Senior Product Development Chemist

Key Responsibilities: Lead the development, optimization, and evaluation of coatings formulations for waterborne automotive refinish basecoat technologies and related product platforms. Define technical project strategy, establish experimental plans, prioritize technical work, and drive development programs from concept through commercialization. Make critical technical decisions using sound scientific principles, experimental evidence, risk assessment, and business or customer requirements. Lead complex technical investigations involving formulation performance, application behavior, appearance, color properties, durability, manufacturability, or product robustness. Design, direct, and execute laboratory experiments using appropriate controls, disciplined methodology, and clear success criteria. Translate experimental results and technical risks into actionable recommendations that influence project direction, resource priorities, and commercialization readiness. Guide, coach, and mentor less experienced chemists in experimental design, formulation approach, data interpretation, troubleshooting, and technical communication. Provide technical leadership to cross-functional and global project teams, including R&D, manufacturing, marketing, sales, procurement, quality, and product management. Lead or support technology transfer, scale-up, manufacturing trials, and launch readiness efforts. Formulate, prepare, spray apply, and evaluate standard and experimental color coatings as needed to support project objectives and technical decision-making. Conduct and/or direct physical, chemical, application, appearance, color, and performance testing of coatings technologies. Identify technical gaps, anticipate project risks, develop mitigation plans, and proactively remove barriers to project progress. Communicate technical results, project status, risks, recommendations, and decision points through clear presentations and stakeholder discussions. Build productive relationships with suppliers, customers, and broader PPG technical communities to support raw material evaluations, technology scouting, and project execution. Maintain strong documentation practices in accordance with internal requirements, intellectual property needs, safety expectations, and project governance. Model a safety-first mindset while leading laboratory work, promoting safe work practices, and participating in team safety initiatives. Actively support 6S, continuous improvement, laboratory productivity, and technical best-practice development across the team. Adhere to corporate policies, government regulations, business conduct standards, environmental requirements, and EEO guidelines.

Required Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Coatings Science, or a related STEM discipline. 8+ years of professional experience in a technical, laboratory, product development, formulation, applications, or materials-related role, or an equivalent combination of advanced education and relevant industrial experience. Demonstrated ability to lead technical projects or major technical workstreams with minimal supervision. Proven ability to make data-driven technical decisions that advance complex projects and influence technical direction. Strong knowledge of formulation development, experimental design, laboratory practices, data interpretation, and structured technical problem solving. Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex formulation, application, appearance, performance, color, or manufacturing-related challenges. Ability to mentor less experienced technical staff and guide others through experimental planning, data analysis, and technical decision-making. Strong organizational and project leadership skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deliverables, and stakeholders. Excellent analytical, critical thinking, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills. Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate recommendations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional, and global team environment while taking ownership of technical outcomes. Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Commitment to safe laboratory practices and compliance with established safety, regulatory, and environmental standards.

Preferred Qualifications: Advanced degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Coatings Science, or a related STEM discipline. Professional experience in waterborne coatings, paints, automotive refinish, color coatings, dispersions, emulsions, polymer solutions, inks, or related formulated products. Deep technical knowledge in waterborne formulation development, pigment dispersion, rheology, spray application, film formation, color development, or coatings performance testing. Experience leading new product development projects, product platform development, technology transfer, scale-up, manufacturing trials, or commercialization activities. Familiarity with color science, color theory, color matching, appearance measurement, or automotive refinish application processes. Experience using design of experiments (DOE), statistical analysis, structured problem-solving tools, or data-driven decision frameworks. Experience working with global product development teams, cross-functional project teams, suppliers, customers, or external technical partners. Demonstrated ability to influence project direction, align stakeholders, and resolve technical uncertainty without direct reporting authority. Experience evaluating raw materials, qualifying alternative materials, or collaborating with suppliers to solve formulation or supply continuity challenges. Track record of mentoring colleagues, building technical capability within a team, and improving laboratory or project execution practices.

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Job number: JR2610368Profession: R&D, Technical