Development Chemist (at Gelest Inc.)

Mitsubishi Chemical America; Morrisville (Bucks County); On-site; USD 56,000 - 73,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k) with company match

Company-provided PPE

Job summary

Gelest, Inc., part of the Mitsubishi Chemical Group, is seeking a Development Chemist in Morrisville, PA to design, develop, and optimize chemical processes for specialty products. You will work with Product Development, Engineering, Production, and Quality teams to translate lab discoveries into scalable, compliant processes.

The role involves synthetic organic chemistry, lab-to-pilot scale-up, data analysis, and ensuring safe, cost-effective manufacturing while meeting regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field; Master’s preferred.
• 1–3+ years in specialty chemical synthesis, process development, or scale-up preferred.
• Hands-on experience with lab techniques/equipment.
• Background in synthetic organic chemistry including multi-step synthesis and mechanism understanding.
• Experience with process development including kinetics, heat/mass transfer, mixing, and scale-up considerations.
• Hands-on experience with analytical instrumentation (GC, NMR, FTIR, MS).
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including technical reporting.
• Commitment to safety and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Design and perform lab experiments involving synthetic organic reactions, route evaluation, optimization, and troubleshooting.
• Generate and analyze process data to identify improvements.
• Scale lab processes to pilot and full production with robust tech transfer.
• Use GC/NMR/FTIR/MS to characterize materials and monitor reactions.
• Document experiments and improvements in notebooks and reports.
• Support safety reviews and environmental, health, and safety regulations compliance.
• Stay aware of industry developments and best practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Synthetic organic chemistry

Process development

Scale-up experience

Technical reporting

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or related field

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

GC

NMR

FTIR

MS

Job description

Job Description

Gelest, Inc., part of the Mitsubishi Chemical Group, is hiring a Development Chemist to join our team in Morrisville, PA. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to our mission of delivering innovative specialty chemical solutions to customers worldwide.

Company

Gelest Inc.

Job Description

Gelest, Inc., part of the Mitsubishi Chemical Group, is hiring a Development Chemist to join our team in Morrisville, PA. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to our mission of delivering innovative specialty chemical solutions to customers worldwide.

The Development Chemist will play a key role in designing, developing, and optimizing chemical processes for specialty chemical products. This hands‑on role involves synthetic organic chemistry, process development from lab to pilot scale, and data acquisition and analysis to ensure safe, reliable, and cost-effective manufacturing. The Development Chemist will collaborate closely with Product Development, Engineering, Production, and Quality teams to translate laboratory discoveries into scalable processes that meet business and regulatory requirements.

Principal Accountabilities

• Design and perform laboratory experiments involving synthetic organic reactions, route evaluation, optimization, and troubleshooting.
• Generate and analyze process data to identify improvement opportunities.
• Scale laboratory processes to pilot and full production, ensuring robust transfer of technology and clear documentation.
• Utilize analytical techniques (GC, NMR, FTIR, MS) to characterize materials, monitor reactions, and assess process performance.
• Document experiments, observations, and recommended improvements in lab notebooks and technical reports.
• Support process hazard assessments, safety reviews, and compliance with environmental, health, and safety regulations.
• Maintain awareness of industry developments, new technologies, and specialty chemical manufacturing best practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge/ Experience/Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• 1-3+ years of experience in specialty chemical synthesis, chemical process development, or scale-up preferred.
• Hands‑on experience with laboratory techniques and equipment preferred.
• Background in synthetic organic chemistry, including multi‑step synthesis and reaction mechanism understanding is preferred.
• Experience with process development, including reaction kinetics, heat, and mass transfer, mixing, and scale‑up considerations is preferred.
• Hands‑on experience with analytical instrumentation (GC, NMR, FTIR, MS) is preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including technical reporting.
• Commitment to maintaining a safe and compliant work environment.
• Must be able to wear required PPE (safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hat; respirators as needed).
• Must be able to climb ladders and stairs to collect samples and observe processes.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds and operate a forklift.
• Must be able to work 2nd shift: Four (4) 10-hour shifts, Monday–Thursday, 12:30 PM – 11:00 PM

Supplemental Company Information

Gelest, located in Morrisville, PA—conveniently accessible from Interstate 95, Route 1, and the PA/NJ Turnpikes—offers a rewarding career with competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous paid time off
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and optional supplemental plans for employees and their families
• 401(k) with a competitive company match
• Company-paid Life Insurance, AD&D, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability
• Eligibility for an annual performance bonus
• Company-provided uniforms, work boots, and PPE

The salary range for this position is $27.00 (entry level) - $35.00 per hour. Factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, job-related skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and business considerations may influence base pay offered. This salary will be subject to a geographic adjustment (according to a specific city and state), if an authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.