Sr. R&D Chemist - Engine Oils

NewMarket Services • Richmond, VA

3d

About The Position

Afton Chemical Corporation is part of the NewMarket Corporation (NYSE: NEU) family of companies, and is one of the largest global suppliers of lubricant additives and offers a broad line of fuel additives worldwide. Lead formulation projects in the development of next generation Engine Oil additives. Lead Cost-of-Goods Sold (COGS) and Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) improvement projects including the evaluation of new componentry and projects addressing ever changing environmental regulations. Lead research projects looking to improve our fundamental understanding of the performance impacts of different chemistries and formulation styles.

Requirements

• BS/PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or equivalent
• Good technical understanding – BS/PhD or equivalent in Chemistry or Engineering – Relevant formulation experience would be an advantage
• Effective project manager – demonstrate the ability to manage complex technical projects and work productively in cross functional teams on a global basis
• Computer skills beyond Microsoft suite
• Strong analytical skills
• Ability to effectively solve problems
• Natural inquisitiveness
• Ability to flex to changing priorities and time demands
• Ability to communicate information clearly and succinctly and ultimately in an engaging and compelling manner at all levels
• Organizational skills – able to prioritize work, develop appropriate timelines and work to deadlines
• Drive and focus to achieve challenging goals; identifies key difficulties and moves quickly to resolve the situation
• Able to travel as required

Nice To Haves

• Experience with and conversant in statistical analyses and experimental design, such as identification and significance of normal distributions, loading plots, standard deviations, confidence limits, population differences, ‘non-orthogonal’ DOE, multi-variate analysis
• Experience with handling large data sets and DOEs using statistical programs such as MiniTab, Tableau, or Jump.

Responsibilities

• Develop fundamental understanding of Engine Oil technologies using new or existing components, base oils, etc., in line with identified technical and business needs.
• Responsibility for all technical aspects of the development process including setting up of test matrices using statistical design of experiments, test development, test scheduling and the interpretation and reporting of resulting data.
• Use appropriate methodology to improve the performance, durability and functionality of Engine Oil additive technologies in line with identified technical and business needs.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date lab notebooks in accordance with established company policy.
• Maintain objectivity and accuracy in reporting and recording data.
• Technical project management in line with Afton Product Development Process. May coordinate several workstreams in parallel.
• Where necessary, represent the company in technical societies and other industry activities.
• Maintain adequate level of technical expertise and self-development through study, seminars, etc. Keep informed of advanced developments inside and outside the company.
• Represent Afton at customer and OEM interfaces as required.
• May direct the work of technicians and other chemists assigned to projects.
• Complete special assignments and participate in project teams as required for business needs and for your personal development.
• Take personal responsibility for a safe working environment in the office and laboratory.
• Know, understand and consistently adhere to established safety policy and procedures.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of changes or additions to safety procedures and assist in safety training activities as required.
• Interact and maintain technical relationship with 3 rd party suppliers.
• Work with Legal team to ensure effective protection and generation of IP for Afton.

Benefits

• We offer competitive compensation and benefit packages that reflect our commitment to our employees.
• Our employees are our most treasured asset and we have dedicated resources that allow us to reward our employees for their commitment on an ongoing basis - ensuring our compensation packages are competitive in the industry.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees