Chemist (Contract)

NPA Coatings; Lansing, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

11 paid holidays

Health and retirement plans

Tuition reimbursement

Employee recognition

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Nippon Paint Automotive Americas Inc. is hiring a customer-focused lab technician to support coatings development and color matching. You will perform paint and panel prep, run correlation tests, and maintain accurate records in a fast-paced lab environment.

Travel and overtime may be required. The role offers a competitive rewards package including annual bonus, holidays, comprehensive health and retirement plans, and opportunities for growth within NPAA.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry or a related science field with 2 years of relevant lab experience.
• Willingness to travel and work overtime as required.
• Strong work ethic with ability to work with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Perform paint and panel preparation and customer correlation work under supervisor.
• Maintain records and prepare technical documentation and reports.
• Use hand-spray equipment and evaluate test panels to support product development.
• Communicate results to chemists, managers, and field teams; participate in problem solving.
• Adhere to NPAA procedures for waste handling and lab-to-plant transfer processes.

Skills

Chemistry knowledge

Laboratory experience

Detail-oriented

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry

Tools

SAP

AS/400

Mass Change

EDS

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

At NPAA, we believe our employees are our greatest strength. We are proud to offer a generous and competitive rewards package, including:

• Earned Bonus Structure – annual merit increases, and an annual incentive bonus plan.
• Time Off & Holidays – 11 paid holidays each year, plus paid time off to support work-life balance.
• Health & Retirement – comprehensive health and welfare plans, along with a 401(k)program featuring an exceptional company match.
• Career Growth & Recognition – tuition reimbursement, employee recognition programs, and opportunities to grow within the organization.
• Culture & Community – as part of the NPAA family, you’ll enjoy company events throughout the year celebrating and appreciating our employees’ hard work and dedication.

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position requires customer focused lab work as assigned by supervisor, including paint and panel preparation, customer correlation work, record keeping, and other customer/product support activities as established by supervisor.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Technical Skills: Requires general understanding of formula raw materials, and the general function of each component. Recognizes technical issues, applies basic understanding of coatings chemistry working with supervisor to analyze project results, and establishing a path forward for project. Contributes ideas for internal and external problem solving, uses product loading charts for formulating new colors, and may have occasional direct customer contact.
• Application Knowledge: Uses hand-spray application equipment to generate consistent test/evaluation panels. Learning key customer application methods and automated spray equipment concepts (e-state, rotary, etc). Gaining a deeper understanding of the concepts required for consistent spray correlation (ie. atomization, gun speed and distance). Spray per existing correlations with limited assistance and capable of creating a new customer correlation with assistance. Modify product or application settings to improve product workability with guidance.
• Communication Skills: (oral and written): Communicate technical information/project results to chemists, group managers, and the Technical Director. Communicate frequently with in house representatives at assigned accounts and occasionally visit customer with Field Technical Service Team. Write monthly reports to manager, keep detailed records of all project formulations, results, and analyses in laboratory notebook; write detailed laboratory reports with conclusions, analysis, and supporting data for internal and external review. Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and uses these tools to clearly communicate ideas and data.
• Customer Focus: Travel with other NPAA personnel to support customer needs. Demonstrate basic understanding of internal NPAA procedures to address customer requests. Adjust schedule as management requests in order to meet customer expectations and timelines. Relay results directly to Field Technical Service with management review. Basic customer interaction required with assistance.
• Business Process: Use existing business processes in order to transition paint from Lab to Plant to Customer including: RMIF, TSCA/DSL, NMI, Test Lab/Spec Testing, Formula Holds, SAP, AS/400, EDS, Mass Change, Lab Notebooks, Customer Idios, Customer Correlations and Complaint Process. Requires detailed understanding of these processes, and independent use in order to move tasks forward, including completion with a focus on timeliness.
• Move waste from generation point to 90-day Storage Area
• Properly close and label waste containers using NB Coatings procedures

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelors Degree in Chemistry or other science field with 2 years relevant experience.
• Willing and able to travel and work overtime as required.
• Strong work ethic, able to work well with minimal supervision.
• Adapts well to priority shifts.

Nippon Paint Automotive Americas Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.