Applications scientist, Research​/Development

Plainsboro, NJ, United States of America

Applications Scientist - Industrial Specialties

Industrial Specialties is where performance, sustainability, and practical innovation come together. At Croda, our scientists transform specialty ingredients into real-world solutions that help customers improve products, solve technical challenges, and create value across demanding industrial markets.

Driven by our purpose of Smart Science to Improve Lives, Croda is a FTSE
100 organization with more than 5,000 employees across 39 countries. Our Industrial Specialties team applies deep technical knowledge and new technologies to support customers in the Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants, and Elastomers (CASE) market and beyond.

We are seeking an Applications Scientist to help expand our CASE application capabilities at the Princeton site. This role will develop and evaluate sustainable specialty ingredients, generate meaningful application data, and collaborate with customers, commercial teams, and global R&D colleagues to turn scientific insight into market-ready solutions.

Laboratory

Activities:

• Develop and evaluate sustainable specialty ingredients for industrial applications, generating technical data to support innovation and commercial growth.
• Support the expansion of CASE application capabilities at the Princeton site by developing testing methods, application knowledge, and laboratory best practices.
• Working in coordination with global R&D, design, formulate, and evaluate surfactants, polyols, and other additives in coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, and related systems to demonstrate product performance and customer value.
• Analyze experimental results and communicate findings through technical reports, presentations, and customer-facing materials.

Marketing & Sales Technical Support:

• Provide technical support to customers through product recommendations, troubleshooting, performance evaluations, and application guidance.
• Partner with commercial and marketing teams to support business growth through customer visits, technical presentations, training sessions, conferences, and industry events.
• Support regional projects across the broader Industrial Specialties portfolio as business priorities require. Develop an understanding of adjacent markets including water treatment and oil & gas, where emulsification technologies and surfactant expertise are also applied.

At Croda, we believe our people are the heart of our success. We are committed to fostering an environment where you can grow, make a meaningful impact, and thrive.

Qualifications:

• B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related discipline. Relevant industrial or postdoctoral experience appropriate for the degree level.
• Experience in, or a strong working knowledge of, the CASE market, including coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, or related formulation technologies.
• Experience designing and executing laboratory studies, analyzing data, and communicating technical conclusions.
• Strong written and verbal communication, presentation, and customer-facing skills.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a global team environment.
• Strong planning, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Adaptable to changing priorities and capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Must be physically capable of standing and working at a laboratory bench for extended periods of time.
• Knowledge of sustainable materials and emerging industry trends.
• Experience developing new testing methods, application capabilities, or laboratory programs.
• Demonstrated ability to rapidly develop expertise in new application areas and translate customer needs into practical technical solutions.

Join a global organization with countless opportunities for growth and leadership.

The successful candidate will receive a competitive salary and benefits package including:

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage, available immediately
• Wellness reimbursement
• Parental leave
• Company paid and voluntary life and AD&D insurance
• Short and long term disability

This is an on-site position based at our Princeton, NJ location.

Annual Base Salary Range: $ 75,000 to $ 111,000. This range reflects the base salary the company reasonably expects to pay for this position. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as geographic…