Chemist

Job Description

Job Description

Just in Time is assisting our growing Seville client fill an immediate opening for an experienced Chemist. This is a direct hire role and interviews will start as early as 6/2/26.

Position Overview

The Chemist is responsible for developing innovative technologies and products while supporting business operations in a timely and effective manner for the automotive fluids industry.

Reporting through Sales, this individual will play a key role in:

• Product Development
• Technical Support
• Quality Assurance
• Regulatory Compliance

This role is ideal for a mechanically inclined chemist who enjoys hands-on laboratory work and cross-functional collaboration with Sales, Marketing, Purchasing, and external partners.

The successful candidate will support technical business needs through sound scientific practices and effective project execution. Responsibilities include formulation development, test protocol creation and execution, project timeline management, raw material qualification, product testing, quality control activities, and regulatory compliance.

This role also requires operating analytical and mechanical test equipment to support new product commercialization and maintain the technical integrity of existing products.

Essential Responsibilities

1. Product Development (25%)

• Develop and optimize formulations for:
• • Power steering fluids
  • Transmission fluids
  • Lubricant additives
• Conduct raw material replacement and qualification activities, including:
• • Identifying alternate vendors in partnership with Purchasing
  • Testing and validating new raw materials
  • Establishing raw material specifications
• Design, execute, and document laboratory studies, including:
• • Performance benchmarking
  • Formulation screening
• Support product commercialization activities, including:
• • Pilot blends
  • Scale-up guidance
  • Production documentation
• Manage laboratory supply needs, including:
• • Nitrogen tanks
  • PPE
  • Solvents
  • Consumables
• Assist with CAPEX equipment purchases as needed.

Operate and maintain laboratory equipment such as:

• Kinematic viscometers
• Cold-temperature Brookfield viscosity baths (-40&degree;C)
• Ovens and environmental chambers
• Falex multispecimen testers (friction testing)
• 4-ball wear and EP testers
• KRL shear stability units

Experience with dynamometer testing is a plus but not required.

2. Technical Support (25%)

• Conduct customer complaint investigations, including:
• • Retain testing
  • Root-cause analysis
  • Corrective action recommendations
• Provide technical literature and data to Sales and Marketing, including:
• • Competitive benchmarking
  • Performance summaries
  • Feature and benefit analyses
• Support Sales with:
• • Technical responses
  • Product comparisons
  • Application guidance
• Prepare internal reports summarizing:
• • Test results
  • Formulation changes
  • Technical findings

3. Quality & Production Support (20%)

• Perform quality control testing on production batches using:
• • ASTM methods
  • OEM methods
  • Internal procedures
• Establish and maintain:
• • Product specifications
  • COA templates
  • QC test plans
• Review incoming supplier COAs and verify compliance.
• Assist with raw material acceptance decisions.
• Support production with:
• • Batch adjustments
  • Troubleshooting
  • Corrective actions
• Identify root causes of quality deviations and validate corrective formulation or process changes.
• Maintain laboratory equipment, calibration schedules, and daily operational readiness.

4. Regulatory & Compliance (20%)

• Work with third-party regulatory vendors to generate and maintain Safety Data Sheets (SDS).
• Compile formulation and hazard information.
• Review and approve SDS drafts.
• Enter formulation and SDS data into customer-required regulatory systems, including:
• • WERCS
  • AutoZone portals
• Respond to customer regulatory inquiries, including:
• • REACH statements
  • Prop 65 declarations
  • VOC requests
  • TSCA inquiries
  • Global chemical inventory requests
• Ensure new formulations meet applicable regulatory requirements while minimizing unnecessary hazard classifications.
• Support label compliance and packaging regulatory requirements.
• Support tariff classification activities as needed.

5. Additional Responsibilities (10%)

• Perform other duties as required to support business continuity and operational needs.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in:
• • Chemistry
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Materials Science
  • Related technical field
• 3–5 years of hands-on industrial laboratory experience in:
• • Formulation development
  • Chemical testing
  • Quality control
  • Product regulatory support
• Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate across remote teams.
• Ability to manage multiple projects while maintaining accurate documentation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with lubricants, additives, or petroleum-based formulations.
• Familiarity with ASTM test methods, including:
• • D445
  • D2983
  • D4172
  • D6278
• Experience with:
• • SDS authoring
  • WERCS
  • Regulatory compliance systems
• Mechanical aptitude for operating and maintaining laboratory equipment.

Work Environment

• On-site laboratory and production support role.
• Hands-on work involving:
• • Blending
  • Testing
  • Equipment setup
  • Mechanical adjustments
• Collaboration with:
• • Remote Sales teams
  • Purchasing
  • External regulatory partners

Benefits

• Competitive salary based on experience
• 401(k) with company match
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Paid time off