Project Chemist - R&D and Product Development

Job Description

Job Description

Surface Chemists of Florida, Inc., is a small R&D company that primarily focuses on the development, production, and sale of specialty chemical products across several markets.

Our team is small, collaborative, technically curious, and motivated to solve difficult problems. We value people who take their work seriously without taking themselves too seriously, who are comfortable asking questions and challenging assumptions, and who are willing to step in where needed. We value people who take ownership of their responsibilities, follow through on commitments, and care about the success of their teammates, customers, and the company as a whole. Because we are a small company, individual contributions are visible and have a meaningful impact on our customers and our business.

Job Summary

The Project Chemist is an independent technical contributor responsible for researching, designing, executing, and interpreting R&D programs for new and existing products. Project Chemists are expected to translate customer or business needs into technically sound experimental plans, develop and optimize formulations, troubleshoot difficult technical problems, and carry projects from initial concept through laboratory validation and scale-up.

Project Chemists also serve as technical leaders within the R&D team regardless of formal supervisory responsibility. They should be approachable resources for technicians and other team members, provide constructive feedback, share knowledge, help others reason through technical problems, and model rigorous experimental practices.

Successful candidates are curious, observant, organized, and comfortable working on problems for which the answer is not already known. They are expected to challenge assumptions, make decisions based on evidence, communicate conclusions clearly, and take ownership of their projects through completion.

What You’ll Do

• Independently research technical problems and relevant technologies using scientific literature, patents, supplier resources, and other appropriate sources.
• Translate customer, market, or internal needs into clear technical objectives, hypotheses, experimental plans, and success criteria.
• Independently design, execute, analyze, and refine laboratory experiments.
• Develop, formulate, optimize, and troubleshoot new and existing specialty chemical products.
• Select or develop appropriate test methods and instrumentation to evaluate product performance.
• Interpret experimental data, identify patterns and unexpected results, draw technically sound conclusions, and determine appropriate next experiments.
• Own assigned R&D projects or technical workstreams from initial planning through laboratory validation, scale-up, and technical recommendation.
• Maintain thorough, accurate, and timely laboratory records and prepare technical reports, presentations, and recommendations.
• Provide technical direction, feedback, and mentoring to R&D Technicians, including review of experimental plans, methods, results, and conclusions.
• Support manufacturing scale-up, plant trials, troubleshooting, supplier discussions, and customer technical activities.
• Communicate technical findings and recommendations effectively to colleagues, suppliers, customers, and management.
• Identify risks, technical barriers, and resource needs early and communicate them appropriately.
• Contribute ideas for new products, applications, methods, and improvements to SCF's technical capabilities.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or related scientific discipline.
• 3+ years of relevant industrial R&D, formulation, product-development, or applied research experience.
• Demonstrated ability to independently research technical problems and design experiments to answer them.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret experimental data, draw sound conclusions, troubleshoot unexpected results, and determine appropriate follow-up work.
• Experience developing, modifying, or troubleshooting formulations, materials, processes, or chemical products.
• Ability to manage multiple technical projects or workstreams, establish priorities, and carry work through to completion.
• Strong technical writing, documentation, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to explain technical concepts and provide constructive feedback to less-experienced technical staff.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively in a small-team environment.
• Willingness and ability to interact professionally with customers, suppliers, manufacturing partners, and colleagues.

Helpful, but not required

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or a related discipline.
• Experience in industrial formulation or product-development R&D.
• Experience mentoring, training, or providing technical direction to laboratory personnel.
• Experience with pilot-scale or commercial manufacturing scale-up.
• Experience troubleshooting manufacturing or customer application problems.
• Experience with analytical instrumentation relevant to formulation or materials characterization.
• Experience working directly with customers, suppliers, or external manufacturing partners.
• Demonstrated technical accomplishments such as commercialized products, patents, publications, new test methods, successful scale-ups, or customer technical solutions.

What SCF Offers:

• Expected base salary: $70,000–$90,000, depending on relevant industrial R&D experience, demonstrated technical independence, project leadership experience, and technical capability.
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, and Life Insurance
• Employer-funded Health Savings Account
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match up to 4%
• Eligibility for annual performance bonus
• 10-days PTO and paid holidays provided
• Monday–Friday schedule, typically 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m
• Growth Opportunities: Project Chemists can grow into increasingly senior technical and leadership roles with responsibility for larger and more complex R&D programs, mentoring and developing technical staff, managing strategic customer relationships, identifying new technologies and business opportunities, and helping define SCF's technical direction.

Thank you for considering Surface Chemists of Florida as the next step in your career!

\nCompany Description

Surface Chemists of Florida, Inc., is a small R&D company that primarily focuses on the development, production, and sale of specialty industrial chemicals across several diverse markets. We have been testing, developing, and commercializing products for over 57 years.
Our team is small, collaborative, technically curious, and motivated to solve difficult problems. We value people who take their work seriously without taking themselves too seriously, who are comfortable asking questions and challenging assumptions, and who are willing to step in where needed. We value people who take ownership of their responsibilities, follow through on commitments, and care about the success of their teammates, customers, and the company as a whole. Because we are a small company, individual contributions are visible and have a meaningful impact on our customers and our business.

Company Description

Surface Chemists of Florida, Inc., is a small R&D company that primarily focuses on the development, production, and sale of specialty industrial chemicals across several diverse markets. We have been testing, developing, and commercializing products for over 57 years.\nOur team is small, collaborative, technically curious, and motivated to solve difficult problems. We value people who take their work seriously without taking themselves too seriously, who are comfortable asking questions and challenging assumptions, and who are willing to step in where needed. We value people who take ownership of their responsibilities, follow through on commitments, and care about the success of their teammates, customers, and the company as a whole. Because we are a small company, individual contributions are visible and have a meaningful impact on our customers and our business.