Product Development Chemist - Commercial Accounts

1d1 day ago

Steel Partners

Bristol, US · Full-time · $95,000 – $125,000

About this role

The Product Development Chemist - Commercial Accounts is a hands-on materials and formulation leader responsible for guiding commercial product development, technical problem solving, and process optimization activities. This role combines advanced polymer and coatings formulation expertise with structured technical governance. It drives early-stage product development for complex commercial opportunities.

Serves as technical authority for commercial work intake and prioritization while maintaining laboratory engagement and development ownership. Leads onboarding and early technical direction of commercial Development Requests. Evaluates technical feasibility, risk, effort, and manufacturability to answer 'What would it take?'

Operates with high autonomy as the primary technical front door for commercial work, ensuring intentional, disciplined efforts aligned with business priorities. Transitions structured execution and scale-up to downstream team members like Customer Solutions Chemist. Authorizes and frames Commercial Technical Services Requests within formal workflows.

Dunmore International Corp, acquired by Steel Partners, manufactures innovative technical films for Aerospace, Automotive, Packaging, and more. Boasts deep expertise in novel coatings, films, multi-layer laminates from 14,000 unique chemistries. Collaborates with Fortune 500 clients across 25+ countries as a Gold Level Supplier.

Delights customers through technical innovation, high service levels, and open collaboration to solve difficult application problems. Focuses on high-growth markets to design, develop, and manufacture engineered value-added solutions. Maintains significant experience handling foils, plastics, and fabrics over 50 years.

Requirements

Advanced polymer and coatings formulation expertise
Hands-on experience in materials and formulation leadership
Proficiency in laboratory work for product development
Knowledge of multi-layer laminates, films, and novel coatings
Skills in technical feasibility assessment and risk evaluation
Ability to establish technical intent and success criteria
Experience guiding scale-up and process optimization
Understanding of manufacturability for commercial products

Responsibilities

Lead onboarding and early technical direction of commercial Development Requests (DRs)
Evaluate technical feasibility, risk, effort, and manufacturability
Lead front-end formulation and early-stage product development for complex commercial opportunities
Perform and guide initial laboratory work to establish technical direction
Develop and refine formulations, constructions, and material solutions to meet customer performance and manufacturing requirements
Transition structured execution and scale-up activities to the Customer Solutions Chemist
Authorize, filter, and frame Commercial Technical Services Requests (TSRs)
Serve as the escalation point for complex commercial technical issues