Research & Development Specialist

Avery Dennison•Mill Hall, PA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Avery Dennison Corporation is seeking a hands-on R&D Chemist to drive the benchtop synthesis and formulation of next-generation adhesives and coatings for their Label and Graphic Materials (LGM) business. This role, based at the Mill Hall facility, focuses on laboratory-scale polymer development and managing the transition of these formulations through pilot and full production scale-up. The position involves participating in new product development and cost-out projects, supporting internal customers including commercial PLT, R&D leadership, and downstream coating operations. The R&D Specialist will translate commercial strategies into technical solutions, ensuring alignment with manufacturing and cost constraints. Collaboration with other technology/research teams and business units is key, as is staying current on new technologies. The role also involves scouting new raw materials and generating innovative ideas for polymer development and cost-out initiatives.

Requirements

Minimum BS/MS in Chemistry, Polymer Science, or related field.
At least 3 years of experience in polymer design, synthesis, formulating and scale-up.
Demonstrated knowledge and application of statistical design of experiments.
Demonstrated excellent verbal & written communication skills.
Well-developed time management skills with the ability to balance and/or lead multiple projects simultaneously.
Consistent track record of effective team member roles on multi-functional teams comprised of R&D, Operations, Legal, and Commercial/Customer personnel.
Ability to foster creativity/innovation while ensuring project progress and lab efficiency.

Nice To Haves

2+ years of experience in commercial product development – particularly in the acrylic pressure sensitive industry including high speed coating and drying a plus.
2+ years of Experience in the application of pressure sensitive adhesives in the label industry is highly desired.

Responsibilities

Proactively scout new raw materials and chemical technologies to build a robust pipeline of novel polymer concepts and high-impact cost-out ideas.
Establish strong, proactive communication channels and drive close alignment with other internal research groups, specifically the Advanced Materials Science (AMS) team.
Actively monitor foundational research across the enterprise to seamlessly integrate and translate other technology platforms into commercial LGM products.
Synthesize, formulate, and iterate new adhesives and coatings directly on the laboratory benchtop using fundamental adhesion principles.
Lead the technical transition of new formulations from benchtop concepts through pilot-scale and full production runs.
Partner closely with commercial product managers and Product Line Teams (PLT) to understand market needs, define product requirements, and align laboratory projects with broader business growth strategies.
Serve as the primary technical resource for internal coating plants, understanding their equipment capabilities to support seamless concept development, production trials and troubleshooting during product launch.
Design robust experimental plans (DoE), manage laboratory testing, interpret analytical data, and author clear technical reports and presentations for project teams and internal stakeholders.
Translate product requirements into actionable work plans and travel up to 20% for production trials, customer discovery, and cross-site collaboration.
Scope, define, and delegate daily testing protocols and project tasks to the Applications Laboratory staff.
Mentor peers in the lab to help transfer knowledge.
Maintain a strict, proactive commitment to environmental, health, and safety (EHS) standards across both laboratory and manufacturing environments.