R&D- Scientist

The R&D Scientist on the Industrial Wood Radiation Cure NPD team independently leads the development, localization, scale-up, validation, commercial launch, maintenance, and improvement of UV- and LED-curable coating systems. The scientist plans and executes technically rigorous experiments, interprets results, and converts findings into practical product and process solutions. The role requires broad knowledge of radiation-cure chemistry, raw materials, substrates, coating application, cure equipment, analytical methods, manufacturing, and customer finishing processes.

The scientist manages multiple complex projects, works directly with cross‑functional and global partners, supports customer and manufacturing trials, and mentors less experienced technical employees.

• Safety, Compliance and Technical Stewardship
• Follow all safety, environmental, ISO, laboratory, and product safety and regulatory requirements; actively support safe handling of radiation-curable materials and continuous improvement of laboratory practices.
• Provide technical assistance for quality investigations, manufacturing issues, raw‑material changes, customer complaints, and product‑maintenance needs when specialized radiation‑cure expertise is required.
• Radiation Cure Product Development
• Lead projects through the formal product‑development process (Stage Gate) from technical assessment and definition of product requirements through formulation, testing, scale‑up, field validation, launch, and post‑launch support.
• Develop and troubleshoot 100% solids, waterborne UV, UV/LED, and related radiation‑cure coating systems for Industrial Wood applications, including flooring, digital printing/embossing, roll coat, and other strategic platforms.
• Apply strong knowledge of oligomers, monomers, photoinitiators, pigments, matting agents, additives, substrates, application methods, and cure conditions to solve complex formulation and process problems.
• Understand UV, LED, mercury/gallium arc, inert‑atmosphere, excimer, and related cure technologies, including the interaction of spectral output, dose, irradiance, oxygen inhibition, film build, pigmentation, and line speed.
• Experimental Design and Technical Problem Solving
• Design efficient experiments using DOE and sound statistical methods; identify root causes, assess risk, define controls, and make clear, data‑based technical recommendations.
• Plan and support laboratory, pilot, plant, external‑manufacturing, and customer‑line trials; translate laboratory results to commercial equipment and operating conditions.
• Scale‑Up, Trials and Commercialization
• Lead product localization and technology transfer across regions, including raw‑material qualification, regulatory review, formula adaptation, performance benchmarking, supply‑chain risk assessment, and manufacturing readiness.
• Partner effectively with Marketing, Sales, Technical Service, Applications, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, Procurement, and global R&D teams to define customer needs and deliver commercially viable solutions.
• Cross‑Functional Leadership and Documentation
• Communicate project status, technical risks, recommendations, and decisions clearly through laboratory notebooks, technical reports, presentations, updates in the Navigator project‑tracking system, Gate reviews, and other required documentation.
• Develop differentiated product and platform concepts aligned with Industrial Wood market needs, business priorities, cost targets, manufacturing capability, and customer value.
• Exercise sound business judgment by balancing performance, safety, regulatory requirements, cost, manufacturability, supply continuity, speed to market, and customer value.
• Protect intellectual property and…