to monitor timelines and required resources.
Assign, oversee, and review experimental work performed by team members.
Write clear, concise interpretive reports and memos with executive summaries, assign unique document numbers, and maintain reports in the electronic database and hard-copy library.
Actively support safety programs, initiatives, and 5S housekeeping programs.