Development Chemist

In the role of Development Chemist, you will be responsible for provision of scientific and technical input into R&D projects, contributing to the development of leading-edge products, planning creative improvements to existing render and coating products and identifying new innovations, which will have a major impact on margin and revenue.

You will form part of the R&D team, reporting to the R&D Team Lead, while collaborating closely with other Development Chemists, Business Development and Commercial Departments on customer technical support, product enhancement and new product development. This is an exciting opportunity to become part of Saint-Gobain Exterior Solutions (SGES) - the new business unit comprising Kilwaughter Minerals and Weber UK and Ireland. This is a full-time permanent role based in Kilwaughter, Co Antrim.

Key Responsibilities:

• Reporting to the R&D Team Lead and with close interaction with Business Development, collaborate with Product Managers and the wider team to realise market leading developments - maintaining accurate records, authoring reports and presenting these as required
• Take responsibility for the planning, scheduling and implementation of specific new product developments, product improvement and optimisation projects in accordance with the R&D Roadmap.
• Help control development scale up, from lab scale, through pilot scale to full scale production including involvement in site trials, assessing customer feedback and liaising with other departments to ensure all relevant technical information is in place.
• Assist in the day-to-day running of the R&D laboratory including preparation of product technical and safety data sheets and other H&S requirements; technical support for sales function; re-formulation of existing products and provision of production support.
• Provision of technical support, advice and training to the internal and external customer.
• Assist in the obtaining and maintaining of product and system approvals and certification processes, including CE marking and other approvals.
• Contribution to the company’s Intellectual Property portfolio and embedding of new capabilities into company systems, always adhering to the Company’s confidentiality rules and procedures.
• Represent the company at conferences, trade shows and other events.

What we need:

To apply for this role, candidates should hold a BSc degree or higher in a scientific discipline. We are looking for a friendly and enthusiastic individual who is eager to contribute to innovative R&D projects and to further develop their scientific and technical expertise. This role plays a key part in supporting ongoing research activities, driving experimentation, and contributing to the development of new materials and technologies.

Additional desirable skills include:

Essential:

• BSc degree in a scientific discipline with competence in Materials Science.
• Awareness of scaling up of laboratory research to production and providing technical support
• Driven by a strong desire to learn and succeed, working on own initiative to plan and execute research projects, employing analytical thinking and executing pragmatic decisions.
• Highly IT Literate in Excel and strong Planning and Communication / Influencing Skills with a desire to undertake Continuous Learning.
• Analytical thinker with the ability to solve problems and make pragmatic decisions.
• Ability to understand written technical data.
• Able to work flexible hours and travel as required to ensure business needs are met
• Possess a full current driving licence

Desirable:

• BSc degree or above focused on construction materials science.
• Awareness of the strategic objectives of a commercial and research department.
• Technical expertise with cementitious or synthetic resin product chemistries.
• Experience of research project management - preferably within a manufacturing environment.

Personality Fit:

• Enthusiastic and passionate about our customer experience and our reputation
• A creative thinker who can problem solve and drive continuous improvement
• A values ambassador who leads by example and walks and talks our values
• Determined and driven by results whilst eager to work at pace

Are SGES and Saint-Gobain inclusive employers?

Saint-Gobain is the worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction improving daily life through high-performance solutions. From wherever you are, let your unique personality and our values guide you every day to invent a more sustainable world.

We understand that a diverse workplace is not only a more enjoyable place to be but also facilitates better decision making and innovation. So, whoever you are, and whichever Saint-Gobain business you join, you can be sure of a warm welcome with us.

And what about flexibility?

The world of work is changing. At Saint-Gobain, we’re always open to new ways of working. Everyone has different needs and commitments. We’ll happily discuss any need you might have for this role: We can’t promise to meet every request when we’re recruiting. But we do promise to listen.

If you match our criteria, we will be in touch to discuss your experience and more about you as a person, we look forward to hearing from you!