R&D Chemist
About The Position
BDC Brands — a veteran- and family-owned home improvement products manufacturer — is seeking a hands-on, Senior Formulation Chemist, individual contributor responsible for developing high-performance waterborne clear coatings incorporating functional additive technologies to improve clarity, durability, and optical performance. This role is execution-driven—focused on formulation, testing, troubleshooting, and scale-up support. The Technical Director sets R&D strategy; this position drives the technical execution that enables speed-to-market and competitive differentiation. Success in this role directly impacts revenue, profitability, and BDC’s market position.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field.
- 7+ years of formulation experience in coatings or sealants, preferred; strong preference for waterborne clear coatings and exterior durability.
- Demonstrated ability to deliver formulations from bench to pilot to production.
- Strong understanding of additive selection, formulation stability, and common coating failure modes.
- Effective written and verbal communication.
- Must be able to work full-time on-site in Brooksville, FL.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with optical/spectral functional additives or dispersion technologies.
- Ability to interpret UV-Vis-NIR data or collaborate with third-party labs for optical correlation.
Responsibilities
- Independently develop and optimize waterborne, environmentally friendly clear coating formulations aligned with performance and commercial targets.
- Evaluate and integrate functional additives that influence optical/spectral behavior while maintaining clarity/low haze.
- Investigate and qualify new or alternate raw materials to support performance, cost, and supply continuity goals.
- Generate repeatable formulation math and batch procedures to support lab efficiency and manufacturing scale-up.
- Design and execute experiments to improve product durability, clarity, performance and manufacturability.
- Develop and validate clear-coating test methods (haze/clarity, gloss, adhesion, abrasion, chemical resistance, water resistance, accelerated weathering).
- Interpret internal and third-party data and translate findings into recommendations and next steps.
- Partner with Production, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure smooth lab-to-manufacturing transfer and troubleshoot scale-up issues.
- Maintain accurate formulation records, stability data, and test documentation.
- Present technical summaries and project updates to leadership and cross-functional teams.
- Follow and model all laboratory safety requirements, PPE usage, and chemical-handling procedures.
- Maintain a clean, organized, audit-ready lab environment.
- Track industry trends, new raw materials, and emerging additive technologies.
- Recommend workflow, testing, or formulation improvements that increase speed or product performance.
- This position may occasionally take on additional projects or responsibilities to support the company’s priorities.
Benefits
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
- Full benefits: health, dental, vision, life insurance.
- 401(k) with company match.
- Paid time off and holidays.
- Collaborative, values-driven environment with opportunities to grow.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
