Junior Coatings Scientist

Ashland Specialty Ingredients, GP

Are you the kind of person that is always thinking, sketching, seeking, and adjusting? Who needs to understand how things work and then figure out how they can work better? Are you a passionate, tenacious, solver who loves to work with others who share your drive? Are you positive, constructive, and ingenious?

Are you always solving?

Then we'd like to meet you and bet you'd like to meet us.

Ashland has an exciting opportunity for a Junior Coatings Scientist to join our Specialty Additives business at our Wilmington, DE location.

This is a very visible, significant role within the Company and the R&D function.

This position will report to Senior / Staff Scientist for Specialty Additives Wilmington lab.

The responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to, the following:


* Plan & execute experiments to evaluate additive performance across representative coating systems (e.g., acrylic, alkyd, epoxy, PU dispersions)


* Prepare/apply coatings via drawdown, spray, and roller; control film build and application conditions


* Characterize performance: rheology/viscosity, gloss/DOI, particle size, opacity, wetting/leveling, foam/air entrainment, adhesion, scrub/abrasion.


* Analyze & document procedures, data, and observations in lab notebook/spreadsheets; author concise reports and presentations


* Collaborate with senior scientists on project milestones, customer trials, and scale up handoffs; communicate results clearly and on time


* Follow EHS & quality practices (SOPs, PPE, chemical hygiene, waste handling, 5S); maintain a clean, audit ready lab


* Actively contribute to the organizational goals by taking initiative, executing on goals and focusing on performance and safety


* Improve the organization capacity and capabilities through building collaborative relationships, optimizing diverse talent and utilizing positive communications and influence with others

In order to be qualified for this role, you must possess the following:



* A Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials/Polymer Science or equivalent years of experience


* 0-3 years experience in coatings, polymers, or specialty chemicals


* Familiarity with lab instrumentation and basic data analysis; strong organization and attention to detail


* Effective teamwork and communication with a positive, constructive approach


* Demonstrated responsible and ethical behavior at all times


* The ability to help the company drive greater value through understanding the business, making complex decisions and creating the new and different

The following skill sets are preferred by the business unit:



* Foundational understanding of coating formulation and additive functions in waterborne systems (wetting/flow & leveling, defoaming, dispersion, rheology)


* Hands on evaluation of surfactants, defoamers, dispersants, and rheology modifiers in waterborne coa...