R&D Chemist

Avient • Kennesaw, GA

7h

About The Position

The Research & Development Chemist will develop and support textile screen printing inks within Avient's Specialty Inks Materials Development Team. This hands-on role focuses primarily on water-based ink and coating technologies, while also supporting plastisol product development, manufacturing, quality, and commercialization activities. The position works closely with cross-functional teams to deliver products that meet customer and business needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related scientific discipline.
• Minimum 2 years of formulation experience in water-based textile screen printing inks, water-based coatings, textile coatings, graphic arts coatings, or similar aqueous systems.
• Experience conducting hands-on product development and laboratory testing.
• Strong problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with textile screen printing applications.
• Experience with pigment dispersions, rheology modifiers, acrylics, polyurethane dispersions, or related coating technologies.
• Familiarity with plastisol inks.
• Knowledge of Design of Experiments (DOE), statistical analysis, or Minitab.
• Experience with analytical and physical testing equipment such as rheometers, FTIR, DSC, and color measurement systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize water-based textile screen printing inks and related coating technologies.
• Conduct laboratory formulation, testing, and evaluation of new and existing products.
• Support product maintenance, raw material qualification, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, Technical Service, Marketing, and Product Management on development projects.
• Analyze technical data and communicate results through reports and presentations.
• Support pilot trials, scale-up activities, and commercial product launches.
• Engage with suppliers to evaluate new raw materials and emerging technologies.
• Maintain accurate laboratory records and a safe working environment.

Benefits

• Visible impact across multiple sites and businesses.
• Strong partnership with business and enterprise leadership.
• Opportunity to lead change.
• Growth-focused culture that values innovation, collaboration, and accountability.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level