Coatings Chemist

Actalent; Delaware; On-site; USD 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental & vision

401(k) plan

Disability insurance

Health Savings Account

Transportation benefits

Job summary

Actalent in Wilmington, DE is seeking a Coatings Chemist to join our applications laboratory. You will formulate architectural paints, optimize products, run viscosity tests, drawdowns, and assess performance across substrates, collaborating with scientists and technicians.

This contract role emphasizes safety, data integrity, and environmental considerations as you support innovation projects and customer needs with hands-on experimentation and documentation.

Qualifications

• Hands-on paint/coating lab experience.
• Experience with architectural paints is preferred.
• Strong data recording and analysis skills.

Responsibilities

• Formulate architectural paint by selecting resins, pigments, additives, and solvents to meet target properties.
• Test new materials in the lab to evaluate performance and quality.
• Conduct viscosity measurements and drawdown testing on substrates.
• Provide technical support for innovation projects and customer needs.
• Support service by offering technical insights and troubleshooting.
• Generate reliable, repeatable test data and record results.
• Collaborate with scientists and technicians to plan experiments.
• Maintain safety procedures and accurate formulation records.
• Consider environmental impact and regulatory requirements in testing.

Skills

Paint/coatings formulation

Viscosity measurements

Laboratory testing

Substrate testing

Safety procedures

Collaboration

Education

Diploma (5+ years lab experience)

Associate degree (2+ years)

Bachelor’s degree (0+ years)

Job description

Job Title: Coatings Chemist

Job Description

The Coatings Chemist will work in an applications laboratory, formulating and testing architectural paints to ensure high performance, quality, and environmental responsibility. This role involves hands‑on laboratory work to develop new paint formulations, optimize existing products, and support innovation projects and customer needs, while collaborating closely with scientists and technicians.

Responsibilities

• Formulate architectural paint by selecting and mixing appropriate resins, pigments, additives, and solvents to achieve targeted properties such as adhesion, durability, color, and gloss.
• Test new architectural paint materials in a laboratory setting to evaluate performance, quality, and consistency.
• Conduct laboratory testing, including viscosity measurements, drawdowns on various substrates, stain resistance evaluations, and application testing.
• Provide technical support for key innovation projects, contributing to new product development and improvement of existing formulations.
• Support customer service activities by offering technical insight and troubleshooting related to paint and coating performance.
• Perform hands‑on experimental work in the lab to generate reliable, repeatable test data and results.
• Collaborate with scientists and other technicians to plan, coordinate, and execute technical laboratory work and experiments.
• Ensure laboratory safety by following established safety procedures, guidelines, and best practices at all times.
• Maintain accurate records of formulations, test conditions, and results to support ongoing development and quality control efforts.
• Consider environmental impact and regulatory requirements when developing and testing new paint formulations.

Essential Skills

• Practical experience working with and making paint or coatings, preferably architectural paints.
• Hands‑on laboratory experience in paint or coating formulation and testing.
• Proficiency in conducting viscosity measurements and interpreting viscosity data.
• Experience performing application testing and evaluating coating performance on different substrates.
• Ability to perform drawdowns and stain resistance testing for architectural coatings.
• Strong foundation in chemistry, particularly in paint, coatings, and polymer chemistry.
• Ability to work safely in a laboratory environment and follow established safety procedures.
• Collaborative skills to work effectively with scientists and technicians on technical projects.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Diploma with 5+ years of hands‑on paint or coating laboratory experience.
• Associate degree with 2+ years of hands‑on paint or coating laboratory experience.
• Bachelor’s degree with 0+ years of hands‑on paint or coating laboratory experience; co‑op or industrial internship experience is preferred.
• Background in polymer chemistry or related disciplines.
• Experience specifically with architectural paint is strongly preferred.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to generate reliable, high‑quality experimental data.
• Interest in innovation and contributing to new product development in the coatings industry.

Work Environment

This role is based in an applications laboratory focused on architectural paint development and testing. You will work with specialized laboratory equipment for viscosity measurement, drawdowns, stain resistance, and application testing on various substrates. The environment emphasizes safety, innovation, and collaboration, with opportunities to work closely with industry experts and receive one‑on‑one training and mentoring. The organization has a global reach and a culture that values employees, encourages technical growth, and supports contributions to a wide range of industries.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Wilmington, DE.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $26.00 - $32.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms.

If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employ