Senior Process Chemist

1d1 day ago

MacroSource

Shakopee, US · Full-time · $120,000 – $165,000

About this role

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Process Chemist to support the manufacturing of fertilizer and plant nutritional products in a production-scale environment. This hands-on, process-based role focuses on large-scale chemical reactions, ammoniation processes, and real-time troubleshooting of manufacturing and quality issues. The ideal candidate brings deep practical experience in inorganic chemical or fertilizer operations.

Oversee and optimize large-scale production of plant nutritional products, including acid-based reactions and ammoniation. Monitor reaction parameters and product quality to ensure consistency with specifications. Troubleshoot process upsets, off-spec material, foaming, scaling, crystallization, and stability issues while providing hands-on technical support on the production floor.

Work directly with operators, maintenance, and management to ensure safe, efficient, and consistent production. microSource manufactures, packages, and distributes best-in-class crop nutrient products as a private label partner to leading agricultural sales companies. Operate in a sustainable workplace environment where ideas fuel innovation.

Join our growing team at microSource, a division of MacroSource, to help power the future of precision agriculture. Support scale-up and implementation of new or modified plant nutritional products. Collaborate with operations, maintenance, and engineering to improve process reliability and efficiency.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, or related scientific discipline (4-year degree required)
Minimum of 10 years of experience in plant nutritional products, fertilizer manufacturing, or related chemical production
Strong hands-on experience with ammoniation and acid-based chemistry in large-scale systems
Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot chemical processes in a manufacturing environment
Solid understanding of fertilizer raw materials, intermediates, and finished products
Strong mathematical aptitude for formulation calculations, scaling, and process adjustments
Experience using and interpreting analytical instruments and techniques, including pH meters, density meters, viscometers, XRF, HPLC
Practical knowledge of chemical processing equipment, including reaction vessels and neutralizers, pumps and piping systems, external cooling systems and heat exchangers, mixing and blending equipment

Responsibilities

Oversee, support and optimize large-scale production of plant nutritional products, including acid-based reactions and ammoniation
Monitor reaction parameters and product quality to ensure consistency with specifications
Troubleshoot process upsets, off-spec material, foaming, scaling, crystallization, and stability issues
Provide hands-on technical support on the production floor during batch and continuous production
Assist with formulation adjustments, raw material variability, and seasonal production changes
Investigate quality deviations and implement corrective and preventative actions
Support scale-up and implementation of new or modified plant nutritional products
Develop, maintain, and improve batch records, SOPs, and process documentation