Decorative Coatings Tech Expert, North America

Evonik Industries AG; Allentown (Lehigh County); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Evonik Corporation in Allentown, PA seeks a highly experienced technical specialist for the Decorative Coatings market in North America. You will interface with customers on-site and virtually, lead innovation projects, and support new product development and launches.

The role requires 5 years in coatings, a MS/PhD in chemistry or related field, and strong leadership and communication skills. Join a global team driving advanced additives research and coatings solutions.

Qualifications

• A M.S. or Ph.D. degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related Science is required.
• Approximately 5 years’ experience in the Chemical Industry supporting customers and developing new additives or resins used in Coatings applications is required.
• Approximately 5 years’ experience managing new product development projects and supervising the technical work of others.
• Must have a solid understanding of the chemical structure-property relationships that determine why certain surfactants, dispersants, and other additives work as they do; a strong grasp of which additives to recommend to solve specific problems or achieve desired effects is required.
• Experience providing technical support and training to customers and distributors and managing internal (R&D, Applied Technology, Marketing, Sales) stakeholders is required.
• Strong leadership & project managerial skills to build support for, plan, organize and execute projects and strategies is required.
• Strong teamwork & excellent interpersonal skills to work effectively across regions, functions, and business lines is required.
• The ability to operate effectively within a complex matrixed organization with multiple stakeholders is required.
• Fluency in English as well as strong verbal and written communication skills are required.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrating innovation and technical service competence to customers, serving as primary technical contact to Decorative Coatings customers in North America, competently serving Architectural Coatings, Pigment Concentrates, Wood Coatings, Flooring and other Decorative Coatings customers whenever necessary.
• Representing Business Line CAD and Market Segment Decorative Coatings as a technical expert and serving as a primary point of contact for technical inquiries for Architectural Coatings customers.
• Identifying opportunities for TSRs. Collaborating with regional ART Head, lab teams, Quality Control, and Complaint Management to resolve customer complaints and identify optimal technical solutions.
• Implementing innovative ideas for product and process development through I2P projects in partnership with regional ART head, as well as RD&I, other Market Segments and Product Lines.
• Identifying appropriate work to support new product development projects and supervising scientists and/or technicians on the team to execute that work; filing patent applications as appropriate.
• Following up with customers in North America to understand performance of experimental products in their formulations.
• Documents and statistically validate experimental results in alignment with team manager and lab team, with internal and external stakeholders, and preparing publications and promotional material jointly with marketing when required, e.g. factsheets, articles, launch presentations, COATINO campus content.
• Actively participating on the Americas Decorative Coatings Market Segment Team. Ensuring alignment with global and regional strategies.
• Efficiently executing all market-oriented applications development and innovation activities, supporting all market sub-segments as needed.
• Monitoring market trends, competitive activities, and technology developments, and recommending benchmarking initiatives.
• Translating customer and market needs into innovative ideas for new product and process development projects.
• Participating in and, when appropriate, leading internal expert committees, e.g. Center of Excellence for Architectural Coatings, driving the expansion of technical expertise in this field and sharing information within the global organization, e.g. by supporting internal trainings.
• Proactively transferring knowledge on Additives and formulations to colleagues.
• Complying with all North American regional and Allentown site EHSQ measures and requirements...
• Actively serving on one Allentown site Safety@Evonik subcommittee.
• Updating technical data sheets and product information on the Coating Additives website.

Skills

Fluency in English

Leadership

Project management

Teamwork

Interpersonal skills

Education

M.S. or Ph.D. in Chemistry/Chemical Engineering or related Science

Job description

Evonik Corporation in Allentown, PA seeks a highly experienced technical specialist for the Decorative Coatings market in North America. You will interface with customers on-site and virtually, lead innovation projects, and support new product development and launches.

The role requires 5 years in coatings, a MS/PhD in chemistry or related field, and strong leadership and communication skills. Join a global team driving advanced additives research and coatings solutions.