R&D Material Development Chemist - Rubber

About this role

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical field
• 2+ years of hands-on experience in polymer, elastomer, rubber, or materials development (strong internships/co-ops considered)
• Demonstrated experience working directly with mixing, molding, extrusion, or similar processing equipment—not just theoretical or simulation-based work
• Comfortable working in a lab and manufacturing environment, including standing, lifting, and actively running experiments
• Experience with formulation and compounding, with an understanding of how materials behave during processing
• Familiarity with DOE, Six Sigma, or structured problem-solving approaches
• Strong teamwork and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate closely with operators, engineers, and technicians

Responsibilities

• Design, formulate, and test elastomer and polymer compounds through hands-on work with mixing, molding, and processing equipment
• Spend significant time in the lab physically running batches, adjusting formulations, and evaluating material performance in real time
• Partner directly with manufacturing teams to troubleshoot molding and mixing issues on the floor, driving scrap reduction and process improvements
• Lead multiple material development projects, taking ownership from formulation through production implementation
• Apply DOE and practical problem-solving methods to refine compounds and resolve production challenges
• Work with suppliers to evaluate new raw materials and bring new technologies into active testing and development
• Maintain a safe, organized lab environment and ensure accurate documentation of experiments, results, and development plans

Benefits

• Equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion