Senior Coatings Chemist, Industrial Formulation (Epoxy / PU / Alkyd) | Sheboygan, WI

Senior Coatings Chemist, Industrial Formulation (Epoxy / PU / Alkyd) | Sheboygan, WI

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If you have spent a decade formulating at Sherwin-Williams, PPG, Axalta, Carboline, or a comparable industrial coatings house and you have ever thought about what it would feel like to actually own your bench, this is worth two minutes of your time.

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Pave Talent is hiring on behalf of our client, a 100+ year old, family-owned industrial paint and coatings manufacturer ranked among the top 25 paint companies in North America. With approximately 115 employees across two labs and two manufacturing sites, this is a company that has the stability of a century-old brand and the agility of an independent shop. They formulate across a wide portfolio: epoxies (solvent-based and water-based), polyurethanes, alkyds, acrylics, UV-cure, and electron beam systems. They even manufacture their own catalysts in-house. Color science and precision color matching are central to the business model.

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The lab is rebuilding after two long-tenured senior chemists retired (33 and 35 years of service respectively). Under new executive leadership, the Sheboygan, WI facility is being positioned as the center of excellence for all R&D, with a strategic push into custom OEM formulations and corrosion protection.

This is not a backfill seat where someone will hand you a playbook and watch you. You will own complex formulation work, mentor a team of junior chemists, partner with customers directly, and have real influence over where the lab goes technically. Your work will be visible from day one.

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You will report to the VP of Technology and Research Operations, a 25-year industry veteran whose background spans Dow Chemical, Valspar, Sherwin-Williams, and pharma. She has multiple patents, has spoken at national coatings conferences, and describes her hiring philosophy this way: "We might not get the best talent in the world, but if you have motivation and curiosity, we'll be with you every step of the way." She is on-site daily, approachable, and invests in the people on her team.

The CEO and all senior leaders are on-site and accessible. This is not a place where you need to navigate five layers to get a decision made.

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If you are good at what you do at a large coatings company, you already know the pattern: your expertise gets siloed, your mentorship instincts have nowhere to go, and the decisions that actually shape the lab happen in meetings you are not in.

Here is the alternative: a small shop where your formulation depth is the whole game, where junior chemists are looking to you for direction, and where the technical direction of the lab is something you help determine. The VP described what she does not want very clearly: "I used to walk down the hallway and tell them what to do" is a reason not to hire someone here. If that kind of culture frustrates you too, you are in the right place.

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You will join a lab of 9 chemists in Sheboygan, WI (the primary R&D center) and collaborate with a team of 4 in Cedartown, GA. Schedule is flexible: 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, or another agreed window. Some work-from-home flexibility is available once you are integrated.

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• Lead formulation development and modification across the full chemistry portfolio: epoxies, polyurethanes, alkyds, acrylics, UV-cure, and E-beam systems

• Drive new product development from concept through commercialization, including technology transfer between Sheboygan and Cedartown

• Solve customer-specific formulation challenges for industrial OEM, transportation, and fleet applications

• Perform and interpret advanced analytical testing: FTIR, rheometer, tensiometer, goniometer, weatherometer, color spectrophotometer

• Apply color science and colorimetry to formulation work (this is core to the business, not a nice-to-have)

• Mentor and develop junior chemists and technicians on a project basis

• Partner directly with customers on technical requirements, including site visits and customer calls

• Contribute to Stage Gate process, continuous improvement, and Six Sigma initiatives

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This company has a genuine culture and they protect it. They have interviewed senior candidates who said things like "I was a dumpster fire at my last place" or "I used to walk down the hallway and tell them what to do." Those candidates did not move forward, regardless of technical credentials.

The right person walks in curious, speaks well of where they came from, and is genuinely excited to teach. If you have deep formulation expertise and you have been waiting for a seat where your mentorship instincts are actually valued, this is it.

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• 10+ years of formulation experience at an industrial paint or coatings manufacturer (Sherwin-Williams, PPG, Axalta, Carboline, Valspar, BASF, AkzoNobel, or comparable)

• Deep expertise in at least one core chemistry: epoxies, polyurethanes, alkyds, acrylics, or UV/E-beam systems

• Bachelor's degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, polymer science, coatings, or related field

• Hands-on experience with analytical instrumentation: FTIR, rheometer, color spectrophotometer, weatherometer

• Strong foundation in color science and color matching

• Demonstrated history of mentoring junior chemists or technicians

• Collaborative working style: you are a partner, not a commander

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• Master's or Ph.D. in chemistry, polymer science, or coatings

• Lean or Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)

• Experience with DOE and statistical software (JMP, Minitab, or Matlab)

• Background in industrial OEM, transportation, fleet, or corrosion-protection coatings

• Stage Gate product development experience

• Customer-facing technical experience (site visits, spec reviews, technical support)

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: Depending on experience and specialty

: Available

: Yes

: Yes

: Yes

(): With company matching contributions

: Generous PTO and company-observed holidays

: Flexible (6:00 AM to 2:30 PM, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, or similar)

: Company-funded industry training, conferences, seminars, and leadership programs (recent examples include Datacolor training, BIC seminars, and national coatings conferences)

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Apply via LinkedIn and we will reach out to schedule a conversation. Confidential search; your application is fully private.

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