Senior Chemist

Senior Chemist

The Senior Chemist is a key technical expert within American Engineering Testing (AET) Chemistry Laboratory, responsible for leading advanced chemical analysis, forensic evaluations, and technical reporting to support materials testing and consulting services. This role focuses on complex materials investigations and high-level data interpretation, providing defensible conclusions that support client decision-making.

Operating with a high degree of independence, the Senior Chemist leads complex laboratory analyses and forensic investigations, provides technical oversight of analytical work and reporting, and ensures the accuracy and quality of project deliverables. This role collaborates closely with Petrographers, Engineers, and project teams to evaluate material performance, diagnose failures, and ensure compliance with industry standards. The Senior Chemist serves as a subject matter expert, provides technical guidance to laboratory personnel, and supports client consultations, project scoping, and proposal development.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Reasonable accommodations or workable solutions may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Perform advanced chemical analysis and laboratory testing of construction and building materials, including cement, concrete, aggregates, soils, admixtures, coatings, sealants, and related products.
• Interpret complex laboratory data to evaluate material performance, contamination, deterioration, and failure mechanisms.
• Lead technically complex projects and serve as the primary laboratory resource for challenging analytical investigations and forensic evaluations.
• Lead or play a key role in forensic investigations involving complex material performance, contamination, deterioration, or failure analyses.
• Prepare and review technical reports for accuracy, quality, and clarity, ensuring deliverables meet AET and client standards.
• Provide technical review and quality oversight of laboratory analyses, calculations, and reports prepared by Chemists, Technicians, and other laboratory personnel.
• Serve as a technical resource for internal teams and clients, supporting project teams with subject matter expertise.
• Support client consultations by providing technical expertise related to testing methodologies, analytical findings, material performance, and failure investigations.
• Contribute technical input to project scoping, proposal development, and laboratory cost estimating for specialized testing and consulting services.
• Provide mentorship, technical guidance, and work direction to Chemists, Technicians, and Interns as needed.
• Operate, calibrate, troubleshoot, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, ensuring reliable and accurate data output.
• Ensure all laboratory activities follow established testing procedures, QA/QC practices, and documentation standards.
• Identify and drive improvements to laboratory processes, testing methodologies, and service delivery.
• Coordinate with Petrographers, Engineers, and cross-functional teams to support multidisciplinary testing and consulting work.
• Manage workload to meet project timelines, budgets, and quality expectations.
• Conduct laboratory activities in accordance with applicable regulations and AET's Health and Safety Policy.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position does not include direct supervisory responsibilities. May provide technical guidance, training, or work direction to laboratory personnel, interns, or technicians as assigned.

Required Qualifications and Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering.
• 7+ years of relevant experience in analytical chemistry, construction materials testing, product testing, forensic evaluation, or consulting environments.
• Demonstrated ability to independently interpret complex analytical data and prepare clear, defensible technical reports.
• Advanced knowledge of laboratory practices, analytical methods, QA/QC procedures, and applicable standards.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to convey technical information clearly to diverse audiences, including clients.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while working independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary, consulting-focused environment.

Preferred Skills

• Experience testing construction and building materials, including cement, concrete, aggregates, soils, admixtures, coatings, sealants, adhesives, and related products.
• Experience with industry-recognized standards and methodologies, including ASTM, AASHTO, FHWA, EPA, APHA, MnDOT, NIST, or similar standards.
• Advanced hands-on experience with analytical instrumentation such as XRF, XRD, FTIR, SEM, thermal analysis, spectroscopy, chromatography, or similar methods.
• Experience evaluating materials-related issues involving contamination, corrosion, deterioration, product performance, or failure mechanisms.
• Experience supporting client consultations, project scoping, proposal development, or technical sales support within a consulting, laboratory, or engineering environment.
• Experience providing mentorship, training, or technical support to scientific, laboratory, or technical staff.

Pay Transparency

Base compensation is expected to be in the range of $90,000 – $110,000 annually based on skill set and experience. AET offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health benefits, insurance, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), long-term savings, paid time off, and professional development opportunities. The selected candidate must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. without requiring visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Work Environment

This job operates in both a laboratory environment and a professional office setting. The role routinely uses laboratory instrumentation and standard office equipment, including computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands or fingers, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.