Formulation Scientist

Founded in 1912, ITW (NYSE: ITW) is a global industrial company built around a differentiated and proprietary business model. The company's seven industry-leading segments leverage the ITW Business Model to generate solid growth with best-in-class margins and returns in markets where highly innovative, customer-focused solutions are required. ITW's approximately 45,000 dedicated colleagues around the world thrive in the company's decentralized, entrepreneurial culture. In 2019, the company achieved revenues of $14.1 billion, with roughly half coming from outside North America.

The ideal candidate will bring a blend of technical and formulation expertise in aftermarket car care product development and strategy. Under the technical collaboration and/or direction of an R&D manager, the candidate will develop multiple projects in a fast-paced innovative environment. They are responsible for research, development, technical evaluation and stability testing of the formulations. This position requires a creative individual with a passion for technical learning and curiosity. The R&D Formulation Scientist will spend a minimum of 50% of their daily activity working at the lab bench to create new products and solve complex technical problems to support the ITW Global Brand's business strategies.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Translates customer needs into effective product designs and customer-driven innovation strategies.

• Identifies, plans, recommends and completes major technical programs leading to innovative applications or extensions of existing and new technologies that have significant impact on the organization.

• Collaborate with various raw material suppliers to research and create differentiated formulas and coatings.

• Lead formula development and work closely with R&D Project Manager to deliver projects on-time via the new product introduction process.

• Innovate with polymers, silicone oil and its derivatives, surfactants, and solvents in adhesives and coatings to fulfill unmet customer/application needs for developing differentiated products and solutions. Knowledge of ISO practice/requirements for manufacturing scaleups will be added advantage.

• Manage technical aspects of assigned projects within ITW's stage-gate process in conjunction with a project manager.

• Clearly identify project goals, product design requirements, technical approach, test strategy, and conduct laboratory evaluations, comparison testing and issue final comprehensive reports.

• Conduct patent searches to monitor competitive innovations and generate intellectual property in own area of development in the form of patents, formulation know-how, and trade secrets.

• Support the scale-up of formulations from lab scale to mid- and full-size manufacturing batches. Coordinate and work with internal departments on the technology transfer for scale-up, and commercialization, and determine the appropriate design and product specifications to maximize ease of manufacturing and customer applications.

• Provide short- and long-term support for current products to maintain ITW's reputation for quality and performance by qualifying alternative sources of raw materials and validating performance.

• Manage multiple projects/tasks independently and as part of a team and fully utilize analytical laboratory equipment.

• Work hands-on in the laboratory, when necessary, and manage the daily activities of a research lab technician(s).

• Understand and stay abreast of important safety and regulatory requirements affecting this industry.

• Adhere to all safety, health, environmental, and quality policies and procedures.

• Minimal business travel required (< 10%)

• Other duties as assigned.