Research scientist
About The Position
As a Research Scientist on Momentive’s Agriculture & Process Industries Technology team, you will lead development of high-performance antifoam solutions for food and beverage, agriculture, paper, textiles, metalworking, and chemical processing markets. You will drive product innovation from concept through commercialization, using expertise in surface science, polymer science, and colloidal systems to advance the SAG™, Silwet™, and ESCA™ product portfolios and develop technologies that address customer challenges. The role involves collaboration with global teams across marketing, sales, application development, manufacturing, procurement, quality, and production. The position combines fundamental research, product development, and commercial impact. Domestic and international travel may be required based on business needs (5–10%).
Requirements
- Ph.D. in Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Polymer Science, or Chemical Engineering and 3–5+ years of industrial R&D experience; alternatively, an M.S. in one of these fields and 7+ years of industrial R&D experience.
- Experience in colloidal chemistry, surface chemistry, surfactants, emulsions, foams, and dispersions.
- Demonstrated success in new product development and independent research.
- Strong understanding of structure-property relationships and material or formulation design.
- Experience designing materials or formulations to meet performance requirements.
- Ability to translate application needs into chemical or material solutions.
- Proven problem-solving, project execution, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Hands-on laboratory research, equipment setup, and operation experience.
- Experience with experimental data analysis, statistical problem solving, and Design of Experiments (DOE).
- Cross-functional project experience, team collaboration skills, and ability to execute and prioritize projects.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word, and experience with PowerPoint or scientific presentations.
- Technical reporting and documentation skills.
Nice To Haves
- Statistical software or advanced data analysis tools.
- Expertise and experience in antifoam technology.
- Knowledge of silicone chemistry and technology.
- Working knowledge of formulations and applications that use antifoam agents.
Responsibilities
- Propose and design new products and platforms of strategic business significance by understanding unmet customer needs, analyzing problems, and creating innovative solutions and concepts.
- Lead, plan, and execute product development projects and platforms, from defining customer needs through supporting scale-up and commercialization; write project reports.
- Improve and develop advanced characterization techniques and application methods to understand product performance; investigate property-structure relationships, product failure modes, and process parameters.
- Track technology trends relevant to advanced antifoam innovations and use technical networks to collaborate across organizations.
- Communicate effectively to influence stakeholders on projects with global impact and drive communication at all levels of the business.
- Support process technology and quality teams to enable successful product scale-up and robust quality control.
- Collaborate with global product and application development teams and with marketing and business functions to align projects globally and meet customer and market needs.
- Develop a thorough understanding of the patent landscape for the projects and lead intellectual property generation.
Benefits
- Health, dental, and vision insurance, including critical illness coverage and optional orthodontia coverage.
- Paid parental leave for the birth of a child; adoption and surrogacy reimbursement.
- Short-term disability with 100% base salary coverage.
- Company-funded counseling through an employee assistance program and assistance finding care for children, parents, or pets.
- 25 days of paid time off plus paid holidays, with additional time off based on years of service.
- 401(k) savings plan with a 5% employer match plus an additional contribution based on years of service.
- Student debt pay-off program.
- Professional development programs and courses.
- Wellness programs and financial education.
- Incentive or sales variable compensation payments, subject to company incentive plan terms and performance.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
