Formulation and Process Engineer

Alchemy; Kitchener; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and equity package

High-impact technical role

Cross-functional exposure

Collaborative culture with growth opportunities

Job summary

A nanotechnology company is seeking a Formulation and Process Engineer in Kitchener, Ontario. This role involves developing high-performance automotive coatings and optimizing formulation properties for scalable production. Candidates should have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering and 3+ years of experience in formulation development. The position offers competitive compensation and a collaborative work culture with opportunities for growth.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of hands‑on experience in formulation development or process engineering.
• Deep understanding of formulation parameters impacting performance.
• Strong communication and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize high-performance transparent film formulations.
• Collaborate with teams to align formulation decisions with performance constraints.
• Troubleshoot process variability and material handling issues.

Skills

Formulation development

Process engineering

Problem-solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering or related field

Tools

Coating application methods

Job description

Alchemy is a nanotechnology company building breakthrough solutions for the automotive and defence industries. We’re transforming legacy sectors by vertically integrating our proprietary nanocoatings into category-defining, ready-to-use products.

Our flagship technologies:

• ExoShield: the world’s leading windshield protection film for the automotive aftermarket
• Crypsis Class: a multispectral camouflage coating platform for defence applications

We are at the growth-stage of our journey and are focused on sustainable top-line growth across both our automotive and defence business units. Alchemy is backed by leading investors and incubators in Canada, USA, and France such as Y-Combinator, Stanford-StartX, Pathfinder, Pembroke, NameSilo, and more.

Our team is a diverse, tight knit group of engineers, scientists, and business professionals that likes to spend time together in and out of the office, whether that is weekly badminton nights or team lunches. We are a team passionate about cars, cool technology, and working together to dominate the market segments we operate in.

The Role

We’re hiring a Formulation and Process Engineer to help us take our high-performance automotive coatings from the lab bench to real-world production.

You’ll work on developing and tuning advanced coating systems for use in transparent film products, focusing on optimizing formulation properties, curing behavior, and scalability across application methods. Your work will directly impact how our products are made — from raw material compatibility to process robustness and production readiness.

This role sits at the intersection of R&D and process engineering, with high visibility across product, operations, and manufacturing teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, adapt, and optimize functional formulations for use in high-performance transparent films and coating systems
• Translate performance requirements (optical, mechanical, durability) into formulation and processing strategies that are scalable and repeatable
• Design experiments and execute structured formulation studies to evaluate the impact of material selection, ratios, and processing conditions
• Modify formulations to ensure compatibility with a of coating and application techniques (e.g., slot-die, spray, roll, or dip coating)
• Work hands-on in the lab to prepare, mix, and apply coating formulations for both R&D and pilot-scale testing
• Collaborate with product, test, and manufacturing teams to align formulation decisions with production, application, and performance constraints
• Support the development of coating procedures that balance manufacturability, robustness, and performance across environmental conditions
• Troubleshoot process variability and material handling issues, identifying root causes and recommending design or process improvements
• Contribute to scale-up efforts, including transfer of lab formulations to external production partners and equipment trials
• Develop and maintain formulation documentation including recipes, material specs, batch records, and SOPs
• Track material performance across test phases and help define key product specifications and quality thresholds
• Work cross-functionally to evaluate new materials, additives, or manufacturing methods that may expand product capability or simplify production

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related field
• 3+ years of hands‑on experience in formulation development and/or process engineering, preferably in coatings, adhesives, films, or functional polymers
• Deep understanding of how formulation parameters (e.g., viscosity, crosslinking behavior, solids content) impact coating performance and processability
• Experience working with polymer or nano‑material based coatings in a lab or pilot environment
• Demonstrated ability to design and execute structured formulation and process experiments, including data analysis and clear documentation
• Familiarity with coating application methods (manual and automated), and understanding of relevant upstream/downstream process constraints
• Strong problem‑solving skills, with the ability to move quickly between ideation, testing, and troubleshooting
• Comfortable working with cross‑functional teams, including product, test, and production partners
• Strong communication and documentation skills, able to translate technical findings into decisions
• Must be authorized to work in Canada and able to commute to our headquarters in Kitchener, ON

Preferred:

• Experience supporting scale‑up of lab‑developed coatings into external manufacturing environments
• Familiarity with curing systems (thermal, UV, ambient) and how they interact with coating formulation and substrate behavior
• Exposure to transparent films, optical coatings, or other high‑performance multilayer materials
• Knowledge of experimental design frameworks (DOE, root cause analysis, etc.)
• Previous experience working in startup or fast‑paced technical environments where cross‑functional collaboration is key

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and equity package
• A high‑impact technical role with ownership across product and process development
• Cross‑functional exposure to product, strategy, and operations
• A collaborative, mission‑driven culture with lots of room to grow

Alchemy is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.

Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Seniority level

• Entry level

Employment type

• Full‑time

Job function

• Management and Manufacturing

Industries

• Manufacturing